Welcome to the Kaʻū Catholic Community
Aloha Mai Kākou! The Kaʻū Catholic Community welcomes you!
Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Established in 1842
95-5558 Māmalahoa Highway
Nā‘ālehu, Hawai‘i 96772
Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Nā‘ālehu, Hawai‘i, was established in 1842 to serve the growing Catholic community in the southern part of the Big Island. It is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu.
The Church is located at 95-5558 Māmalahoa Highway in Nā‘ālehu. It offers regular Masses and continues to be an active center for worship and community outreach. The parish is currently administered by Rev. William Tūlua-Álvarez.
As the southernmost Catholic parish in the United States, Sacred Heart Church in Nā‘ālehu plays a vital role in serving the spiritual needs of its community, maintaining its commitment to faith and service amidst the unique cultural and geographical landscape of Hawai‘i.
Holy Rosary Catholic Church
Established in 1885
96-3143 Pīkake Street
Pāhala, Hawai‘i 96777
Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Pāhala, Hawai‘i, stands as a testament to the enduring faith and resilience of its community. Established in 1885 on land donated by King Kalākaua, the Church has served as a spiritual haven for generations of residents in the Ka‘ū district.
Located at 96-3143 Pīkake Street, Holy Rosary Church is part of the Diocese of Honolulu. The parish offers regular Masses and continues to be an active center for worship and community outreach. The parish is currently administered by Rev. William Tūlua-Álvarez.
Throughout its history, Holy Rosary Church has remained a cornerstone of the Pāhala community, adapting to the evolving needs of its parishioners while preserving its rich heritage. Today, it continues to serve as a place of worship, reflection, and community gathering, upholding the spiritual traditions that have defined it for nearly 150 years.
St. Stephen's Byzantine Mission
The Byzantine Catholic community on the Big Island of Hawai‘i has found a spiritual home at Saint Stephen's Byzantine Mission in Honomū, where services are offered by Rev. William Tūlua-Álvarez. While there is no formal Byzantine Catholic parish established on the island, Father William celebrates the Divine Liturgies in the Byzantine Rite at this location, providing a place of worship for Eastern Catholics residing on the Island of Hawaii.
Good Shepherd Mission, a Roman Catholic mission under the Diocese of Honolulu, is located in Honomū and attached to Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Papaikou as part of the Hamakua Catholic Community. Originally established in 1888 by Sacred Hearts Father Bonaventure Loots, the church was rebuilt in 1919 after a fire and blessed by Sacred Hearts Father Gabriel Feron.
Today, the mission continues to serve as a unique intersection of Roman and Byzantine Catholic traditions, reflecting the diversity of Catholic spirituality in Hawai‘i.
About our Pastor
The Reverend William Matekihelotu Tūlua-Álvarez
The Reverend William Matekihelotu Tūlua-Álvarez, SChLJ, CMLJ, SCrLJ, M.Div. is a Roman Catholic priest serving in the Diocese of Honolulu. He is the pastor of both Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Nā‘ālehu and Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Pāhala, located on the Big Island of Hawai‘i. Additionally, he ministers also to the Byzantine Catholic Community on the island, offering Divine Liturgies at Saint Stephen's Byzantine Mission in Honomū on the first and third Sundays of the Month.
Fr. Tūlua-Álvarez previously served as Parochial Vicar at Saint Catherine of Alexandria Church in Kapaʻa on the island of Kauaʻi, providing liturgical and pastoral care to the local faithful. Born in San José, California, and of Polynesian and Spanish heritage, he proudly traces his ancestry to the noble Álvarez family of Toledo, Spain. His heritage inspires his work in Catholic heraldry and chivalric spirituality, which he actively promotes throughout the Pacific Islands to help deepen the faithful’s understanding of Catholic identity, duty, and tradition.
Before entering the seminary, Fr. Tūlua-Álvarez worked for twenty-three years as a multilingual tour bus driver and guide with Polynesian Adventure Tours in Honolulu, conducting tours in English, Japanese, and German. He later entered Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology in Hales Corners, Wisconsin, where he earned his Master of Divinity and Master of Sacred Theology. He also completed a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies from Cardinal Stritch University.
Fr. Tūlua-Álvarez is a man of diverse interests and enduring cultural and intellectual curiosity. He is an avid reader, particularly in the areas of theology, language, and heraldry. A skilled organist and pianist, he also enjoys singing choral and operatic music, having previously performed with the Honolulu Symphony and Opera and the San Jose Opera. Passionate about languages, he continues to pursue linguistic study, despite the geographic isolation of the Hawaiian Islands. He is also a proud and longtime member of the Queen Emma Hawaiian Civic Club, serving on its board from 2000 to 2008, and remains dedicated to preserving and promoting Hawaiian cultural values.
His commitment to service, heritage, and faith is further reflected in his chivalric affiliations. Fr. Tūlua-Álvarez is a Charter Member of the Knights of Columbus Council #11743 in Waikīkī, and a lifetime member of both the 3rd and 4th Degrees of the Order. He holds a prominent role in the Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem, where he currently serves as Head Chaplain of the Hawaiian Cadre. His service has been recognized with several distinctions, including the Medal of Merit (Pour le Mérite) in the ranks of Member (MMLJ), Officer (OMLJ), and Commander (CMLJ), as well as the Silver Cross of Merit (SCrLJ). He is also the recipient of the Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole Award for his longstanding efforts in advancing Hawaiian culture and values.
Through his pastoral ministry, cultural advocacy, and liturgical excellence, Fr. William Tūlua-Álvarez brings together the beauty of Catholic tradition with the depth of local heritage. His vocation is a living testament to the harmony of faith, culture, and service to the Catholic Faithful of the State of Hawaii.
