New Cardinal Soane Mafi of Tonga greets pilgrims from his country after a consistory at which he was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican Feb. 14. (CNS photo/Paul Haring) VATICAN CITY — In a Valentine’s Day ceremony to create 20 new cardinals, Pope Francis offered a meditation […]
Tongan cardinal-designate called a ‘simple, humble’ man
Above, Father Mafi on the far right of a photo of Father Johnathan Hurrell’s extended family visiting from New Zealand and Tonga for this ordination in St. Patrick Church in Kaimuki in 2005. Right, Bishop Soane Mafi during a pastoral visit to Hawaii’s Tongan Catholic Communities in 2011. (HCH file photos) When Tonga’s future cardinal […]