Bishop Larry Silva signed his resignation letter July 9 at the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace after celebrating Mass. (Celia K. Downes / Hawaii Catholic Herald)
By Celia K. Downes
Hawaii Catholic Herald
Bishop Larry Silva has had a busy summer.
He’s celebrated Masses for sacraments of initiation and of ordination; traveled to the mainland for meetings; and returned to Hawaii for more meetings and services both celebratory and commemorative.
It’s no wonder Bishop Silva will spend his 75th birthday this year with family in California, relaxing after many bustling weeks that culminated in mid-July with the historic National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis.
This is no ordinary birthday year, though. For bishops and archbishops across the globe, age 75 marks a momentous transition in their vocation: It’s the age at which they must submit their resignation to the pope.
For Bishop Silva, that means that on his birthday, Aug. 6, he will visit the “nearest available mailbox” in the Bay Area and mail a letter to the Vatican that expresses his willingness to retire but also, notably, asks Pope Francis to consider extending his tenure in the Diocese of Honolulu.
The reason, he writes, is that “I would like to finish an important project we began over a decade ago, the renovation of the historic Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in downtown Honolulu.”
It was in the cathedral basilica on July 9 that Bishop Silva signed his resignation letter, doing so after he read it aloud to the faithful who remained after he celebrated Mass.
In an interview with the Hawaii Catholic Herald before he signed his letter, Bishop Silva explained that he completed it a month before his birthday in part because he would be away, but also because July 9 is the feast day of Our Lady of Peace, “patroness of our diocese and our cathedral,” and he would be celebrating Mass that day.
From ‘father’ to ‘grandfather’
Bishop Silva, the Diocese of Honolulu’s only isle-born bishop, was ordained and installed in 2005 after serving as vicar general — second in charge — of the Diocese of Oakland, California.
“I feel extremely grateful for the 19 years with which God has blessed me so richly as the bishop of Honolulu,” he said. “I have had the privilege of knowing many ‘saints’ who have inspired me in their love of the Lord Jesus.
“I also feel a sense of relief that the difficult administrative duties will soon be coming to an end (for me), and that I can devote myself to sharing the Gospel in less pressured ways.”
One bishop he spoke to said it took about a year to transition from being the “father” of the diocese to a “grandfather” role, but that being the “grandfather” was rewarding in its own ways.
Bishop Silva has recognized from the start of his ministry in Hawaii that bishops tend to receive accolades for accomplishments spearheaded by others. Several historic events have occurred during his time here — namely, the canonizations of St. Damien and St. Marianne, as well as the proposal of Servant of God Joseph Dutton for canonization.
“Others did the ‘heavy lifting,’ but I am grateful I was able to celebrate these momentous events,” he said.
Bishop Larry has also overseen the start of the long and complex renovation of the historic Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace.
The cathedral, which was dedicated in 1843 and was designated a minor basilica (thereby adding “basilica” to its name) a decade ago, was a key factor in the history of Hawaii’s two saints as well as in Bishop Silva’s own genealogy: His father and maternal grandmother were baptized there, and both sets of his grandparents were married there.
“It is my hope to be able to complete this important renovation project and to preside at the rededication of the cathedral, we hope some time in 2026,” Bishop Silva wrote in his letter to Pope Francis.
He continued: “Therefore, while I submit to the decision of Your Holiness regarding my retirement, God has blessed me with relatively good health, so I am hopeful that you will allow me to remain as Bishop of Honolulu until shortly after the rededication of the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace.
“In 2027, our diocese will celebrate the bicentennial of the arrival of the first Catholic missionaries in Hawaii. It would be a wonderful time for my successor to begin his ministry in this diocese and to preside over those festivities. The decision, of course, belongs to your Holiness.”
Process takes time
How long Bishop Silva remains bishop of the Diocese of Honolulu depends on how Pope Francis receives his request.
“The Holy Father (through Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the apostolic nuncio to the U.S.) will either confirm agreement about the extension — or more likely say nothing and just let me continue on,” Bishop Silva said.
It’s not uncommon for bishops and archbishops to reach retirement age and send their letters to the Vatican, only to remain in their roles for months or a year or more before a successor is named.
Bishop Silva said he planned to send Cardinal Pierre his assessment of the Diocese of Honolulu’s needs and suggest possible candidates for consideration and investigation.
He emphasized that such a list would not be published, “since it must be done under the pontifical secret in order to
prevent the process from becoming political.”
He also outlined several possible retirement scenarios.
In one, a coadjutor bishop (an auxiliary or assistant bishop with the right of succession) could be named before the pope officially announces Bishop Silva’s retirement.
“If a coadjutor bishop is named, he would work under my mentorship in getting to know the diocese, then become bishop of Honolulu upon my official retirement,” Bishop Silva said.
In other possibilities, Pope Francis would announce Bishop Silva’s retirement date and either name a successor at the same time or not immediately appoint anyone.
The former situation would result in Bishop Silva assuming the role of apostolic administrator, in which he would lead the diocese until his successor is installed (within two months if he is a bishop, and within three months if he is a priest who must first be ordained a bishop).
In the latter, a bishop or priest would be named apostolic administrator, and he would lead the diocese until a new bishop is installed.
Reflecting on his legacy and on the future of the Diocese of Honolulu, Bishop Silva said he is grateful that he has “been able to be encouraging to the priests and deacons and to foster vocations to the priesthood, diaconate and consecrated life.”
He said he hopes that the diocese will be even more deliberate in its evangelizing efforts to reach out to people who have left the church as well as to those “who have never known the love of Jesus but only know him as a person from the history books.”
“Most of all, I would hope I have been able to give joyful witness to Jesus to many throughout this wonderful diocese.”
In 2006, Bishop Larry Silva led a procession from Blessed Mother Marianne Cope’s gravesite in Kalaupapa to St. Francis Church where her feast day Mass was celebrated Jan. 22. To the bishop’s left is altar server and Kalaupapa resident Randall Watanuki and Sacred Hearts Father Joseph Hendriks, pastor of St. Francis. At right is Father Khanh Hoang. (Hawaii Catholic Herald file photo)
