A Brief History of Our Lady of Sorrows

1928:  Father Charles Windels, SS.CC., of Ewa Plantation decided to build a new church. Instead of demolishing the old structure, he had it trucked to Wahiawa and place on the corner of California Avenue and Lehua Street, currently the site of First Hawaiian Bank.  The building was enlarged, repainted and became a mission church dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, under the pastoral leadership of the priest at St. Michael Church in Waialua.

1939:  The flourishing Our Lady of Sorrows Mission became a parish and Father Peter Van Megan, SS.CC., was appointed pastor by Bishop Stephen Alencastre, SS.CC.

1944:  Father Modestus Vos, SS.CC., became pastor.

1949:  Father Octave Igodt, SS.CC., who had served as assistant to Father Vos, became pastor.  Father Igodt was convinced that the parish needed a larger church and by 1952, the parish had raised enough money to begin preparation for a new church.  Over the next seven years the land was purchased, architectural drawings were developed and a contractor was hired.

1959:  In March, ground was broken at 1403 California Avenue and on December 13, 1959, Bishop James Sweeney blessed the church and rectory.  Shortly before the consecration of the new church, Father Bonaventure Crols, SS.CC., became pastor, with Father Paul Zegers, SS.CC., associate pastor.

1961:  The ground was broken for Our Lady of Sorrows School and the convent for the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary who would run the school.

1962:  Bishop Sweeney consecrated the school and the convent.  Sister Joan Malden, B.V.M., was appointed principal of the new school.

1966:  Father Louis Boeynaems, SS.CC., became pastor. He would be the last priest from the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary to serve as pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows until 2012.

1969:  Father Alan Nagai became pastor.  Father Nagai introduced the concept of stewardship to the parish and started a parish finance committee and a lay school board.

1977:  Father Gary Colton became pastor.

1982:  Father Clarence Liu became pastor.

1984:  Father Salvator Stefula, T.O.R., became pastor. During his tenure, the parish debt was paid off and substantial improvements were made to the church, rectory and convent.

1985:  Sister Davilyn Ah Chick, O.S.F., became the principal of Our Lady of Sorrows School.

1986:  Father Dale Guidry became administrator and continued the planning process begun in 1987.

1990:  Father Clarence L. "Larry" Fisher became pastor.

1991:  Mrs. Deborah Bee became the first lay school principal of Our Lady of Sorrows School, serving until  the 2001-2002 school year.

2002:  Mrs. Margaret Yamamoto became the principal of Our Lady of Sorrows School for the 2002-2003 school year. At the end of the year, a decision was made to close Our Lady of Sorrows School.

2003-2004: Our Lady of Sorrows celebrates the 75th anniversary of its founding as a mission church in Wahiawa.

2007: Father Larry Fisher retires as Pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish. Bishop Larry Silva appoints Father Edgar Brillantes as administrator.

2008: Father Edgar Brillantes is incardinated into the Diocese of Honolulu and is officially installed as pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows.

2012: Father Clyde Guerrero, SS.CC., became pastor.

2013: Father Richard McNally, SS.CC., became pastor.

2016: Father Ajith Kumar Antony Dass, SS.CC., became pastor.

2018: Our Lady of Sorrows celebrates the 90th anniversary of its founding as a mission in Wahiawa.

2019: Father Falaniko Atonio became Parish Administrator.

2020: Our Lady of Sorrows completes a major rebuild of the parish hall and restrooms.

2023: Father Octavius Moo became Parish Administrator.