When he gets back to Tonga the good times will roll, Tongan-style, Cardinal Mafi told CruxNow.

"Many pigs will be killed!" he told John Allen, quickly adding "I'll try to save as many as I can".

Tens of thousands of Tongans from all walks of life sent Mafi notes of congratulations and best wishes, including the country's King, Topou VI and his wife Queen Nanasipau'u.

King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau'u travelled to Rome for Saturday's consistory ceremony.

Mafi says he had no idea he was going to be named a Cardinal and was in bed at 4am when woken with the news by a phone call from his brother who lives in San Francisco.

Mafi said he had only met Pope Francis once, at last year's Synod, and that was to explain where Tonga was.

"That's far, far away!" replied the Holy Father.

Commenting on the vexed issue of the 2014 Synod, Mafi said he liked the openness, and reinforced his comment by saying that his earlier experience in 2012 seemed "tighter" and "more controlled".

"There was true friendliness and plenty of free discussion," he said.

"But there was also something deeper. I sensed the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, working through that openness."

Admitting the enormity of the responsibility has not yet sunk in, Mafi says he is still new to the Vatican scene but hopes the spirit will continue into the 2015 Synod.

Having already beaten the odds to become a bishop and a cardinal, Mafi knows there's still one job left in Catholicism — one that's also never had a Tongan. He regards the idea of a Tongan pope, however, as fairly implausible.

"That would really be the end of time!" he laughed.

Cardinal Mafi studied at Loyola University in Maryland, and at aged 53 is the world's youngest cardinal.

Source:

• Cruxnow
• Image: Cruxnow (per Pacific Bishops' Conference)

It turned out to be a series of messages carrying prayers and congratulations after his name was included in a list of 20 new cardinals in the Catholic Church, announced by Pope Francis.

Now Archbishop John is in Rome accompanied and supported by family and friends, for the Consistory, and to receive his red hat.

The Consistory on Saturday 14th Feb, as well as the Pope's Mass with the Cardinals on Sunday 15th Feb, will be streamed live.

The New Zealand Catholic Bishops' conference has supplied these instructions for those who may wish to view the live streaming.

Rome is 12 hours behind NZ at present so the Consistory will be from 11pm-12.30am NZ time on Sat 14 Feb. The Pope's Mass with the Cardinals will be from 10pm-11.30pm on Sun 15 Feb.

To access Vatican Player:
Either follow this link
www.vatican.va/video/

Or google Vatican player.

If using google, click on "Vatican Player - La Santa Sede"

The Vatican Player page may open in one of three ways depending on your computer:

1. The player may appear. There will be pictures and times etc. You can skip 2 and 3 below.
2. There may be a small blue and white button at the top left corner saying "Download Microsoft Silverlight". In this case click on the button. When a box appears with "Run" in it click Run. The player with pictures and events should appear after a short time.
3. A grey box may appear which says Silverlight needs your permission to run. You may have a bar above the player which says "Run this plugin". If so click on it. If not right click your mouse and click on Run this plug-in.

The player will open at the next event to be live-streamed.

The boxes to the right are future events, and to the left are past events.

Try a past event by clicking on the box to the left. When it comes to the front, click on "video on demand" underneath it.

Click on the small white triangle on the left to start showing the event.

If you want to make it full screen click on the small black and white box on the right side opposite the white triangle.

If you want to get out of fullscreen mode tap Esc top left on your keyboard.

You can adjust volume on the player using the fuzzy arrow to the left of the small black and white box or using your computer's volume control.

If you want to watch it after the event then go to the player and click through the boxes on the left side until you find it.

Source

• Stuff.co.nz
• Supplied Archdiocese of Wellington
• Image: Stuff.co.nz