Stephen Alencastre

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Headstone at the grave of Alencastre, last vicar apostolic of the Hawaiian Islands. The grave of Ropert is directly behind.

Episcopal arms of Msgr. Alencastre in a window in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace, Honolulu.

Pope Pius XI invokes the blessing of Saint Joseph, patron of the Universal Church, on Msgr. Alencastre, in a window in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace, Honolulu.

Stephen Peter Alencastre, SS.CC., (November 3, 1876—November 9, 1940), was the fifth and last vicar apostolic of the Vicariate Apostolic of the Hawaiian Islands — now the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu. He was also the first bishop of Hawai‘i to have been raised in the Hawaiian Islands. Born on the island of Porto Santo in the Madeira Islands of Portugal, Alencastre was ordained to the priesthood on April 5, 1902 at the age of 25 as a member of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. When Msgr. Libert H. Boeynaems fell ill, Father Alencastre was appointed coadjutor vicar apostolic with right of succession on April 29, 1924. On August 24 of that year, he was ordained bishop of the titular see of Arabissus at the age of 47. On May 13, 1926, Alencastre succeeded Boeynaems as vicar apostolic. A window in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace in Honolulu depicts his episcopal crest. His episcopal motto was "Opportet illum regnare," derived from a phrase in 1 Corinthians 15: 24-26, and meaning "He (Christ) must reign." Msgr. Alencastre was the first to make use of the pūlo‘ulo‘u (kapu sticks) and the colors of the Hawaiian flag in his episcopal crest. After his death at sea, Msgr. Alencastre was buried at the Honolulu Catholic Cemetery in downtown Honolulu.

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