Hawaii Catholic Herald
Robert M. Mondoy was a prolific musician, composer, director and arranger of sacred music who brought an enthusiastic infusion of island culture into his life’s work. Whether he was pounding on a pipe organ, strumming an ukulele or singing with full voice in churches across the diocese, Mondoy’s liturgical music beautifully blended styles and eras.
Mondoy, who was the Diocese of Honolulu’s longtime director of music, died July 3 in his Kalihi home at age 74 after a long illness.
He did not keep his talents to himself. A consummate teacher, Mondoy passed on his knowledge to proteges of all ages. He had a boundless passion to bring the joyful gift of music to others.
“Mondoy was an animated and dynamic choir director, bringing out the best of his singers and musicians,” said Patrick Downes, former editor of the Hawaii Catholic Herald.
“He was unafraid to take on challenging pieces,” said Downes, who has known Mondoy since high school. “His sacred work was grounded in a deep faith that inspired his craft.”
Mondoy’s website gives a glimpse of his vast musical repertoire. He penned at least 12 Masses, put melodies to nearly all 150 psalms, composed dozens of acclamations, wrote numerous hymns and created several compilations of sacred and secular music, some in olelo Hawaii.
His work could be solemnly traditional and joyfully local, sometimes with a “chalangalang” flair. Producing songs that combined olelo Hawaii with English lyrics was his way of proudly saying, “This is the Catholic Church. This is Hawaii. This is who we are.”
Bishop Larry Silva first met Mondoy in the late 1970s, when the bishop was a priest of the Diocese of Oakland, California, and would visit family and friends in Hawaii.
In Mondoy, the bishop said he saw a “constant dedication to serve.” He called Mondoy’s compositions “treasures of bringing together cultural expressions and the Roman Rite.”
“Robert was exemplary in taking traditional Catholic hymns and melding them with Hawaiian melodies — or in some cases Filipino melodies — thus helping us to celebrate the cultural diversity of our islands,” the bishop said.
Early years
Mondoy was born Jan. 4, 1952, and raised on Molokai, initially in Kualapuu, by parents Emily Anne (Frese) and John Joseph Mondoy. He was the oldest of six children; his siblings are Patrick, Paula (Scott), Timothy, Roy and Teresa.
Robert was named after his uncle, Robert Frese, who died in World War II. His mother moved to Molokai from Illinois to work as a teacher. Their father worked for Del Monte and was a liturgical musician, playing guitar.
“His thing was, you have these abilities and you need to share them with people because that’s what God wants you to do,” Tim Mondoy remembered of their father’s musical talent. “He passed that on to the rest of us, including Robert.”
John Mondoy was known for kanikapila, Hawaiian-style impromptu jam sessions.
“Whenever we had big family gatherings, he (my father) would have these song sheets and he would just pass them out to everybody and we would just sing and play for hours and hours,” Tim Mondoy said. “We carried that on, Robert and I.”
Robert began his musical career early, Tim said, finding his own music instructor.
“There was a piano teacher that lived down the street, and he just simply went down there to take lessons on his own,” said Tim.
Paula Scott remembered Robert asking for an upright piano, which their mother purchased, that they kept in their small, two-bedroom home. The entire family took lessons and were encouraged to play.
“Robert was always a source of entertainment for everybody,” Scott said.
Mondoy attended high school at Sacred Hearts Seminary in Hauula, on Oahu’s Windward side. He later received his bachelor of music degree in piano performance from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and a master’s degree in composition from San Francisco State University.
During summer breaks, he would return to Molokai and play the organ at church.
Inspiration to all
Mondoy became the choir director at St. John Vianney Church in Kailua in 1980.
He was one of the first contemporary composers to write Catholic liturgical music using Hawaiian melodies, rhythms and instruments, according to Tim.
“He was just so happy to be able to sing Hawaiian music in church, sanctioned by the church,” Tim said.
Father Vincent Vu, pastor of St. John Vianney since 2022, called Mondoy a “hardworking and faithful man.”
He said Mondoy taught him to persevere in his love and dedication for the Mass.
Father Vu once asked Mondoy if he ever tired of working multiple Masses each weekend.
