Aloha & Welcome!

Thank you for visiting the Diocese of Hawai'i's dedicated news website to keep you informed with the latest news, happenings, events, and announcements taking place in the Diocese and the broader Episcopal Church!  To go to the Diocese's main website, click HERE.

LATEST HIGHLIGHTS & SPECIAL MESSAGES:

BISHOP SEARCH STATUS: COUNT DOWN! The Special Meeting of Convention to elect the Sixth Bishop of The Episcopal Diocese of Hawai'i is just days away! Click HERE to stay informed!​

Bishop's Easter Message 2026

​[April 2, 2026] Bishop Robert Fitzpatrick shares his final Easter message as Bishop Diocesan, with much hope in a broken world. In it he shares an essay by Arthur Michael Ramsey, the 100th Archbishop of Canterbury (November 14, 1904-1988), and one of his favorite Easter hymns by Charles Wesley. ​
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PRESIDING BISHOP'S EASTER MESSAGE: Dear friends in Christ: One of the paradoxical truths of our faith is that Easter morning begins with sorrow. In John’s telling of the Easter story, we can almost feel the panic and confusion of the disciples in the predawn hours when Mary Magdalene discovers that the tomb is empty. READ MORE

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Bishop Election: COUNT DOWN! 9 DAYS!

[May 7, 2026] MAHALO for your participation in this pivotal event in the life of The Episcopal Diocese of Hawai‘i! A lot of time, energy, and cost has gone into the events and activities leading up to this point, and it will continue through the rest of the year. ​ READ MORE

Bishop Search: Updates from the Transitions Committee

[April 30, 2026] The Ke Aloha Kākou  Meet and Greet sessions wrapped up this past Sunday, April 26, 2026. It was a whirlwind experience for the three candidates and their spouses who traveled through the island chain over the course of 4 days.​ READ MORE

Aftermath of Typhoon Sinlaku: Updates from Guam & Saipan

[April 27, 2026] Hafa Adai, Super Typhoon Sinlaku battered the island of Saipan in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands for two days in mid-April, destroying homes, damaging infrastructure and leaving residents...  READ MORE​

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PRAYER FOR THE BISHOP SEARCH:  Throughout the duration of the bishop search process, please continue to pray. View the prayer on the Bishop Search & Transition webpage HERE.

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COMING UP IN THE DIOCESE:

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COMING UP!

​Special Meeting of Convention - May 16, 2026, 'Iolani School 
Bishop's Farewell Tours Begin - July through August, O'ahu, Hawai'i Island, Kaua'i and Maui. More info to come.
Episcopal Youth Event Province VIII - July 28-31, 2026. More info coming!

Status & Upcoming: Meet the candidates! Aloha Kākou Candidate Meet & Greets were recorded and are available to view HERE. Coming up next is the:
SPECIAL MEETING OF CONVENTION TO ELECT THE SIXTH BISHOP

LATEST NEWS & HEADLINE LINKS:

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THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF HAWAI'I:

• Count Down! 9 Days! (5/7/26)
• Special: Bishop Search - Updates from the Transitions Committee (4/30/26)
• Special: Aftermath of Typhoon Sinlaku: Updates from Guam & Saipan - Donations Needed (4/26/26)
• Hawaiian Church Chronicle: Bishop's Reflection on Discernment, Chrism Mass & Spring Training, AANHPI Leadership Retreat, St. Elizabeth's Welcomes New Priest (4/23/26)
• Special: Super Typhoon Sinlaku Impacts Guam & Saipan: Prayers & Donations Needed​ (4/16/26)
• Special: Upcoming Bishop Election (4/15/26)

 ​THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH & BEYOND:

• Episcopalians send thousands of origami cranes to Olympia for detained immigrants (4/30/26)
• Archbishop of Canterbury preaches at St. Paul’s Within the Walls during 4-day Rome pilgrimage (4/27/26)
• ​Rio Grande church more than doubles its congregation after expanding its mission (4/23/36)​
• California’s oldest congregation supports Episcopal energy independence goals with solar array (4/20/26)
• San Diego diocese’s shelter in Tijuana offers migrant women and children safety, stability (4/17/26)
• Church panelists argue US war in Iran fails tests of both ‘just war’ and pacifist traditions (4/15/26)​

LATEST FEATURE STORIES FROM THE CHRONICLE:

For links to more articles, visit the Article Archives webpage HERE​, or full issues HERE.

