Pope Leo XIV has picked Jesuit Father Michael T. Castori to be the next bishop of Honolulu, Vatican and diocesan officials confirmed Wednesday. Castori is scheduled to be ordained and installed at the Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa on July 28, with a public Mass the following evening so local Catholics can meet the new bishop. Until then, Bishop Clarence "Larry" Silva will stay on as apostolic administrator and will become bishop emeritus after the installation.
Vatican bulletin makes it official
The Vatican press office released a bulletin announcing that the pope accepted the resignation of Bishop Clarence R. Silva and named Father Michael T. Castori, S.J., as bishop-elect of Honolulu, as detailed by the Vatican press office. The bulletin notes Castori’s membership in the Society of Jesus and lists his most recent assignment as rector of the Arrupe Jesuit Residence at Seattle University.
Academic and pastoral résumé
Biographical materials prepared for the U.S. bishops report that Castori was born Oct. 21, 1960, in Sacramento and was ordained a priest on June 13, 1998. He holds degrees from Harvard and the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley, earned a Ph.D. in Near Eastern religions at UC Berkeley, and has taught and ministered in California and across the South Pacific. This overview of his background and ministry is summarized by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Diocese rolls out a welcome and a calendar
The Diocese of Honolulu introduced Castori to diocesan staff and the media at St. Stephen Diocesan Center in Kaneohe, unveiling him as the bishop-elect and outlining what comes next. A public Mass is planned for Thursday evening so islanders can greet their future bishop in person. The diocese says his episcopal ordination and installation will take place Tuesday, July 28, at 10 a.m. at the Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa, according to the Diocese of Honolulu. The diocese notes that the public Mass is open to anyone who wants to attend.
Castori on saying yes to the job
Speaking with reporters, Castori admitted that his first instinct was to turn the appointment down. After two days of prayer, however, he said he became convinced that God was asking him to accept the role. He described relying on simple prayers, including “Your will be done,” and recalled being embraced by a Tongan family while ministering in the South Pacific, an experience that still shapes how he understands pastoral leadership. Those remarks were reported by Hawaii News Now.
What the transition means for local parishes
Under canon law, bishops must offer their resignation at age 75. Bishop Silva submitted his in August 2024, and Pope Leo XIV accepted it on May 6, according to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Silva will continue as apostolic administrator until Castori takes canonical possession of the diocese, and diocesan leaders say regular parish life should not see major immediate changes, per the Diocese of Honolulu.
Castori’s Jesuit formation, his academic work in biblical and Near Eastern studies, and his years of ministry across the Pacific give him connections that stretch across the islands and beyond, qualities diocesan officials say are likely to influence his approach to leadership. A clearer sense of his priorities is expected to emerge after Thursday’s public Mass and his formal installation in July.
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