Hawaii’s Catholic leaders, churches, schools, and others reflected and mourned after Pope Francis died on Easter Monday at age 88. Pope Francis had led the church since 2013. Here is a roundup of what they said.
Chaminade University
The president of Chaminade University, which is Hawaii’s only Catholic university, shared a statement reflecting on the legacy of Pope Francis, who she said would “be greatly missed.”
“Chaminade University of Honolulu joins with communities around the islands and the globe in mourning the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis on Easter Monday,” began Chaminade University President Dr. Lynn Babington’s statement.
She described the late pope as “a defender of the marginalized, an inspirational advocate for our Earth, and a beacon of hope to people from all walks of life.”
“Pope Francis challenged us to give of ourselves to ease the suffering of our neighbors and underscored the responsibility we all have to use our skills to make the world a better place for everyone,” Babington continued. “Pope Francis also believed fiercely in the transformative power of education to lift communities. He leaves us with a legacy of service and selflessness.”
“Through his writings, addresses, and homilies, Pope Francis has encouraged us to be people of hope, reconciliation and mercy. Those attributes are needed in our world at this time,” she said.
Her statement ended by saying that over the next week, prayers would be offered at various campus events for Pope Francis.
Along with being Hawaii’s only Catholic university, Chaminade University of Honolulu is one of three Marianist higher-education institutions in the U.S. Marianists are members of the Society of Mary, a 200-year-old Catholic religious congregation of brothers and priests. William Joseph Chaminade found the Society of Mary in 1817. Chaminade University of Honolulu was established in 1955 and offers more than 30 undergraduate and graduate programs.
Maryknoll School
Maryknoll School shared on Facebook a remembrance of Pope Francis, which said: “On this Easter Monday, we thank God for your life of humble service and your prophetic call to care for creation, defend human dignity, and live with boundless compassion. May your legacy continue to inspire us to walk humbly with Christ.”
Maryknoll School, a private Catholic school in Honolulu, was blessed in 1927. The school is administered by the Diocese of Honolulu in association with its original founders, the Maryknoll Society of brothers and priests and the Maryknoll Congregation.
Saint Louis School
Founded in 1846, Saint Louis School is a Catholic college preparatory school for boys, which is adjacent to Chaminade University in Honolulu.
“Rest in peace Pope Francis,” the school wrote on Facebook, while sharing the image below.
Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace
The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, which is the mother church and cathedral of the Diocese of Honolulu, shared a statement via Facebook.
“As one body in the Risen Christ, we pray for the repose of the soul of our beloved shepherd, Pope Francis, who passed on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta. He was 88 years of age.”
The first Catholic missionaries arrived in Hawaii on July 7, 1827, and the following year the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace was built, according to the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace website. In 1831, King Kamehameha III, who had converted to Protestant Christianity via the Congregational church, restricted Catholicism from being practiced in Hawaii. But in 1839, the king reversed his boycott, allowing for the establishment of the Hawaii Catholic Church. Catholic priests formally dedicated the Cathedral on August 15, 1843.
Catholic Diocese
Since 2023, Bishop Larry Silva has served as the Catholic Diocese of Honolulu.
“After many prayers for his recovery, Pope Francis has passed to his eternal rest,” Silva said in a statement. “How blessed is Pope Francis to have died on this Easter week, after dedicating his life and his papacy to proclaiming the Lord Jesus as alive and active in our world.”
“May he be raised up to eternal life with the risen Lord he loved so much. May his apostolic ministry bear much good fruit for generations to come!”
Vicar General Msgr. Gary Secor of the Diocese of Honolulu said: “I was surprised and saddened by the death of Pope Francis which occurred late this evening/early morning in Rome.”
Noting that Pope Francis had appeared in St. Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday, the day before his death, to deliver his annual “urbi et orbi” (“to the city and the world”) message, Msgr. Secor added, “It seems that he really desired until the end of his life to fulfill his important duty as the Holy Father and did that with much courage and determination.”
“I know that an essential part of his pontificate was a desire to reach out to people, as he said, ‘on the peripheries of the world,’ and that was certainly something that he did and something that he challenged use to do as a church and for that I am very grateful.”
Catholic Charities of Hawaii
Started in 1947, Catholic Charities of Hawaii supports and helps Hawaii residents with the greatest need, regardless of their faith or culture. The nonprofit organization shared a statement on Facebook that they are “mourning the passing of Pope Francis.”
Catholic Charities of Hawaii described Pope Francis as “a compassionate leader who reminded us all of our shared duty to serve others with love, dignity, and humility.”
They shared a quote from Pope Francis: “Charity — caritas — is our very life; it is what makes us ‘be’ what we are.”
“He called us not to be indifferent bystanders, but Good Samaritans who cross the road and reach out to those in need,” the statement continued. “His legacy lives on in every act of compassion, every hand extended in service, and every life touched by love.”
