Cape Town, 12 July, 2023 / 8:53 pm (ACI Africa).
The President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, has lauded the July 9 naming of Archbishop Stephen Brislin of the country’s Cape Town Archdiocese Cardinal as a “cause for pride”.
In a Tuesday, July 11 statement, President Ramaphosa says that Pope Francis’ naming of a South African Archbishop among the 21 new Cardinal “is cause for pride among South Africans of all backgrounds and should inspire all of us to exercise our beliefs, in our diversity, with deep devotion.”
The choice of the 66-year-old Archbishop "is an exceptional personal honour and recognition of his spiritual leadership and stewardship of the Catholic Church in South Africa," the South African head of state further says.
The South African Cardinal-designate was ordained a Priest for the Diocese of Kroonstad in November 1983.
He started his Episcopal Ministry in January 2007 when he was consecrated Bishop of Kroonstad. Three years later, he was appointed Archbishop of Cape Town Archdiocese.