Cardinal Mafi, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Tonga & Niue has been attending the Caritas Internationalis General Assembly from Thursday 11th to Tuesday 16th May, 2023 in Rome.
Caritas Internationalis is the arm of the Catholic Church for relief, development and social services working to build a better world, especially for the poor and oppressed. It operates as a Confederation of 162 Catholic organizations working in over 200 countries and territories worldwide. Caritas Tonga of the Diocese of Tonga is one of its 162 member organizations.
Cardinal Mafi was about to return home on Friday afternoon 19th May when he had discomfort in his stomach and had to be admitted to Germelli Specialist Hospital in Rome, where he immediately went through medical investigation and surgical treatment.
Pope Francis has had two medical treatments in recent years in this same Specialist Hospital. Cardinal Mafi came out of Intensive Care on Sunday 21st May and is recovering well at the general wards of Germelli Hospital.
Cardinal Mafi was expected to be at the 5th World Apostolic Congress on Mercy 2023 in Samoa from Saturday 20th to Friday 26th May, 2023.
This is a gathering of thousand devotees from around the world and Cardinal Mafi was scheduled to be one of the leaders of this Congress but he had to cancel his participation due to his urgent medical attention in Rome.
Cardinal Mafi is expected to arrive back in the Diocese of Tonga, shortly after hospital recovery and the prolong travel home.
