Eastern Catholic Community in Hawaii
Encyclopedia
The Eastern Catholic Community in Hawaii encompasses all Catholics of the Eastern Catholic Churches. It is based in Honolulu
, Hawaii
.
in Kuliouou at 5919 Kalanianaole Highway. The current pastor of Saint Sophia is a bi-ritual priest, the Reverend Halbert Weidner, C.O. While remaining a Ukrainian Greek Catholic
mission of the Eparchy of Saint Nicholas in Chicago, the parish ministers to the needs of all Eastern Catholics within the state.
began arriving in 1897, as part of a wave of emigration from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. However these were often ensnared into indentured servitude on sugar plantations in Hawaii
, and were not able to develop their own churches. Ukrainian Catholic, Orthodox, and Jewish clergy in mainland North America pressured the San Francisco Chronicle
to investigate, and on July 24, 1899 the newspaper's headline blared "Slavery in Hawaii Under the American Flag". Once freed, many of the Ukrainians departed for Canada, where there was a larger wave of Ukrainian settlement and many had relatives.
Beginning in 1975, the community met for many years for Divine Liturgy
at St. Anthony Roman Catholic Church, Kalihi Kai, Honolulu
with the late Reverend Archimandrite
Jules C. E. Riotte
, Episcopal vicar for the Eastern Rite. The community subsequently met at Saint Sophia Chapel in Waianae, with Reverend Philip Harmon as its pastor.
On October 29, 2005, Most Reverend Richard Stephen Seminack, Eparch of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saint Nicholas in Chicago visited Hawaii, announced the retirement of Father Harmon, the move of the parish to Kuliouou, and the grant of bi-ritual eparchial faculties to Reverend Halbert Weidner, C.O., pastor of Holy Trinity Church
. Bishop Seminack installed Father Weidner as the pastor of Saint Sophia Ukrainian Greek Catholic mission parish. Father Weidner and two other bi-ritual priests as well as various visiting clergy of the Eparchy presently serve the community.
The Eastern Catholic Community of Hawaii is not to be confused with the Eastern Orthodox Communities of Hawaii; the Russian Orthodox Church in Hawaii, the Serbian Orthodox Church in Hawaii, the Greek Orthodox Church in Hawaii, and the American Orthodox Church in Hawaii. These communities are members of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
.
Churches
Saint Sophia Eastern Catholic Church is the only community of Eastern Catholics within the state of Hawaii and is located on the island of Oahu. The community meets Sunday mornings at 10:30am for Divine Liturgy in the oratory chapel of Holy Trinity Roman Catholic ChurchHoly Trinity Catholic Church in Honolulu
Holy Trinity is a Roman Catholic church located in Honolulu, Hawaii.Holy Trinity Church is located in the East Honolulu neighborhood of Kuliouou on the island of Oahu, at 5919 Kalanianaole Highway , ....
in Kuliouou at 5919 Kalanianaole Highway. The current pastor of Saint Sophia is a bi-ritual priest, the Reverend Halbert Weidner, C.O. While remaining a Ukrainian Greek Catholic
Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church , Ukrainska Hreko-Katolytska Tserkva), is the largest Eastern Rite Catholic sui juris particular church in full communion with the Holy See, and is directly subject to the Pope...
mission of the Eparchy of Saint Nicholas in Chicago, the parish ministers to the needs of all Eastern Catholics within the state.
History
Eastern Catholics from western UkraineUkraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
began arriving in 1897, as part of a wave of emigration from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. However these were often ensnared into indentured servitude on sugar plantations in Hawaii
Sugar plantations in Hawaii
Sugarcane was introduced to Hawaii by its first inhabitants in approximately 600 AD and was observed by Captain Cook upon arrival in the islands in 1778. Sugar quickly turned into a big business and generated rapid population growth in the islands with 337,000 people immigrating over the span of a...
, and were not able to develop their own churches. Ukrainian Catholic, Orthodox, and Jewish clergy in mainland North America pressured the San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
to investigate, and on July 24, 1899 the newspaper's headline blared "Slavery in Hawaii Under the American Flag". Once freed, many of the Ukrainians departed for Canada, where there was a larger wave of Ukrainian settlement and many had relatives.
Beginning in 1975, the community met for many years for Divine Liturgy
Divine Liturgy
Divine Liturgy is the common term for the Eucharistic service of the Byzantine tradition of Christian liturgy. As such, it is used in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches. Armenian Christians, both of the Armenian Apostolic Church and of the Armenian Catholic Church, use the same term...
at St. Anthony Roman Catholic Church, Kalihi Kai, Honolulu
Saint Anthony Catholic Church in Honolulu
Saint Anthony Catholic Church in Honolulu is a parish in the West Honolulu Vicariate Forane of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu located at 640 Puuhale Road in the Kalihi Kai district of the city of Honolulu.-History:...
with the late Reverend Archimandrite
Archimandrite
The title Archimandrite , primarily used in the Eastern Orthodox and the Eastern Catholic churches, originally referred to a superior abbot whom a bishop appointed to supervise...
Jules C. E. Riotte
Jules C. E. Riotte
The Right Reverend Archimandrite Dr. Jules C. E. Riotte , was a priest of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saint Nicholas in Chicago, and a researcher at the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum in Honolulu. He was born in Dresden, Germany of mixed French and Lusatian Sorb heritage...
, Episcopal vicar for the Eastern Rite. The community subsequently met at Saint Sophia Chapel in Waianae, with Reverend Philip Harmon as its pastor.
On October 29, 2005, Most Reverend Richard Stephen Seminack, Eparch of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saint Nicholas in Chicago visited Hawaii, announced the retirement of Father Harmon, the move of the parish to Kuliouou, and the grant of bi-ritual eparchial faculties to Reverend Halbert Weidner, C.O., pastor of Holy Trinity Church
Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Honolulu
Holy Trinity is a Roman Catholic church located in Honolulu, Hawaii.Holy Trinity Church is located in the East Honolulu neighborhood of Kuliouou on the island of Oahu, at 5919 Kalanianaole Highway , ....
. Bishop Seminack installed Father Weidner as the pastor of Saint Sophia Ukrainian Greek Catholic mission parish. Father Weidner and two other bi-ritual priests as well as various visiting clergy of the Eparchy presently serve the community.
The Eastern Catholic Community of Hawaii is not to be confused with the Eastern Orthodox Communities of Hawaii; the Russian Orthodox Church in Hawaii, the Serbian Orthodox Church in Hawaii, the Greek Orthodox Church in Hawaii, and the American Orthodox Church in Hawaii. These communities are members of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
External links
- St. Sophia Greek Catholic Mission
- Saint Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy
- Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saint Nicholas in Chicago - listing at catholic-hierarchy.org
- http://www.orthodoxwiki.org - An Orthodox wiki for Orthodox Christians