Parishioners joined members of St. Jude’s clergy for a photo during the parish’s 25th anniversary celebration of the construction of its church. Deacon Will Friese, wearing a lei, is at bottom left. Also wearing lei in the top row, from left, are Deacon Raul Perez, Deacon John Coughlin, Father Khanh Hoang (center, without lei), Deacon Derek Wong and Father Boniface Sakala. (Courtesy St. Jude Parish)
Hawaii Catholic Herald
St. Jude Parish last month celebrated the 25th anniversary of its church in Kapolei, the community’s physical presence in Hawaii after existing for decades in Leeward eOahu.
More than 500 people attended the event on Feb. 25, including past and present clergy, family, friends and visitors eager to witness the milestone.
St. Jude Parish’s roots were established in 1967 when Catholics living in Makakilo began to meet and plan a physical church. The community became the St. Jude Society and was named a mission of Immaculate Conception Church in Ewa in 1985; three years later Bishop Joseph Ferrario formally established St. Jude Parish with its own pastor.
Over the next 11 years, St. Jude worked toward building both a physical church and an active parish community — forming a building committee as well as ministries and vigorously fundraising for its new property.
St. Jude Catholic Church was formally dedicated on Feb. 14, 1999.
St. Jude now boasts more than 20 active ministries, an enthusiastic pastoral council and committed clergy and parishioners. It also is planning to relocate to a larger site in Leihano, a mixed-use community in Kapolei.