A Spiritual Home, When You’re Away From Home

Mystical Rose Oratory is the spiritual home and campus chapel for Chaminade University, the Marianist Center of Hawai’i, and Saint Louis School. Mystical Rose once served as the main chapel for the Marianist communities on campus. Though the Marianist community no longer uses the chapel as their primary space for daily liturgies and prayer, the Marianist Center of Hawaii manages the use of the chapel between Chaminade University and Saint Louis School.

What is an Oratory?

Oratory comes from the Latin word orare, which means to pray. Both chapels and oratories are buildings that are set aside as places for people to gather for prayer, worship, and the reception of the sacraments. Some people use chapel and oratory interchangeably, as they often fulfill the same purpose, but in a technical sense, they are different.

The sacraments of initiation — baptism, confirmation and eucharist — and matrimony are all recorded in parish churches. This is what sets an oratory apart from a chapel. Oratories often function the same way a parish church does in regards to record keeping and being a public spaces for worship. Before Mystical Rose was given the designation of oratory, these sacraments were administered here but recorded and kept at St. Patrick’s Church across the street. Since its designation as an oratory in 1991, Mystical Rose has been keeping its own sacramental records.

The designation “oratory” is granted by the ordinary of the local church. Though Mystical Rose Oratory enjoys all the rights and privileges as parish churches, unfortunately we do not offer the same level of services as a parish would.