Saint Ann Catholic Church in Kaneohe
Encyclopedia
Saint Ann Catholic Church in Kaneohe is a parish
of the Roman Catholic Church
of Hawaii
in the United States
. Located in Kaneohe on the island of Oahu
, the church falls under the jurisdiction
of the Diocese of Honolulu
and its bishop
. It is named after Saint Ann.
, the same community as that of Father Damien of Molokai) began ministering to the Catholics. In 1841, Father Robert Martial Janvier, SS.CC. replaced Fr. Walsh and centered the mission in the Heeia area.
Parish tradition has it that a village chief had gone to a Protestant Missionary asking for lamp oil. The missionary
could not give him any oil. The chief then went to the Catholic mission (at that time located at Mokapu Point) and received his oil. In gratitude, the chief gave the missionaries a piece of property.
From the Church's very beginning in 1841, the missionaries established classes for the children in the district. At first, these classes were instructions about the Catholic faith; very quickly they included reading, writing
, arithmetic
, and a little geography
.
In 1871, a boarding school
was established for eight boys by Fr. Mattias Limburg, SS.CC. The following year, 1872, a regular day school was started for boys and girls.
The McCabe family was instrumental in running the school until the arrival of the Maryknoll Sisters in 1927.
In 1960, St. Ann's School extended its curriculum to include a high school. The high school closed in 1969.
In 1988, the administration of St. Ann's School saw the need to provide quality child care coupled with an opportunity to prepare younger children for our own kindergarten. Twenty years later, on September 11, 1989, the Early Learning Center opened in the renovated building once used for the high school and has established itself as the feeder to the school.
In 1994, 2000 and again in 2006, St. Ann's Schools was granted a six year accreditation certificate from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges
(WASC) and the Western Catholic Education Association (WCEA). The ELC was the first preschool in the state of Hawaii to be accredited by both organizations.
Today, the School is has grades one through eight. The Early Learning Center program cares for three, four and five year olds.
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
of 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...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Located in Kaneohe on the island of Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
, the church falls under the jurisdiction
Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted legal body or to a political leader to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area of responsibility...
of the Diocese of Honolulu
Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu
The Catholic Diocese of Honolulu, officially in Latin Dioecesis Honoluluensis, is an ecclesiastical territory or particular church of the Catholic Church in the United States...
and its bishop
Roman Catholic Bishop of Honolulu
The Roman Catholic Bishop of Honolulu is the residential bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu in the United States, which encompasses the entire state of Hawaii and the unincorporated Hawaiian Islands. The Honolulu diocese is a suffragan see in the metropolitan province of the...
. It is named after Saint Ann.
History
During the persecution of Catholics in Hawaii (circa 1849), many natives fled from Honolulu over the Pali trail to the windward side and settled in the Koolau area. Father Robert Walsh, SS.CC. (Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and MaryCongregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
The Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and of the Perpetual Adoration of the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar is a Roman Catholic religious order of brothers, priests, and nuns...
, the same community as that of Father Damien of Molokai) began ministering to the Catholics. In 1841, Father Robert Martial Janvier, SS.CC. replaced Fr. Walsh and centered the mission in the Heeia area.
Parish tradition has it that a village chief had gone to a Protestant Missionary asking for lamp oil. The missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
could not give him any oil. The chief then went to the Catholic mission (at that time located at Mokapu Point) and received his oil. In gratitude, the chief gave the missionaries a piece of property.
From the Church's very beginning in 1841, the missionaries established classes for the children in the district. At first, these classes were instructions about the Catholic faith; very quickly they included reading, writing
Writing
Writing is the representation of language in a textual medium through the use of a set of signs or symbols . It is distinguished from illustration, such as cave drawing and painting, and non-symbolic preservation of language via non-textual media, such as magnetic tape audio.Writing most likely...
, arithmetic
Arithmetic
Arithmetic or arithmetics is the oldest and most elementary branch of mathematics, used by almost everyone, for tasks ranging from simple day-to-day counting to advanced science and business calculations. It involves the study of quantity, especially as the result of combining numbers...
, and a little geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
.
In 1871, a boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
was established for eight boys by Fr. Mattias Limburg, SS.CC. The following year, 1872, a regular day school was started for boys and girls.
The McCabe family was instrumental in running the school until the arrival of the Maryknoll Sisters in 1927.
In 1960, St. Ann's School extended its curriculum to include a high school. The high school closed in 1969.
In 1988, the administration of St. Ann's School saw the need to provide quality child care coupled with an opportunity to prepare younger children for our own kindergarten. Twenty years later, on September 11, 1989, the Early Learning Center opened in the renovated building once used for the high school and has established itself as the feeder to the school.
In 1994, 2000 and again in 2006, St. Ann's Schools was granted a six year accreditation certificate from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges
Western Association of Schools and Colleges
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges is one of six official academic bodies responsible for the accreditation of public and private universities, colleges, secondary and elementary schools in the United States and foreign institutions of American origin. The Western Association of...
(WASC) and the Western Catholic Education Association (WCEA). The ELC was the first preschool in the state of Hawaii to be accredited by both organizations.
Today, the School is has grades one through eight. The Early Learning Center program cares for three, four and five year olds.