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West Maui Catholic Churches & Schools - Maria Lanakila & Sacred Hearts

Maria Lanakila Catholic Church

Lahaina, Maui

Maria Lanakila Church, Lahaina & Sacred Hearts Private School

History

The Catholic Church has had a presence in Hawaii since 1827, with the arrival of the first Catholic missionaries from France. The first Roman Catholic Mass took place on Maui in 1846. Today, Catholic churches and schools can be found across the island.

If you’re exploring Catholic churches and schools in West Maui, consider visiting Maria Lanakila Catholic Church, Lahaina.

Sacred Hearts Mission School

The pastor of Maria Lanakila Catholic Church, Father Albert Bouillon, founded a parish school - Sacred Hearts School - back in 1862, and it has been serving the children of Maui for the last 150 years. Having started as just two classrooms built next to the church, a further two classrooms were added in 1870, doubling the school’s size.

Sacred Hearts is a family-oriented, fully accredited K-8 private school with a wonderful Aloha spirit. The school has, of course, evolved over the years and now has over 200 students. Their mission has remained the same throughout that time - ‘To provide excellence in education and to nurture a life of prayer, faith, and service in the Catholic Tradition’.

Maria Lanakila Catholic Church

The Catholic Faith on Maui began in 1827 with the arrival of French missionaries from the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. The first Mass was held in a grass hut on Front Street, Lahaina, on January 25, 1841. However, it wasn't until April 21, 1846, when Frs. Modest Favens, Barnabe Castan, and Brother John-Marie Gabriac arrived, that the Catholic Church was officially established on the island. Despite initial resistance from the Protestant community, the missionaries focused on tending to the growing Catholic population and planning for a new church.

In 1850, Father Aubert Bouillon took over leadership, and construction of Maria Lanakila Church began. After eight years, it was completed and dedicated to Our Lady of Victory (Maria Lanakila) on September 8, 1858. The church, inspired by the missionaries' devotion to Mary and designed in a Romanesque style, featured high narrow windows, a vaulted ceiling, and carved altars. For years, Hawaiians preferred lauhala mats over pews, embracing their traditional ways in worship.

Mass Schedules

If you are Catholic and interested in attending Mass or would like to learn more about the Catholic faith, here's what you need to know:

Mass Schedule Maria Lanakila Church

Weekday Mass: Mon-Fri 7am
Saturday - 7am / 5:30pm
Sunday - 7am / 8:45am / 10:30am / 5:30pm / 7pm (in Spanish)

You can access details and timings of other meetings, confession, etc by visiting the church website at https://www.marialanakila.org/

Becoming a Catholic

The beliefs of the Catholic Church have remained consistent through the ages, and both Maria Lanakila and Sacred Hearts share the same Statement of Faith. We believe that human beings were created by God in love, and that all of God's creations are good and made out of love. While humans have the capacity for sin, the Church emphasizes the dignity of the human person above all else. Catholics see all of creation as a reflection of God's goodness, and the beauty of the world, renewed by the Incarnation, is viewed as sacramental, speaking to God’s love. For more information, we recommend reaching out directly.

Directions

Maria Lanakila Church & School

712 Waine'e St, Lahaina, HI 96761

Phone: 808-661-0552

Website: www.marialanakila.org

Facebook: @marialanakila.church

The next time you are near or around Kaanapali, please remember to contact Kimberly to join you for your next cup of coffee. Owner and principal broker of Living Maui Real Estate, Kimberly will assist with relocation, market statistics, or transitions of your real estate portfolio.