Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church (Honolulu, Hawaii)

Saint John the Baptist Church is a parish church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu in Hawaii, United States.

Saint John the Baptist Church
Church and cemetery from the north
Map
21°20′16″N 157°52′52″W / 21.3377°N 157.8810°W / 21.3377; -157.8810
Address2324 Omilo Lane
Honolulu, HI 96819-2434
CountryUSA
DenominationRoman Catholic
Websitesjbkalihi.org
History
StatusActive
FoundedMay 8, 1844
Founder(s)Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
Architecture
StyleMediterranean Revival
Administration
DioceseDiocese of Honolulu

History

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On May 8, 1844, Saint John the Baptist Church opened its doors nine months after the dedication of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace. The original stone chapel lasted 12 years until it was destroyed by a windstorm. The second church was rebuilt on the same spot and was blessed on April 16, 1857. Father Alphonsus Boumeister ss.cc. expanded the church facilities in 1927, which allowed the pastor assigned to the parish to reside at church.[1] The current church was completed in 1933.[2]

Today

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Located in the historic Kalihi district across the street from Fort Shafter, the church once served the Native Hawaiian, Portuguese, and Spanish pineapple and sugarcane plantation laborers of the early 1900s.

A demographic shift occurred in the 1950s with the introduction of Filipino immigrants. The current influx of new immigrants come from Samoa, Micronesia, and other Pacific Islands. A primary school was active between 1959 and 2020.[3]

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References

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  1. ^ "History". SJB.org. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  2. ^ "Heralding back: Dec. 11, 2020". Hawaii Catholic Herald. 9 December 2020. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  3. ^ "COVID stress closes Kalihi and Ewa Beach Catholic schools". Hawaii Catholic Herald. 24 June 2020. Retrieved 30 September 2023.

21°20′16″N 157°52′52″W / 21.3377°N 157.8810°W / 21.3377; -157.8810