“Robert said, ‘I don’t feel tired, when I serve the Lord with the gifts he has given me,’” he recalled. “From that moment on, every time I celebrate Mass I tell myself that this is people’s first Mass of the day. I must make it count.”
Msgr. Gary Secor was enrolled at St. Stephen Seminary in Kailua when Sacred Hearts Seminary relocated there briefly in the late 1960s. Secor was introduced to Mondoy’s musical talent when they worked together on the seminary’s production of “The Man of La Mancha.”
“He had a very good sense of liturgy and its flow,” Msgr. Secor said.
Mondoy also had a way of bringing together young and old alike.
“My mother was in the choir at St. John Vianney, and she really loved Robert,” Msgr. Secor said of Alice Secor, who died in 2025 at age 94.
Though Robert was already in cancer treatment at the time, he made sure to attend Alice Secor’s funeral and join the choir.
Calvin Liu, music director for the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in downtown Honolulu, first met Mondoy when he was a high school sophomore.
“I and other friends were part of the music ministry at St. John Vianney,” Liu said. “That was one of his great gifts — expanding music ministries and encouraging all ages to be involved.”
“Even though I was 15 years younger than him, he respected me enough to listen to what I had to say,” Liu said.
The diocese later hired Liu as music director of the cathedral basilica, then called Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace. That led to more than 40 years of working with Mondoy.
“There is a difference between just finding someone who can play the piano and finding someone who is an actual liturgical minister,” working the liturgy so that everybody feels like they’re part of it, Liu said. “That’s one of the great things that he was able to teach us.”
Jayne Ragasa-Mondoy, Robert’s sister-in-law and former director of faith formation for the Diocese of Honolulu, was a member of the student choir at Sacred Hearts Academy when she first met Robert. They reconnected when both were living in San Francisco. Robert introduced her to her future husband, Tim Mondoy.
“During my years as the diocesan director for faith formation, Robert and I would have many passionate debates on the topics of liturgy and catechesis yet always found common ground through our fondness for one another and through music, whether at Mass or a family kanikapila,” Ragasa-Mondoy said. “It’s that joyful image that I keep in mind while I pray for him.”
Kalaupapa ohana
But one of Mondoy’s biggest passions was bringing the gifts of music and service to the Hansen’s disease patients of Kalaupapa.
On Molokai, Mondoy’s house was within walking distance of the Kalaupapa peninsula overlook. His father and his music group would trek down the serpentine path to Kalaupapa from topside to entertain the patient-residents and staff on special occasions, such as New Year’s Eve.
When Robert Mondoy joined St. John Vianney, he would take choir members to Kalaupapa for annual trips to clean homes, assist patients and entertain everyone with their music.
“The patients loved his music, but they especially loved Robert,” said Franciscan Sister Alicia Damien Lau, a Sister of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities who works in Kalaupapa. “His music is and will always be a gift to the world.”
Sister Lau had the opportunity to say aloha to Mondoy at the May 29 funeral of Aunty Meli Watanuki, a longtime Kalaupapa resident.
Sister Lau said Mondoy taught her that “creativity can flow freely if you allow the spirit in and open yourself up.”
“One can learn how to play music, but Robert lived his music and he was his music,” she said. “His music will live on.”
Msgr. Secor said Mondoy gave inspiration in his approach to his final illness.
“In these final months of his life, he approached his death with great courage and dignity,” the monsignor said.
Liu said he will especially miss his best friend for his wisdom, his compassion and his teaching.
“That pretty much encapsulates a lot of what he lived for besides serving God,” Liu said. “He really took music in Hawaii and in our diocese to a higher level.”
Mondoy’s funeral will take place Aug. 1 at St. John Vianney Church in Kailua. Visitation begins at 9 a.m.; the funeral Mass begins at 11 a.m.
Top: Whether he was cantoring or playing the piano, Robert Mondoy brought joy to every liturgy. (Courtesy Dann Ebina)
Bottom: Displaying his musical range, Mondoy presented a Chopin piano recital several years ago at St. John Vianney Church in Kailua. (HCH file photo / 2022)