Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace
Mission Statement
The Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace, located at the north end of Fort Street Mall in downtown Honolulu, is said to be the oldest Catholic cathedral in continuous use in the United States and one of the oldest existing buildings in the downtown area. It is dedicated under the patronage of Our Lady of Peace because the first Catholic missionaries to the Hawaiian Islands, members of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary gave that title to their first foundation in a new land. The Cathedral stands on land which was given to the missionaries by King Kamehameha III (Kauikeaouli) when the mission was established in 1827.
About This Cause
Dedicated in 1843, the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace is the first Roman Catholic Church in Hawaii, the mother church of the Diocese of Honolulu, one of the oldest Cathedrals in continuous use in the United States and one of the oldest buildings in downtown Honolulu. The Cathedral is on the State and National Register of Historic Places. She is built on land that was gifted to the first Catholic mission by King Kamehameha III and is the church in which Fr. Damien De Veuster (now Saint Damien) was ordained a priest in 1864 and where Mother Marianne Cope (now Saint Marianne) came to worship upon arriving in Hawaii in 1883 to care for patients of Hansen's disease (leprosy). The Cathedral Renewal Campaign supports renovations to the historic Cathedral to restore and preserve her historic architecture and artwork for generations to come. By repairing the physical building, we ensure the community will continue to be served by the church's outreach efforts to the homeless and poor. Plans include restoring and preserving the historic stained glass windows, pipe organ, hand-painted ceilings, artwork and statuettes. Upgrades include: a new climate control system, new audio/video, new electrical wiring throughout, improved lighting and new furnishings. Additionally, the project includes restoring the Cathedral to the style of the nineteenth century when Saints Damien and Marianne were in the Cathedral themselves. Historic photos and drawings held in the Library of Congress guide the design plans. New construction, already approved by the historic preservation review board, include the construction of a Reliquary Chapel to house the relic of Saint Damien and the remains of Saint Marianne so that all can visit their remains throughout the day. The Cathedral already has two Bishops interred in crypts below the sanctuary. The crypts will be redesigned and expanded to accommodate six crypts; and, two Bishops' Burial Chapels will be constructed above, on the main level of the church to allow public visitation. The restoration project is being addressed in phases. Phase I (repairs to the upper galleries) was completed in the fall of 2015. Phase II work is scheduled to begin in April 2016 and last through June 2017. Additional phases can begin as funding is available and may overlap. With funding in place, our project managers estimate all work to be completed in time for the Cathedral's 175th Anniversary celebration in August 2018.