Honolulu Bishop Announces Cathedral's Designation as Minor Basilica

According to the Hawaii Catholic Herald, Bishop Larry Silva announced this weekend that the Cathedral of Our Lady Queen of Peace, has been designated as a minor basilica.

July 18, 2014

To the Clergy, Religious, and Faithful of the Diocese of Honolulu Dear Brothers and Sisters,

It is with great joy that I announce to you that the mother church and seat of the Diocese of  Honolulu, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace, has been designated a Minor Basilica! 

You can read the rest of Bishop Silva's letter HERE.

Congratulations to Bishop Larry Silva!

Bishop Larry Silva to Receive the Order of Honorary Alii Knight Companion, 7th Degree. For those of you who don't live in Hawaii, you have to know that this is a very high honor! And, it is being bestowed on Hawaii's own bishop!

Read it here

Special Announcement from Bishop Larry

Please pray for our priests.


Via the Diocese of Honolulu

Statement regarding Father Marc Alexander



On Sunday, January 16, 2011, Father Marc Alexander informed me that he is planning to leave the active priestly ministry. He also informed me that he has already accepted employment in a public position in the secular sphere. As a consequence of his decision to leave active priestly ministry I have relieved him of his duties as Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia of the Diocese of Honolulu and all positions related to these appointments.



At the end of December I announced that I had granted Father Marc Alexander the six month sabbatical he had requested for rest, study, and spiritual renewal. I was shocked and extremely disappointed by his recent decision to withdraw from priestly ministry, and I am sure that many will be as shocked and surprised as I was.



Father Alexander has served the Diocese of Honolulu with great distinction as a priest for twenty-five years, and has contributed greatly to the Diocese in his last five years as Vicar General. We are grateful for all he has done. Let us pray for him.



Most Reverend Larry Silva

Bishop of Honolulu

Photos from a Recent Parish Visit by Bishop Silva

The Spiritual Moms Apostolate has the photos

Bishop Larry Silva Addresses the Catholic Faithful on HB444

From the Diocese of Honolulu

January 12, 2010


Dear Faithful of the Diocese of Honolulu:



“In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27)



I urge all the faithful of the Diocese of Honolulu to write your State Senators and Representatives to urge them to defeat HB-444, which would grant legal recognition to civil unions between same-sex couples. Many of the supporters of this bill may feel offended, but it is not our intention to offend them, simply to assure that we all live in the light of the truth. The truth is that God made complementary sexes, that he gave the power of procreation to be used responsibly by a man and woman, and he wants both father and mother, when possible, to contribute to the healthy nurturing of children. This special role of man and woman has been recognized for millennia by societies as marriage, the stable, committed relationship of man and woman giving themselves to each other totally and bearing the fruit of that love in the procreation and education of children. This is a truth that goes beyond religions, because it is built into the very nature of our human being. It is a reality that has been safeguarded by the laws of societies in virtually all cultures of the world.



In many places throughout our country and the world, and now here in Hawaii, some are attempting to distort this natural relationship by claiming the right of persons of the same sex to marry. They point out that it is discriminatory to allow opposite-sex couples to marry but to disallow the same for same-sex couples. And they are correct! It is discriminatory, making distinctions between one and another. But not all discrimination is unjust. Some is quite justified because it is based on reality and truth. While every person, no matter his or her sexual orientation, is worthy of dignity and respect and has certain inalienable rights given by the Creator, there is no right for people of the same sex to call their unions marriage. (“Civil unions” is simply a euphemism for same-sex marriage.)


In these days in which we lament decisions we made regarding our environment and are paying the price for those decisions, let us not make decisions now that ignore our social environment or experiment with its well-being. Love and friendship are realities that all people can share, regardless of sexual orientation. Marriage, however, is a sacred bond between a man and a woman, and we need to do all in our power to preserve, strengthen, and nurture it.


In addition, I urge all to attend the iVote Rally on Sunday, January 17, at 2:00 p.m. at the State Capitol. We hope that tens of thousands of Hawaii residents will attend to encourage voter registration and participation, so that issues of great moral importance can be addressed more readily in our public policies.

Sincerely yours in Christ,





+Most Reverend Larry Silva

Bishop of Honolulu

Honolulu Bishop Silva's Letter Re: Civil Unions

Bishop Larry Silva has written a letter to State Senator Robert Bunda with regard to Civil Union bill recently approved by the House.

All I can say is Hawaii is blessed to have Bishop Silva as our bishop!

Bishop Silva's letter

Please pray for Bishop Silva as well as the State of Hawaii.

Hawaii's Bishop's Christmas Message

From the Hawaii Catholic Herald

Happy Holidays!

There is so much controversy these days about this simple greeting, because it seems to make Christmas little more than a secular holiday. Few would deny the holiday’s historical roots in Christianity, but there is a prevailing attitude that the holiday has “matured” into a day for believer and non-believer alike. Christ is no longer the center of the observance for many.

