8 ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁O ' Con nell ▁was ▁appointed ▁the ▁Bishop ▁of ▁R ar ot ong a ▁and ▁was ▁consec r ated ▁by ▁Bishop ▁Le amy ▁SM , ▁Card inal ▁Williams ▁and ▁Bishop ▁So ane ▁L ilo ▁Fol ia ki ▁SM , ▁Bishop ▁of ▁T ong a ▁in ▁St ▁Joseph ' s ▁C athedral , ▁A var ua ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁February ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁face ▁of ▁a ▁growing ▁Roman ▁Catholic ▁population ▁( by ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁in ▁excess ▁of ▁ 3 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁a ▁total ▁population ▁of ▁about ▁ 2 0 , 0 0 0 ▁– ▁mainly ▁due ▁to ▁imm igration ▁from ▁the ▁Philippines ▁and ▁F iji ) ▁and ▁with ▁a ▁complement ▁of ▁only ▁seven ▁pri ests ▁( five ▁on ▁R ar ot ong a ▁at ▁A var ua , ▁M ata vera , ▁Tit ik ave ka ▁and ▁A ror ang i ▁and ▁one ▁each ▁on ▁A itut aki , ▁A ti u , ▁and ▁Mau ke ▁( is lands ). ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁obtain ▁pri ests ▁from ▁over se as ▁and ▁to ▁augment ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁local - born ▁pri ests . ▁He ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁keep ▁the ▁Catholic ▁schools , ▁N uk ut ere ▁College , ▁Saint ▁Mary ' s ▁School , ▁Mau ke ▁Island ▁and ▁St ▁Joseph ' s ▁School , ▁A var ua , ▁operating , ▁undert aking ▁major ▁ref urb ish ments ▁in ▁the ▁schools . ▁During