St Ann Church
Waihe`e, Maui
St. Ann Church in Waiheʻe is one of the area’s long-standing parish communities, rooted in the early development of the Waiheʻe plantation village and the generations of families who have worshipped there. What began as a small chapel grew alongside the community as it became more diverse, eventually establishing the church at its present location at the entrance to Waiheʻe town. Having served the spiritual needs of the community for many decades, St. Ann now faces challenges common to older parish facilities, including aging infrastructure and the need for ongoing repairs and restoration to ensure the church remains a welcoming place of worship for future generations.
Parish Background
The little town of Waihe’e to the north of Wailuku is pleasantly situated on the slopes of the West Maui Mountain Ridge. Very early in 1858, there was a small sugar plantation in Waihe’e where most of its people found work and food. The ruins of its mill are a landmark for visitors and tourists. There was once, a little chapel where Hawaiians gathered to perform their devotions and where a priest conducted services and administered the Sacraments.
When Wailuku was granted its own priest, St. Ann became a dependence of St. Anthony. Waihe’e remained a homogenous community of Hawaiians until the development of sugar and related industries in the last quarter of the 19th century. The imported plantation laborers, mostly Japanese and Filipinos, increased Waihe’e’s population. Therefore, the Hawaiian style chapel had to make room for a larger permanent frame building. This church was located next to the Catholic cemetery along the Kahekili Highway, where it served a small faithful congregation until about 1935. Father Jules Verhaeghe, the pastor of St. Anthony in Wailuku at the time, decided to change the location of the church. Another new building was erected at the entrance to Waihe’e town which is known to be the location of the present day St. Ann church. For the following 15 years, the pastor of St. Anthony or one of his assistants took care of the spiritual needs of the congregation and made some remarkable conversions among the Nisei (second generation Japanese). Eventually, St. Ann became its own independent parish.
Currently today, St. Ann Waihe’e has two missions. The first, St. Francis Xavier Church is currently located in the secluded and beautiful Kahakuloa Village. It was erected pre WWII. In the early years, the church served the entire community of Catholics and Protestants. The church was abandoned in the 1950s. In mid-summer of 1981, work began to make the church safe for Christmas Day mass and continued to be active until 1992. Locals and visitors can stop in to enjoy the serenity and its charm. The second is St. Joseph Church in Waikapu, which stood along the Honoapiilani Highway leading to Lahaina. It was built in 1900 to accommodate the Catholic plantation workers. The church was first a mission of St. Anthony until the creation of St. Ann parish, when it was then made a dependence of St. Ann. Saddened by the news, the church was burned down in February of 1997. In reverence, a memorial plaque and a shrine was placed at the St. Joseph site.
Ongoing Church Maintenance
Caring for St Ann Church and its facilities is an ongoing responsibility that ensures our parish remains a safe, welcoming place for worship, fellowship, and community gatherings. As one of our most important parish spaces, the church hall plays a critical role in supporting parish life and future maintenance needs. Recent improvements to the hall are part of a larger effort to preserve and strengthen our parish facilities for the years ahead.
Restoring and maintaining the church hall is especially important as it provides a space where church services can be temporarily relocated when major repairs are required in the main church, including the repair of the leaky roof. Having a functional and well-maintained hall will allow worship to continue without interruption while essential work is completed, ensuring the continuity of parish life.
Next Phase: Church Hall Window Replacement
The next major maintenance project for the church hall is the replacement of the existing windows. Many of the window components are no longer in safe or functional condition. The hardware is broken and rusted, window panels are loose and fragile, and portions of the window framing have become soft and deteriorated due to prolonged exposure to moisture. These conditions pose safety concerns and contribute to further damage if not addressed.
To move this project forward, St Ann Church is seeking donations and sponsorships to support the church hall window replacement. This work is essential to protecting the hall, improving safety and comfort, and preserving the facility for continued parish use.
These ongoing maintenance efforts are made possible through the generosity of our parishioners, community partners, and volunteers. We invite you to share the story of St Ann Church and to consider supporting this important work. Every contribution helps mālama our church home and ensures it remains a place of faith and gathering for future generations.
Mahalo nui loa for your continued support and for being part of the St Ann Church ʻohana.
