Bishop James J. Sweeney
Bishop Larry Silva will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Diocese of Honolulu with a Mass at 10 a.m. Sept. 10 at the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace. It was on that day in 1941 in the downtown cathedral that Bishop James J. Sweeney was installed as Hawaii’s first diocesan bishop succeeding a line of six missionary bishops.
The diocesan Office of Worship is planning a multi-lingual, multi-cultural liturgy that will affirm the multi-island character of the diocesan community. It will honor Our Lady of Peace, the patroness of the diocese.
The first Catholic missionaries arrived in Hawaii in 1827 and, after an initial rebuff and maltreatment by the Hawaiian government that lasted 10 years, were allowed the freedom to practice and propagate their religion.
The church in Hawaii flourished, becoming the largest denomination in the Islands. After 114 years as a mission administered by the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts, it gained its “independence” as a diocese in 1941, just months before the bombing of Pearl Harbor and 18 years before statehood.
The Mass will recognize the four diocesan bishops who preceded Bishop Silva. They are Bishop Sweeney, Bishop John J. Scanlan and Bishop Joseph A. Ferrario, all of whom have died, and Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo who is now the bishop of Richmond, Virginia.
The Mass will be followed by a simple reception. All are welcome.
Candidacy for seminarian
On Aug. 16, Bishop Silva will celebrate the Rite of Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders and the Institution of an Acolyte for diocesan seminarian William (Pila) Tulua at the noon Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace. The day is also marks the 173rd anniversary of the cathedral’s dedication.