Chrism Mass & Spring Training

AANHPI Leadership Retreat

Historic Flooding Wreaks Havoc Across the Diocese

​Reflection on the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) 70

A Taste of Ho'imi Pono

Founder's Day Chapel at 'Iolani

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Annual Clergy Retreat

Queen Lili'uokalani Commemoration

St. Andrew's Schools: Onipa'a 2026

Two New Priests Ordained

Christmas at The Cathedral

A Warm Welcome fo the Diocese's Newest Deacon

​Click on the Pray for Maui button to go to our dedicated disaster relief page on our main website, with all the latest developments following the August 2023 Maui wildfires and Holy Innocents Church.

NEWS SPOTLIGHT:
​Historic Flooding Wreaks Havoc Across the Diocese

[Chronicle, March 26, 2026]  During the month of March, two back-to-back low pressure Kona storm systems wreaked havoc across the Hawaiian Island chain, causing some of the worst flooding the state has seen in decades. The first storm hit during the second week of March with weather stations on all islands reporting record-breaking rainfall daily. Torrential rains compounded with powerful wind gusts caused widespread destruction, especially in communities located near steams and run-off areas. After days of rain, saturated grounds and swollen streams had reached their limits turning roadways and fields into raging rivers, uprooting trees and leaving a trail of flooded vehicles. Thankfully, there have been no deaths reported. 

READ MORE

​During the second storm system a few days later, areas on the north shore of O'ahu were evacuated due to the threat of a dam breach. Our own Camp Mokulēʻia, had already incurred heavy damage from the first storm including the loss of 10 trees and their zipline. Darrell Whitaker, Executive Director of the Camp, and his family, remained on site in the Lodge along with Libby Langford, the Food Services Director. They kept the generator going and a watchful eye on the property. One night at 3:00 a.m., Darrell reported that the entire camp grounds were flooded, knee-deep in most places, but it was during daylight when they could assess the damage. An ironwood tree had crushed a staffer's car, the already soft sandy soil left giant sink holes jeopardizing the seawall. There was structural damage to bathrooms, yurts, tentalos, and camp sites were washed out, including taking one of the tentalos into the ocean. (In case you missed it, a special announcement went out yesterday, March 25, with updates and ways to help support the camp by volunteering or making donations. Click HERE to view it.)

​A number of churches reported flooding, having to cancel in-person services and telling folks to stay safe at home. Trinity By-the-Sea in Kihei, Maui, which is prone to flooding, expected the worse. The Rev. Amy Crowe reported to the congregation that although it could have been much worse, the mud was still inches deep around the sanctuary overflow area. But the scariest moment occurred a little after midnight while she was scrolling through Facebook and saw their 40-foot shipping container, filled with brand new solar panels, floating down the street. Luckily, the panels were retrieved safely with just a bit of mud on them. In Napili, the Honolua United Methodist Church where Holy Innocents (destroyed in the Lahaina fire) is temporarily worshiping at, was hit hard with major damage to part of their building.

Rae Costa, Operations Manager, sent out an email to all churches with links for resources and information for filing claims. While churches clean up and assess damages, please keep all those affected by the flood in your prayers. The recovery and clean-up statewide will be a monumental task.

​For those seeking assistance or those wishing to make donations, comprehensive lists can be found on the websites for Hawaii Public Radio (HERE) and Honolulu Magazine (HERE). On O'ahu, While many of our churches are actively involved in feeding programs, St. Stephen's has partnered up with the Hawai'i Foodbank and a number of sites to provide flood relief and free food. Visit the St. Stephen's website HERE for the most current information.

QUICK LINKS TO THE MAIN DIOCESAN WEBSITE: