Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu is an ecclesiastical territory or particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. The diocese is comprised of the entire state of Hawaii and the unincorporated Hawaiian Islands. The diocese is suffragan to the Metropolitan Province of San Francisco which includes the dioceses of Las Vegas, Oakland, Reno, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Rosa and Stockton. The patrons of the Diocese of Honolulu are the Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of Our Lady of Peace, and Blessed Damien of Molokai.

Diocese

Bishop Alencastre's premonition that the apostolic vicariate would soon cease was fulfilled earlier than expected. Upon Bishop Alencastre's death, Blessed Pius XII decided that the Hawaiian Islands no longer needed a missionary church. Rather, its flourishing Roman Catholic community was mature enough to be administered as a fully independent body of its own. The pope canonically erected the new Diocese of Honolulu on January 25, 1941.

Related Topics:
Blessed Pius XII - January 25 - 1941

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Sweeney

After several months of consideration, the Pope looked outside of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary to succeed the last apostolic vicar. He would assume the new title of Bishop of Honolulu. Pope Pius XII turned to a diocesan priest of the Archdiocese of San Francisco. James Joseph Sweeney was appointed first Bishop of Honolulu on May 20 and ordained to the episcopacy on July 25.

Related Topics:
James Joseph Sweeney - May 20 - July 25

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Bishop Sweeney's first few months in episcopacy happened in the advent of the most tragic event to happen to the Hawaiian Islands. On December 7, Japanese imperial forces bombed Pearl Harbor and scraped metropolitan Honolulu. Hundreds died, including civilians under Bishop Sweeney's spiritual care. Explosions were heard around the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace. Throughout World War II, Bishop Sweeney comforted families who lost their children overseas.

Related Topics:
December 7 - World War II

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Blessed John XXIII opened the Second Vatican Council on October 11, 1962, Bishop Sweeney became one of a handful of prelates from the United States to attend the sessions. Inspired by the reforms agreed upon in Rome, Bishop Sweeney did not hesitate to enact major changes in liturgy and worship in the Diocese of Honolulu. One of his actions was to strip the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace and renovate it in keeping with new standards. Soon all parishes under Bishop Sweeney's care offered Mass primarily in the English language and altars were built facing the congregation instead of the sanctuary wall. Slowly, other languages were incorporated into the Mass including the Hawaiian language.

Related Topics:
Blessed John XXIII - Second Vatican Council - October 11 - 1962 - Rome - English language

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Bishop Sweeney fell ill and could not perform his duties with full vigor. His request for an auxiliary bishop was granted. Years later, Bishop Sweeney died on June 19, 1968. He was buried in San Francisco, where he spent his early years as a priest.

Related Topics:
June 19 - 1968

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Scanlan

Pope Paul VI quickly elevated John Joseph Scanlan, the first Auxiliary Bishop of Honolulu, to become the second Bishop of Honolulu on March 6, 1968. A diocesan priest from County Cork in Ireland, Bishop Scanlan oversaw the rapid development of the newly established state of Hawaii. He was also influential over the first two Governors of Hawaii: William F. Quinn and John A. Burns. Quinn and Burns, devout Roman Catholics, defended certain principles of their Christian denomination including its opposition to capital punishment. There was an incident however where Burns promised Bishop Scanlan to veto bills permitting abortion in Hawaii but did not do so. Nevertheless, Hawaii does not execute its most notorious criminals today. Scanlan was also remembered for his invitation of several religious orders to establish themselves in the Hawaiian Islands. Among such groups were the Society of Jesus, which now minister to the students of the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Related Topics:
Pope Paul VI - John Joseph Scanlan - March 6 - 1968 - County Cork - Ireland - Governors of Hawaii - William F. Quinn - John A. Burns - Capital punishment - Society of Jesus - University of Hawaii at Manoa

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In 1977, Bishop Scanlan consecrated an auxiliary bishop to assist him in his duties. His age was beginning to affect his work. Feeling the pressures of being 75 years old, Bishop Scanlan chose to retire on June 30, 1981. Bishop Scanlan died on January 31, 1997 in a California retirement home and was buried beside Bishop Maigret in a crypt under the sanctuary of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace.

Related Topics:
1977 - Retire - June 30 - 1981 - January 31 - 1997 - Retirement home

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Ferrario

Pope John Paul II did not hesitate to elevate the second Auxiliary Bishop of Honolulu upon the retirement of Hawaii's Irish prelate. Joseph Anthony Ferrario, a former educator and diocesan priest, was appointed third Bishop of Honolulu on May 13, 1982. Bishop Ferrario's reign was considered the most controversial in diocesan history. He was charged for having led the Roman Catholic Church in Hawaii to drift towards the political left. The Diocese of Honolulu was often referred to as one of the most liberal dioceses worldwide.

Related Topics:
Pope John Paul II - Joseph Anthony Ferrario - May 13 - 1982

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Bishop Ferrario, arguing that the Roman Catholic Church needed to be brought into the present times, began openly ministering to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community of Hawaii. He agreed to serve on a gubernatorial commission to fight AIDS and HIV. He also supported legislation to end discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Many conservative groups claimed that the Diocese of Honolulu had seen a significant rise in openly gay priests who brought their sexual partners to public engagements. Concerned, many people called for Ferrario's resignation.

