Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu: Encyclopedia II - Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu - Vicariate Apostolic

Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu - Vicariate Apostolic

Through the period that began with the landing of Fathers Armand, Bachelot and Short to the proclamation of the Edict of Toleration and arrival of Bishop Rouchouze, the Hawaiian Islands were administered as a prefecture within the larger Vicariate Apostolic of Oriental Oceania. Created in 1833 by Pope Gregory XVI and governed from South America, its territories included the Marquesas and Tahiti. After the disappearance of Bishop Rouchouze, the three prefectures were elevated into independent vicariates apostolic. Each would be led by their own bishops.

The Vicariate Apostolic of the Sandwich Islands was established and on July 11, 1847, Blessed Pius IX appointed Louis Désiré Maigret to succeed Msgr. Rouchouze. The new vicar apostolic was consecrated as the titular bishop of Arathia and quickly attended to the needs of the fledgling Roman Catholic Church in Hawai‘i. Eventually, the ecclesiastical territory received a name change for politcal correctness and became the Vicariate Apostolic of the Hawaiian Islands. Msgr. Maigret completed the construction of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace. He also invited the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary to open proper Roman Catholic schools. The priests and religious brothers of the Society of Mary (Marianists) were invited to do the same. Msgr. Maigret died on 11 June 1882 and was buried in a crypt below the sanctuary of the cathedral he built and loved.

Pope Leo XIII immediately elevated Bernard Hermann Koeckemann, a Picpus Father from Germany, as the second Vicar Apostolic of the Hawaiian Islands. He was consecrated as the titular bishop of Olba. During his episcopacy, Msgr. Koeckemann saw a wave of new Roman Catholics from the exponentially growing plantation laborer population in the Hawaiian Islands. The Roman Catholic Church in Hawai‘i embraced new parishioners from the Philippines, Poland, Portugal and Spain among others. There were so many devout Portuguese members that churches often had to include Portuguese language Masses.

Msgr. Koeckemann also saw the rise of leprosy cases throughout the kingdom. He oversaw the work of Blessed Damien of Moloka‘i and Blessed Marianne Cope as they served the ailing lepers residing in an isolated colony on the Makanalua peninsula on the island of Moloka‘i. Both would have causes for canonization opened for them by their respective religious orders.

On February 22, 1892, Msgr. Koeckemann died and was buried at the Honolulu Catholic Cemetery.

It took several months before Pope Leo XIII appointed someone to succeed Bishop Koeckemann. On June 3, 1892, the pope chose a Picpus Father from France, Gulstan Francis Ropert to become the third Vicar Apostolic of the Hawaiian Islands. He was consecrated as titular bishop of Panopolis. It was during his reign that the Kingdom of Hawai‘i was embroiled in revolution. American businessmen plotted to overthrow the peaceably reigning Queen of Hawai‘i. United States Marines marched towards Iolani Palace, a neighbor of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace, and arrested Queen Lili‘uokalani. A provisional government was proclaimed before a republic was established. Msgr. Ropert received pleas by his Native Hawaiian followers to defend Lili‘uokalani, being tried by a military court for treason against the newly created government. Unfortunately, there wasn't much Msgr. Ropert could do. He would become the sole bishop of an new Republic of Hawai‘i.

Msgr. Ropert also was responsible for the spiritual needs of local families whose children were sent overseas to fight in the Spanish-American War. He also consoled Filipinos whose families were lost in the Philippine-American War. Later in his reign, the Hawaiian Islands became a territory of the United States becoming the first bishop of the Territory of Hawai‘i. Msgr. Ropert died on January 4, 1903 and was buried in Honolulu Catholic Cemetery.

Again it would take several months before Pope Leo XIII appointed someone to succeed the episcopacy in the Hawaiian Islands. On April 8, 1903, the pope appointed a Picpus Father from Antwerp in Belgium, Libert Hubert John Louis Boeynaems to become the fourth Vicar Apostolic of the Hawaiian Islands. He was consecrated titular bishop of Zeugma. During his reign, Msgr. Boeynaems observed many of his faithful being sent to fight in Europe during World War I. He also oversaw the increasing militarization of the Hawaiian Islands. The entire coastline of the island of O‘ahu was fortified and several United States military bases were established, including: Fort Shafter, Pearl Harbor and Schofield Barracks. With the absence of an established military ordinariate in the United States, Msgr. Boeynaems ministered to Roman Catholic service members. After a period of illness, Msgr. Boeynaems died on May 13, 1926 and was buried in Honolulu Catholic Cemetery.

When Msgr. Boeynaems became ill, Pope Pius XI elevated the first person to have grown up in the Hawaiian Islands to become a vicar apostolic. The pope appointed Stephen Peter Alencastre, a Picpus Father born in Portugal who was brought as an infant to the Hawaiian Islands with his family to live. Msgr. Alencastre was raised and educated in Hawai‘i, living on the various islands. He subsequently graduated from Saint Louis College and was accepted into the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts. He was ordained to the priesthood and educated in Europe by the Picpus Fathers, earning a doctorate in sacred theology. He was later appointed and consecrated as coadjutor vicar apostolic and titular bishop of Arabissus to assist the ailing Msgr. Boeynaems, suffering in hospital. Upon Msgr. Boeynaems' death, Msgr. Alencastre succeeded as the fifth and final Vicar Apostolic of the Hawaiian Islands. Seeing a need for new locally trained priests, Msgr. Alencastre established Saint Stephen's Seminary in Kalihi Valley, named after his personal patron saint. He also oversaw the renovation of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace, modernizing it in time for the centennial celebration of the Roman Catholic Church in Hawai‘i in 1927. He died aboard a ship en route from Los Angeles on November 9, 1940.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Vicariate Apostolic", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki