Dancing lions join fellow countryman Father Paul Li, pastor of St. Philomena, in a parish 80th anniversary salute. (Courtesy photo)
By Patrick Downes
Hawaii Catholic Herald
St. Philomena Church, most likely the most moved-around parish on Oahu, celebrated its 80th anniversary on Aug. 15, at its fourth and final location on Ala Laulani Street in the Salt Lake district of Honolulu.
It also had a life before “parish-hood” as a mission of St. Elizabeth Parish in Aiea, administered by the Sacred Hearts Fathers, serving the Catholics of the no-longer-existing Damon Tract and the airport area.
In 1942, Bishop James J. Sweeney, elevated St. Philomena as an independent parish, naming Maryknoll Father Edward Halloran as its first pastor. It was located then at 455 Airport Road. The first baptismal entry was that of Frances Maria Burns, daughter of Edward Burns, head of the Territory’s taxation division on Nov. 7, 1942.
Part of the parish was broken off in 1950 to create Holy Family Parish on Main Street.
In 1957, construction of the Honolulu Airport forced St. Philomena to change its address to the corner of “R” Road and Nimitz Highway. The church was literally moved there — in three pieces. The moving company was owned by Frank F. Fasi, who himself would move on to bigger things.
In 1962, the church moved again to 3300 Salt Lake Boulevard in Salt Lake, the district named for the salty pond in Aliapaakai crater at the crest of the area. In 1963 the church celebrated its first Mass at its new location.
Ten years later property was acquired at 3300 Ala Laulani Street, its present location, and construction for a new church began. On July 10, 1973, the old church that had survived two moves was destroyed by an arsonist.
On Dec. 22, 1973, Bishop John J. Scanlan blessed the new church. It has stayed put ever since.
Here is a list of the pastors and administrators of St. Philomena Parish.
- Maryknoll Father Edward Halloran (1942-1953)
- Maryknoll Father John E. Morris (1953-1956)
- Maryknoll Father Robert Winkels (1956-1957)
- Maryknoll Father Edmund Toomey (1957-1975)
- Maryknoll Father Thomas Killackey (1975-1976)
- Father Joseph Turk (1976-1985)
- Father James Drew (1985-1991)
- Father Jeremiah Farrell (1991-1995)
- Msgr. Terrence Watanabe (1995-2008)
- Father Conrado Lomibao (2008-2009)
- Father Marino Angostura (2009-2011)
- Father Peter Miti (2011-2014)
- Father Rico Bernadez (2014-2019)
- Father Dong Min Li (2019-present)