Related Topics:
Gay - Lesbian - Bisexual - Transgender - AIDS - HIV - Sexual orientation

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The closest any group got in forcing Bishop Ferrario from his office came with allegations that the former educator had fondled and enticed a young boy into having a sexual relationship. In 1989, Bishop Ferrario became the first bishop to be publicly accused of molesting a boy in the United States. The Hawaii State Judiciary ruled that the statute of limitations had passed and Bishop Ferrario could not be charged in a 1991 attempt to do so. Bishop Ferrario maintained his innocence for the rest of his life.

Related Topics:
1989 - Hawaii State Judiciary - Statute of limitations - 1991

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Bishop Ferrario's harshest critics were the ultra-conservative followers of the Society of Saint Pius X. Bishop Ferrario proceeded to excommunicate six of their members in 1991. Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith overruled Bishop Ferrario's action.

Related Topics:
Excommunicate - 1991 - Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger - Prefect - Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

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Bishop Ferrario retired on October 12, 1993, citing poor health. He would later be plagued with severe heart problems. Even in retirement, Bishop Ferrario kept a vigorous schedule to raise money for Roman Catholic education in the Hawaiian Islands. He was remembered for his compassion for the poor children in the Diocese of Honolulu. Bishop Ferrario died on December 12, 2003 from heart failure. He was buried in Hawaiian Memorial Park Cemetery.

Related Topics:
October 12 - 1993 - December 12 - 2003

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DiLorenzo

Before Bishop Ferrario retired, the Vatican had already chosen the Auxiliary Bishop of Scranton as his successor. Msgr. Francis DiLorenzo became Apostolic Administrator of Honolulu on the day Bishop Ferrario retired. On November 29, 1994, Pope John Paul II officially appointed Bishop DiLorenzo as the fourth Bishop of Honolulu.

Related Topics:
Msgr. Francis DiLorenzo - Apostolic Administrator - November 29 - 1994

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Bishop DiLorenzo was chosen especially for his conservative stances on Roman Catholic doctrine. A major contrast to his liberal predecessor, Bishop DiLorenzo oversaw the largest overhaul of diocesan policy and structure since the Diocese of Honolulu was established. He brought the diocese back to the core beliefs on the issues of birth control, abortion, marriage and homosexuality. Appalled by the number of gay priests and accusations of child molestation at the hands of priests, Bishop DiLorenzo created the first zero-tolerance policy in the United States concerning such conduct. Years later, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops would use Bishop DiLorenzo's plan as the national model upon revelations of widespread sex abuse scandals.

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Bishop DiLorenzo won approval from Pope John Paul II, who believed that Bishop DiLorenzo would be useful in other places in danger of slipping away from traditional Roman Catholic doctrine. With the announcement of the retirement of Walter Francis Sullivan of the Diocese of Richmond, the pope was quick to reassign Bishop DiLorenzo to the diocese in Virginia. Bishop DiLorenzo assumed leadership of the Diocese of Richmond upon installation on May 24, 2004.

Related Topics:
Walter Francis Sullivan - Diocese of Richmond - Virginia - May 24 - 2004

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Gross

With the departure of Bishop DiLorenzo, the diocesan college of consultors of Honolulu elected from their peers a temporary administrator for the Diocese of Honolulu. On 28 May 2004, Thomas L. Gross took the title of Diocesan Administrator of Honolulu. He became the first diocesan priest to be elected in accordance with the Code of Canon Law as administrator of the Diocese of Honolulu. He also served on the committee that chose the fifth Bishop of Honolulu.

Related Topics:
28 May - 2004 - Thomas L. Gross

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Silva

Pope Benedict XVI appointed Clarence Richard Silva, the first native person in the episcopacy of the Hawaiian Islands to become the fifth Bishop of Honolulu on May 17, 2005. He also became the first person of Portuguese ancestry in the episcopate since the administration of Bishop Stephen Peter Alencastre. Formerly the Vicar General of the Diocese of Oakland, Silva was ordained to the episcopate and installed as bishop at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center Arena on July 21. Over 3,500 were in attendance, making it the largest event held by the Diocese of Honolulu in its history.

Related Topics:
Pope Benedict XVI - Clarence Richard Silva - May 17 - 2005 - Neal S. Blaisdell Center - Arena - July 21

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The principal consecrator was William Joseph Levada, Archbishop of San Francisco and newly-appointed Pro-Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The ordination and installation ceremony was the last official ceremonial function as metropolitan bishop over the Province of San Francisco for Levada; other non-ceremonial functions would continue until his official departure from office. Also in attendance were Roger Cardinal Mahony, Archbishop of Los Angeles and Gabriel Montalvo Higuera, Archbishop Apostolic Nuncio to the United States.

Related Topics:
William Joseph Levada - Roger Cardinal Mahony - Archbishop of Los Angeles - Gabriel Montalvo Higuera - Archbishop Apostolic Nuncio to the United States

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