While it would be easy for us to rail against this contemporary bow to secularism, we might also be challenged to scrutinize our own attitudes about our faith and ask if we ourselves have not planted the seeds of the separation of Christ from Christmas. Is our faith in Jesus simply belief in a historical person who lived an exemplary life, who died a sacrificial death, and who left us a legacy of teachings to guide us in life’s journey? Or do we also truly believe that Christ IS risen, that he is alive now, and that, even though he has ascended into heaven, he comes physically to earth as the living bread come down from heaven in the Eucharist? Do we go to the Eucharist simply out of obligation or tradition, or do we go to encounter the Lord of our lives? Do we view the Eucharist only as a series of rituals, or as an encounter with a living person whose love can transform us? Do we truly believe that the little Babe laid in a feeding box in Bethlehem, whose birth stirs up so much joy in us, is the same Jesus who is laid on the altar to feed his sheep today? Can we be filled with the wonder and awe of those down-to-earth shepherds who witnessed heaven singing to celebrate the joy of God-become-man? When we go to Mass do we find the experience dull or dreary unless the choir or the homilist brightens it up for us, or do we go with stars in our own eyes, stars that guide us to adore the King of heaven and earth? When we leave after having received the Eucharist, do we grasp the incredible wonder that the same Jesus who was carried in the womb of the Virgin until she brought him forth to the world is carried in us so that we can bring him forth in today’s world?

Yes, we should prefer “Merry Christmas” to “Happy Holidays” because it is more expressive of the truth we are celebrating. But “Merry Christmas” will only regain its meaning if we live the reality and not just the words. “The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.” The same Word takes flesh in us today, so that he can continue to touch the hearts of believer and non-believer alike. Can you see the star? Can you hear the angels singing?

Merry Christmas!

Mahalo Bishop Silva, for reminding us, your flock, of the true meaning of Christmas.

Hawaii Bishop Silva's Homily at Annual Red Mass

Yesterday was the annual Red Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace. It is a tradition here in Hawaii for the Bishop of the Honolulu Diocese to invite the local politicians of all faiths and to have a Mass celebrated for them as they start the new legislative season. The following are excerpts of the Homily by Bishop Larry Silva where he spoke of bloodless violence:

..."In the sixteenth century, St. Ignatius of
Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit order, wrote his Spiritual Exercises. He emphasized the importance of discernment of spirits, and in speaking of how the
enemy of our souls sometimes acts, Ignatius said this: “The enemy is accustomed to propose apparent pleasure.... He thus causes them to imagine sensual delights and pleasure in order to hold them more and more easily and to increase their vices and sins.” (Rules for Discernment, First Week #1) “It is characteristic of the evil one to transform himself into an angel of light, to work for the soul in the beginning but in the end to work for himself.” (Rules for Discernment, Second Week #4)

It is this portrait of Satan that Ignatius presents that is even more frightening – and even more destructive – than the portrayal wrought by Hollywood. In the movie {Note: The Bishop is referring to The Exorcist}, Satan’s evil was clear and unmistakable, and anyone witnessing it would be repulsed by it. But in real life, it is subtle, appearing at first to be good and pleasing, but in the end leading to
destruction"...

..."When we speak of violence, very clear images come to
mind: stabbings, rape, shootings, beatings... Society has found them so repulsive that we have created laws to protect people from these forms of violence and sanctions against those found guilty of perpetrating them. It is our constant challenge to find ever more effective ways to defend society against such obvious violence.

Yet I believe there are forms of violence that can be just as devastating as the acts for which we have laws to protect us. And these forms of violence are perfectly legal, and may even, at first
sight, appear to be good. But in the end, they drain the life from all of us and work against the common good. Let me give a few examples"...

Click above title for the complete Homily and to find out what forms of bloodless violence is being inflicted on the people in Hawaii and other places.

Prayer for the Bishop of Honolulu - His Excellency Larry Silva

Photo courtesy of The Honolulu Advertiser

The Diocese of Honolulu has been blessed with a good bishop. Because of him, our diocese has been consecrated to Divine Mercy.

The following is a prayer for Bishop Silva and all the other bishops around the world.

PRAYER FOR THE BISHOP

Lord Jesus Christ,
You sent Your apostles to proclaim the Good News
with Peter at their head
and you strengthened them with the Holy Spirit.

Remind us that our bishops are appointed by the same spirit
and are the succesors of the Apostles
as pastors of souls.

Together with the Pope and under his authority
they have been sent throughout the world
to continue your work.

Help our bishop to teach all members of his diocese,
to sactify them in the truth,
and to give them your nourishment.

Make us obey his teachings and love him
as the Church obeys and loves You.

May we remain united with him,
grow in faith and love,
and attain eternal life with you.

Amen.

From New Saint Joseph People's Prayer Book., Catholic Book Publishing Co. New York.