Roman Catholic Bishop of Honolulu ~ The Roman Catholic Bishop of Honolulu is the residential bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu in the United States, which encompasses the entire state of Hawaii and the unincorporated Hawaiian Islands. The Bishop of Honolulu is a member of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. He has two ecclesiastical seats: the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace and the Co-Cathedral of Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus, both located in the City of Honolulu. Previous to the canonical erection of the Diocese of Honolulu, a single priest led what was the Prefecture Apostolic of the Sandwich Islands. The prefecture apostolic was later incorporated into another ecclesiastical territory, led by a bishop serving as Vicariate Apostolic of Oriental Oceania. The prefecture was later elevated to a vicariate apostolic. The phrase "Sandwich Islands" was later deleted and replaced by "Hawaiian Islands". Five bishops have led the Vicariate Apostolic of the Hawaiian Islands. All bishops were members of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Four residential bishops served the Diocese of Honolulu as ordinaries. On May 17, 2005 Pope Benedict XVI appointed the fifth bishop of Honolulu Msgr. Clarence Silva, who was consecrated and installed on July 21, 2005.

Church Organization ~ Under civil laws, the Bishop of Honolulu acts as president of the Roman Catholic Church in Hawaii as corporation sole. He oversees several agencies and departments that include but are not limited to: Augustine Educational Foundation, Catholic Campus Ministry, Catholic Charities, Department of Religious Education, Ethnic Ministry, Office of Worship, Eastern Catholic Vicariate, Saint Stephen Diocesan Center, Social Ministry, Diocesan Tribunal. He is also the publisher of the Hawai‘i Catholic Herald newspaper. Efficient administration necessitated the creation of several vicariates served by vicars forane directly subordinate to the Bishop of Honolulu. The vicariates forane are: West Honolulu Vicariate, East Honolulu Vicariate, Windward O‘ahu Vicariate, Leeward O‘ahu Vicariate, Maui Vicariate, West Hawai‘i Vicariate, East Hawai‘i Vicariate and Kaua‘i Vicariate. A separate vicariate was created for ethnic communities and persons belonging to any of the Eastern Catholic Rites. Within each vicariate are the individual parish churches, each led by pastors.

Internment ~ All those who served as Vicar Apostolic of the Hawaiian Islands or Bishop of Honolulu are buried in the Honolulu Catholic Cemetery, with the exception of Bishop Louis Maigret, Bishop James Sweeney, and Bishop John Joseph Scanlan. Bishops Maigret and Scanlan were buried in the crypt of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace. Bishop Sweeney was buried in his family crypt in Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma, California. The location of the remains of the Vicar Apostolic of Oriental Oceania, Bishop Etienne Jerome Rouchouze are unknown. He is believed to have died at sea in a shipwreck. The remains of the only Prefect Apostolic of the Sandwich Islands, Msgr. Alexis Bachelot, SS.CC. are believed to be buried on Naha in the Marshall Islands.

James Joseph Sweeney,
1941-1967

First Bishop of Honolulu

John Joseph Scanlan
1968-1981

Auxiliary Bishop of Honolulu &
Titular Bishop of Cenae
Second Bishop of Honolulu
Apostolic Administrator of Honolulu

Joseph Anthony Ferrario
1982-1993

Auxiliary Bishop of Honolulu &
Titular Bishop of Cusae
Third Bishop of Honolulu

Francis Xavier DiLorenzo
1994-2004

Apostolic Administrator of Honolulu &
Titular Bishop of Tigia
Fourth Bishop of Honolulu

Clarence Larry Silva
2005-Present

Fifth Bishop of Honolulu