The archbishop of Port Moresby, Sir John Ribat, is one of 17 new Cardinals named by Pope Francis. Ribat said the appointment came as a surprise as he never thought nor dreamt of it. “If it is the will of God, then may he give me his grace and strength to fulfil this course and carry Read more
In his first public speech in Tonga, Cardinal Mafi told thousands of listeners that he believed he had become the Catholic church’s youngest cardinal because he was named after John the Baptist. Mafi was responding to a question asked by many Tongans when news about his elevation broke in the kingdom: How did the tiny Read more
Today, Friday 6 March, a liturgical reception will take place in the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Wellington to formally welcome Cardinal John Dew back from Rome. An open invitation has been made to anyone who wishes to attend. The Evening Prayer of the church will be prayed and light refreshments will follow. Cardinal Read more
Soane Patita Paini Mafi became Tonga’s first Cardinal at ceremony that took place at 11pm on Saturday New Zealand time. Vatican Insider described the scene after the ceremony: “Tonga’s first Cardinal was, “Surrounded by faithful and relatives who have formed a chorus and are singing a traditional song at the top of their voices.” “There Read more
Cardinal John Dew became New Zealand’s 4th Cardinal at the ceremony that took place at 11pm on Saturday New Zealand time. Dew, the Archbishop of Wellington, and current President of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops’ Conference was the fourth to kneel before Pope Francis as he placed the Cardinals ring on his finger and a Read more
Tongans will be able to watch Bishop Soane Patita Paini Mafi receive his red hat on local TV. Digi TV will carry the event live. Coverage of the consistory will begin at 11pm on February 14. The Mass with the Pope and the new cardinals will begin at 10pm on February 15 Mafi is Tonga’s Read more
Pope Francis has dispensed with tradition and ‘tripped the globe’ to announce sixteen new cardinal electors and because of age, three cardinal non-electors in a consistory to be held on February 22. In making his selection, the first of his pontificate, Pope Francis has chosen only 6 Europeans (including 4 Italians). Other cardinal electors come Read more
Pope Francis will call a consistory next February to bestow red hats on a group of new cardinals, a news agency has reported. The Rome-based French religious agency I-Media says the consistory will be on February 21 and 22, following a two-day meeting of the Pope with the entire College of Cardinals to discuss his Read more
Pope Benedict XVI sent a clear signal about the universality of the Catholic Church when he created six new cardinals on November 24. For the first time in decades, all of the new cardinals came from countries outside Europe. “I want to highlight in particular the fact that the Church is the Church of all Read more
Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday announced that he would create six new cardinals during a consistory on November 24, the eve of the feast of Christ the King. The new cardinals include 63-year-old U.S. Archbishop James M. Harvey, prefect of the papal household; Lebanon’s Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai, 72; Archbishop Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal, 53, head Read more