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“Historic”: Catholic Bishops in South Africa on Naming of Country’s Second Cardinal

Wilfrid Fox Cardinal Napier (right), Bishop Sithembele Sipuka (center), and Cardinal-designate Stephen Brislin (left). Credit: SACBC

For the first time in the history of South Africa, the country will have two Cardinals after Cardinal-designate Stephen Brislin, the Archbishop of Cape Town, is elevated to the highest rank in the hierarchy of the Catholic Church.

South Africa has had, over the past two decades, Wilfrid Fox Cardinal Napier, who was elevated to the rank on 21 February 2001.

Catholic Bishops in South Africa have described the designation of Archbishop Brislin as a “historic” moment that shows that Pope Francis needs to hear a lot more from the country.

Bishop Sithembele Sipuka of South Africa’s Mthatha Diocese said the South African Cardinal-designate had been officially welcomed by the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) at the August 14-18 Plenary.

We had the opportunity to welcome the new Cardinal and express gratitude to the Holy Father for giving us the second Cardinal in the Conference. It is a historic event,” Bishop Sipuka said in a video recording that was published on YouTube.

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“We are very happy,” the SACBC President said in his exchange of pleasantries with Cardinal Napier and the Cardinal-designate. He added, addressing the Cardinal-designate Brislin, “Are you happy?”

I was very surprised,” the Cardinal-designate responded, and added, “I had no inkling that this was going to happen.”

Describing his naming as “a great honor”, the South African Cardinal-designate said, “However, as the Holy Father has already pointed out to us previously, to be Cardinal’s position is not meant to be an honor. It is meant to be a way of serving people, serving the Church, serving society and of course, giving support to the Holy Father. It is with that intention that I get into this (position) and I will try to do that as wholeheartedly as I possibly can.”

The Local Ordinary of Cape Town Archdiocese who will turn 67 six days to the September 30 Consistory expressed gratitude that the Church in South Africa still had Cardinal Napier, saying that he would be looking upon the long-serving Prelate for guidance.

“I admire very much the way Cardinal Napier has led the Church in Southern Africa over the years. It is very good to have him so that he can share some of his wisdom with me and give me advice,” he said.

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On his part, Cardinal Napier expressed gratitude to Pope Francis for giving South Africa a second Cardinal.

His reaction at the news had been “absolute delight”, Cardinal Napier said, noting that Pope Francis’ naming of the second Cardinal in the country had been a vote of confidence on the part of the Holy Father, “that he needs to hear a voice from Southern Africa.”

“I think it gives a clear indication of how he (Pope Francis) considers our Church down here,” the 82-year-old Archbishop emeritus of Durban said.

He added, “One of the things I have learnt from being a Cardinal is that the Pope really does rely on the information that he gets from his inner circle of advisors, and that is what Cardinals are.”

“Pope Benedict, for instance, was the first one to show us how he viewed the College of Cardinals. Very shortly after he was elected, he called a Consistory. His main reason was to get advice,” the Cardinal who started his Episcopal Ministry in February 1981 as Bishop of South Africa’s Kokstad Diocese said.

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He added, in his advice to the South African Cardinal-designate, “I think the main thing here, Cardinal Stephen, is the vote of confidence that the Pope has put in us in being able to convey to him the issues that are going on in Southern Africa.”

Agnes Aineah is a Kenyan journalist with a background in digital and newspaper reporting. She holds a Master of Arts in Digital Journalism from the Aga Khan University, Graduate School of Media and Communications and a Bachelor's Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communications from Kenya's Moi University. Agnes currently serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.