Eastern Catholic Community in Hawaii

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The Eastern Catholic Community in Hawaiʻi encompasses all Catholics of the Eastern Catholic Churches. It is based in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi.

Saint Sophia Eastern Catholic Church is the only community of Eastern Catholics within the state of Hawaiʻi and is located on the island of Oʻahu. The community meets Sunday mornings at 10:30am for Divine Liturgy in the oratory chapel of Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church in Kuliʻouʻou at 5919 Kalanianaole Highway. The current pastor of Saint Sophia is a bi-ritual priest, the Reverend Halbert Weidner, C.O. While remaining a Ukrainian Greek Catholic mission of the Eparchy of Saint Nicholas in Chicago, the parish ministers to the needs of all Eastern Catholics within the state.

1 History
2 See also
3 References
4 External links

[edit] History

Beginning in 1975, the community met for many years for Divine Liturgy at St. Anthony Roman Catholic Church, Kalihi Kai, Honolulu with the late Reverend Archimandrite Jules C. E. Riotte, Episcopal vicar for the Eastern Rite. The community subsequently met at Saint Sophia Chapel in Waiʻanae, with Reverend Philip Harmon as its pastor.

On October 29, 2005, Most Reverend Richard Stephen Seminack, Eparch of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saint Nicholas in Chicago visited Hawaiʻi, announced the retirement of Father Harmon, the move of the parish to Kuliʻouʻou, and the grant of bi-ritual eparchial faculties to Reverend Halbert Weidner, C.O., pastor of Holy Trinity Church. Bishop Seminack installed Father Weidner as the pastor of Saint Sophia Ukrainian Greek Catholic mission parish. Father Weidner and two other bi-ritual priests as well as various visiting clergy of the Eparchy presently serve the community.