Archive - May 2026

Mike Castori, New Bishop of Honolulu

Don’t we know him? Yes, indeed, was my response when I saw the recent notice on the appointment of Fr. Mike Castori, SJ, as the new bishop of Honolulu. Many years ago he was part of our team here in the islands.

The notice on the appointment mentioned Mike’s impressive string of academic degrees, his various teaching assignments and prison ministry in California, and even the Tongan community’s bestowal of his island middle name. But something significant was left out: his time with us in Micronesia.

What is it about the place? I ask myself this every time I visit Chuuk. We get into the rented car at the airport and make our way down to the boat pool on Weno at the usual speed of about 3 mph. Some of the downtown area is paved, while in other places the potholes are even deeper than I had remembered. Regardless, the long line of cars seems to crawl along at the same speed. It’s a challenge for those on foot to cross the street as they look for a little space between the tightly packed vehicles, but somehow they make it across safely. Some things never change, as the axiom goes. The condition of the road and the traffic are a case in point.

Francis X. Hezel, SJ, is a Jesuit priest who has lived and worked in Micronesia since 1963. At different times he has served as high school teacher, school administrator, pastor, and regional superior to the Jesuits of Micronesia. He spent thirty years directing the Micronesian Seminar, a non-profit, non-governmental organization based in Pohnpei, Micronesia.

He has written and spoken widely about social change and its impact on island societies. He has also written several books on Micronesian history, including The First Taint of Civilization, Strangers in Their Own Land, and The New Shape of Old Island Cultures. His most recent book, Making Sense of Micronesia: The Logic of Pacific Island Culture, is available through University of Hawaii Press.