Above, in this Facebook photo, Mary, Star of the Sea School students form the number “75” in the parish field to commemorate the diamond anniversary of the parish and school. Below, the front of the parish church.
By Patrick Downes
Hawaii Catholic Herald
Mary, Star of the Sea Parish and Schools will close out their diamond jubilee year with a trio of Masses celebrating the past, present and future, leading up to a special 8:15 a.m. Sunday liturgy Aug. 28 followed by the burying of a time capsule to be opened when the two Waialae-Kahala institutions hit the first century mark in 2046.
“Together as a community, we will officially culminate the year-long celebration” of this 75th anniversary “when we allow ourselves to focus on the eucharistic celebration and be challenged by the theme, “Live Truth, Live Eucharist,” in a letter to parishioners by parochial vicar Blessed Sacrament Father Victor “Junvic” Diolata Jr. and pastor Blessed Sacrament Father Francisco C. de los Reyes.
“We will celebrate in a way that honors God and encourages hearts to look forward with unity and hope,” they said.
The first of the three Masses leading up to the jubilee celebration, Thursday, Aug. 25 at 5:30 p.m., will honor the past. It will be offered for the liturgical ministries, the Knights of Columbus and the Bible study ministry.
The second Mass, Friday, Aug. 26 at 5:30 p.m. will celebrate the present. It will be offered for the youth and young adult ministries, stewardship, and the peace and social justice ministries.
The third Mass, 5:30 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 27, will look toward the future. It will be offered for the Healing Hearts ministry, religious education, RCIA, respect life, Third Order of Mary and safe environment ministry.
The Sunday Mass will be followed by the sealing and burying of the time capsule on the parish field. Contributing to the contents of the capsule will be the early learning center, the elementary school, parishioners, benefactors, parish ministries and others.
The capsule ceremony will be followed by food and entertainment.
Bishop James J. Sweeney, the first bishop of the Diocese of Honolulu, established Star of the Sea Parish on June 20, 1946, on the site of a former Japanese Language School on Waialae Avenue in east Honolulu, one block from its present site. The new church was staffed by the Marist Fathers and brothers.
The first pastor was Father Edward H. Donze. He was assisted by Father John J. Dallas.
On Aug. 25, 1946, the new parish celebrated its first Mass. A little more than a week later, on Sept. 3, Star of the Sea School opened, staffed by six Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. The school had 187 students, in kindergarten through third grade.
In two years, the number of sisters doubled and enrollment increased to 511. In 1953 the present buildings were completed and expanded for 16 sisters and 600 students. The school developed into an early learning center, elementary school, middle school and high school. The first class in the all-girls parish high school graduated in 1956.The high school was phased out in the 1990s.
The last Marist pastor was Father John Sullivan who left the parish in 2004.
Succeeding the Marists were the Blessed Sacrament Fathers from the Philippines. Their first pastor was Father Mark del Rosario.
On Jan. 1, 2016, Bishop Larry Silva changed the name of the parish, officially adding “Mary” to the front of the title of the parish and schools.
The bishop said the name was altered because “parish leadership felt that many people simply did not know that the title ‘Star of the Sea’ is one of the titles of the Blessed Virgin Mary.”
“The new name should make this fact more evident,” he said.
Early documentation also referred to the parish as Our Lady Star of the Sea and Mary, Star of the Sea.
