By Anthony Selvanathan
Special to the Herald
This weekend, something will sound different at every Catholic Mass throughout the Diocese of Honolulu.
For the first time, during the Eucharistic prayer, many island Catholics will hear the words, “Leo XIV our pope and Michael our bishop.”
It may seem like a small change in a familiar prayer. Yet those few words mark the beginning of a new chapter in the life of our local church.
The church does not pray for the pope and bishop simply as a matter of custom. Rather, the Eucharistic prayer expresses our communion with the universal church under the successor of St. Peter and with our local church gathered around its bishop. Every Eucharist reminds us that we are one body of Christ, united in faith, worship and mission.
That communion was beautifully expressed at the episcopal ordination of Bishop Michael T.T. Castori, SJ, this past Tuesday. Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco served as the principal consecrator, joined by Bishop Larry Silva and Oakland Bishop Michael Barber, SJ, as co-consecrators.
Through the laying on of hands and the prayer of ordination, Bishop Castori entered the unbroken line of apostolic succession reaching back to the apostles themselves. In him, Christ continues to shepherd his church in Hawaii through the ministry of a successor of the apostles.
There is something especially moving about Bishop Silva’s role in this moment. After more than two decades of faithful service to the Diocese of Honolulu, he helped ordain the bishop who now succeeds him. It is a visible reminder that the church’s mission is greater than any one individual. Bishops come and go, but Christ, the Good Shepherd, remains constant, faithfully guiding His people in every age.
As we prepare to celebrate the bicentennial of the arrival of the Catholic faith in Hawaii, this transition invites us to look both backward with gratitude and forward with hope. Nearly 200 years ago, the first missionaries planted the seeds of the Catholic faith in these islands. Since then, generations of bishops, priests, religious and lay faithful have faithfully handed on the Gospel. Bishop Castori now becomes part of that continuing story, entrusted with leading our faith into its third century.
Welcoming a new bishop is about more than attending an ordination or learning a biography. It is about receiving the shepherd whom Christ has entrusted to this local church for this moment in her history. Every bishop brings unique gifts, yet each shares the same apostolic mission: to teach, sanctify and govern God’s people in the name of Christ.
As members of the faithful, we also have a role to play. We are called to pray for our bishop, support him in his ministry and remain open to the ways the Holy Spirit will work through his leadership. The future of the church in Hawaii will be shaped not only by our bishop, but by all of us — clergy, religious and laity — walking together as missionary disciples of Jesus Christ.
Bishop Silva’s episcopal motto, “Witness to Jesus,” reminded us that every Christian is called to proclaim the Gospel through both word and example. Throughout his episcopacy, he encouraged us to become faithful witnesses to Christ in our homes, workplaces, parishes and communities.
Now, as Bishop Michael T.T. Castori, SJ, begins his ministry among us, his episcopal motto, “E hiki mai kou aupuni” — “Thy kingdom come” from the Lord’s Prayer in olelo Hawaii, invites us to continue that same mission by helping to build God’s kingdom through lives of faith, hope and charity. Every act of mercy, every word of encouragement, every work of justice, every invitation to faith, and every celebration of the sacraments helps make God’s kingdom more visible in our midst.
This weekend, when we hear the words, “Michael our bishop,” may they be more than a new name in a familiar prayer. May they remind us that we belong to a church rooted in the faith of the apostles, united with Catholics throughout the world, and continually renewed by the grace of God. As we continue our journey toward the bicentennial of the Catholic faith in Hawaii, let us welcome our new bishop with open hearts, steadfast prayers and joyful hope.
And together, may we make his prayer our own:
“E hiki mai kou aupuni” — “Thy kingdom come.”