One Catholic 'Ohana: St. Michael the Archangel Church

About Us

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to bring Glad Tidings to the poor. He has sent me to bring liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord. “ - Luke 4: 18-19

The Mission of St. Michael the Archangel was founded July 5, 1840 with the present Church having been completed in 1850. Our parishioners are a rich mosaic of many cultures and customs and are happy to welcome people of all backgrounds and faiths to our worshipping community.

Today, the mission has grown into the North Kona Catholic Community, which includes St. Michael the Archangel Church in Kailua-Kona, Immaculate Conception Church in Holualoa, St. Paul's Church in Honalo, St. Peter's Church in Keauhou and Holy Rosary Church in Kalaoa. NKCC serves over 1,000 parishioners and a steady stream of visitors, many who return year after year.

As you browse our website, we hope that you will discover a bit about our parish. Above all, we hope that you will visit us, join in our worship of God, and walk with us as we strive to grow in the likeness of the risen Christ.

Read about all the other churches in North Kona:

• St. Michael the Archangel Church
• Immaculate Conception Church
• St. Paul's Church
• St. Peter's Church
• Holy Rosary Church
  

Credits: Don Gomez (Video), Moses Crabbe/Gail Souza-Save (Narrators), and Allie Bennett-Moran (Narrative).

Click here for the transcript.

St. Michael the Archangel Church

Dedicated in 1855, St. Michael’s Church was a large structure in its day. Built of lava rock and coral sand mortar; the floor was simple, hard-packed dirt. The small second floor was used as living quarters for priests. A bell from France tolled to the faithful in Kailua-Kona. Father Joachim Marechal, who toiled two years to build the church, was interred beneath the building upon his death in 1859.

More than a century later, the church was remodeled with a $100,000 facelift, offering parishioners the comfort of air conditioning. The church suffered damage from extensive flooding in 1968, 1974 and 1982.

In 1993 parishioners and Father Ron Gronowski transformed the dirt parking area into a paved lot with 80 parking spaces. The church grounds were landscaped and the beautification earned St. Michael’s a Kona Outdoor Circle award in 1995. Next, the church’s interior was spruced up with a new altar, pews, statuary and flooring. Local artisans were commissioned to craft several stained glass windows.

In October 2006, St. Michael’s Church was damaged by earthquakes and eventually deemed unsafe and beyond repair. The church was vacated and Mass moved to a tent on the church grounds. The church was decommissioned during a Farewell Service on November 2; demolition will follow shortly thereafter and Father Marechal’s remains will be put in a safe place until they can be re-interred under the new church.

Find more info on St. Michael’s mission churches in the 2009 book, “North Kona’s Catholic Heritage….remembered.” It’s for sale in the parish office and bookstore on the grounds of St. Michael’s Church in Kailua-Kona, 326-7771. 

Temporary worship location:  74-574 Honokohau St., Kailua-Kona, HI 96740

Address:  75-5769 Ali'i Drive, Kailua-Kona, HI  96740

Holy Rosary

One of the four mission churches of St. Michael’s Parish, Holy Rosary was built in 1874 on Mamalahoa Highway in Kalaoa. The A-frame church sits high off the road, standing sentinel over the Kona Coast.

When there wasn’t a priest available to give Mass, parishioners gathered at Holy Rosary to say the rosary and sing hymns. In the 1940s, Mitchell Mahi built the church’s social hall of native ‘ohi’a wood. It hosted movies and wedding lu‘au. Generations of families who attended the tiny church are buried behind it.

After the new millennium, weekly Mass was suspended at Holy Rosary due to waning attendance. The church was still used for weddings; however, and religious education classes and community meetings continued in the hall. The Kaloko landmark received a major facelift in 2006 and reopened for weekly Mass.

Find more info on St. Michael’s mission churches in the 2009 book, “North Kona’s Catholic Heritage….remembered.” It’s for sale in the parish office and bookstore on the grounds of St. Michael’s Church in Kailua-Kona, 326-7771.

Location: 73-4179 Mamalahoa Hwy. - Kailua-Kona, HI 96740