Hawaii Catholic Herald

Newspaper of the Diocese of Honolulu

Couple finds fulfillment, family at Maria Lanakila

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By Catholic Stewardship Consultants www.CatholicSteward.com For more than two decades, Carmela and Joseph Esser vacationed in the Lahaina area. They fell in love with the Maui town, the people who lived there and Maria Lanakila Church, as well as the parish’s Sacred Hearts Mission Church in Kapalua. When the couple officially moved from the Chicago […]

Finding joy and purpose in selfless service

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Marynor Pacleb embraces ministry at Maria Lanakila Church By Catholic Stewardship Consultants www.CatholicSteward.com Those who don’t know much about stewardship might believe it’s all about how much money a person puts in the collection plate. But it’s so much more than that — it’s returning to God based on the gifts you’ve been given and […]

2 years after Maui fires, support for survivors remains strong

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Hawaii Catholic Herald Two years after wildfires tore through West and Upcountry Maui — devastating the historic beachfront town of Lahaina and killing more than 100 people — the community spirit remains strong despite the continued challenge of rebuilding homes, businesses and livelihoods. Construction has ramped up in Lahaina, allowing for some businesses to reopen […]

Safe, secure, spacious: Sacred Hearts School’s temporary campus in Kaanapali is ‘more than we prayed for,’ but Lahaina is still the goal

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By Celia K. Downes Hawaii Catholic Herald Sacred Hearts School’s journey of faith, determination and resilience in the wake of the devastating 2023 Lahaina wildfire led last year to the west Maui resort town of Kaanapali, where the community has settled into a temporary location with new facilities and a stunning view. For students, faculty […]

Spared from disaster, historic church waits

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By Celia K. Downes Hawaii Catholic Herald The visit to Maria Lanakila Church started on a warm Saturday morning outside Longs Drugs on Honoapiilani Highway. Father Kuriakose Nadooparambil arrived promptly at 9:30 on Aug. 3 to take a reporter into Lahaina’s burn zone, which remains closed to the public a year after the wildfire disaster […]

Wildfire recovery shows community’s resilience, support

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By Celia K. Downes Hawaii Catholic Herald The devastation wrought by the wildfires in West Maui last year is unmatched in recent history. The death toll from the blaze that tore through Lahaina on Aug. 8, 2023, stands at 102. Thousands of people continue to struggle to find housing and other resources. Many families have […]

Sacred Hearts School prepares for big move

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A new temporary campus in Kaanapali will better serve the needs of students, staff and the community By Celia K. Downes Hawaii Catholic Herald Space for children to play. A place for them to grow. And for the many families still facing incredible hardships, a safe place to go. When Sacred Hearts School officially moves […]

Maria Lanakila: a special place in my heart

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REFLECTION By Sherry Hayes-Peirce Special to the Herald On Dec. 9, I was given the extraordinary gift of visiting Maria Lanakila Church in Lahaina, the church that miraculously was untouched by the raging fires that swept through the area in August. It was an honor to be the first non-resident to be given access to […]