Saint Anthony History
St. Anthony Junior-Senior High School has been educating since the 1840s and continues to proudly serves the people of Maui County and Hawaii under the guidance of members of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Society of Mary (“Marianists”), Maryknoll Sisters, and the St. Joseph Sisters of Carondelet orders.
St. Anthony High School has an excellent reputation for maintaining high academic standards. During its sesquicentennial history, more than 15,000 students have graduated from this school. Many furthered their academic pursuits by earning degrees from institutions of higher learning and have established themselves in a variety of professional careers internationally.
The people of Maui recognize the positive contributions our students have made to improve the professional, economic, cultural and moral fabric of our island society. The spirit of community service encouraged at St. Anthony’s has also generated the devotion of invaluable time to countless community projects and volunteer work by our students and graduates.
Timeline:
St. Anthony of Padua Church in Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii was established by the Fathers of the Order of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, whose arrival from France on July 7, 1827, marked the start of the Catholic Mission in Hawaii. After more than two decades of political and social upheaval as well as religious persecution, the first High Mass was celebrated at St. Anthony in Wailuku on July 13, 1848 in a thatched structure. To learn more about St. Anthony Parish history, click here.
The Sacred Hearts Fathers (SSCC), established St. Anthony parish school in 1883. On September 5, 1883, the Society of Mary (Marianists) arrived in Wailuku and initiated the beginning of their long years of service to the parish and school. The first of three Brothers opened the school September 10, 1883.
The Franciscan Sisters of Syracuse, New York, staffed the girls’ school beginning in 1884. The Maryknoll Sisters, began teaching at St. Anthony in 1928 at the request of Bishop Alencastre. Dedicated lay persons assisted in the teaching beginning September 1958. In 1968 the school became coeducational and the junior high was added in 1971. Today, St. Anthony School is the only Catholic School on the island of Maui that ranges from Preschool to High School. It is a diocesan, coeducational institution under the Bishop of Honolulu, governed by the St. Anthony School Board, and sponsored by the members of the Society of Mary (Marianists). It is presently staffed by laymen and laywomen after the last Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet retired in 2015.
Buildings:
Chaminade and Damien Hall were erected in 1925. It houses the school administrative offices as well as ten classrooms and two computer labs. Maryknoll Hall was built in 1940 and encompasses eight classrooms, an art studio, and counseling offices. Marian Hall, the cafeteria, was built in 1959. The Bishop Sweeny Memorial Library was built in 1965. The library was renovated in 2002 and now houses the Harry C. and Nee Chang Wong Media Center. The science facility was completed in 1967. The science labs were completely renovated and rededicated as the E. L. Weigand Science Building in 2005.
