Bishop Cawcutt Remembered

by Gunther Simmermacher · Published August 7, 2022 · Updated August 7, 2022

Tribute by Günther Simmermacher

For many years, Bishop Reginald Cawcutt provided an email service to people in the archdiocese of Cape Town in which he would announce events, jubilees and deaths. At 19:30 on Friday, August 5 — the eve of the feast of the Transfiguration — death caught up with Bishop Reg at the age of 83.

The retired bishop died gently in his sleep, bringing to an end a life that began on October 25, 1938. Reginald Michael Cawcutt was born in Rugby, Cape Town, into a well-known horse-racing family of Milnerton. His father was the well-known horse trainer Wilfie Cawcutt. As auxiliary bishop, he would live in Milnerton, a suburb on the Table Bay coast, only a couple of kilometres away from the stables amid which he grew up.

Seminarian Reginald Cawcutt with a scale model of St John Vianney Seminary, which he built in 1958. (Photo: The Southern Cross)

He studied for the priesthood at St John Vianney Seminary in Pretoria, and in 1958 featured in The Southern Cross with a model of the seminary which he had built. He was ordained to the priesthood for the archdiocese of Cape Town by Archbishop Owen McCann on July 9, 1962.

As a young priest, Fr Cawcutt showed a knack for special ministries. Soon after his ordination, he became chaplain to the deaf community of Cape Town, serving Cape Town’s two Catholic institutions for the hearing-impaired, the Dominican Wittebome and Grimley schools for the deaf, and the hostel for the deaf at Heathfield. In that role, Fr Cawcutt took responsibility not only of the spiritual needs for the hearing-impaired but also acted as interpreter, welfare officer, family friend and even proxy parent.

Fr Reginald Cawutt says Mass at Wittebome School for the Deaf in 1965, assisted by Moshack Malomo. (Photo: The Southern Cross)

In 1966, Fr Cawcutt made a three-day pastoral visit to the remote island of Tristan de Cunha, where he administered the sacraments to the small Catholic community of 50, which rarely saw a priest.

Travelling to the island on board of the research ship R.S.A. helped prepare Fr Cawcutt for the major assignment of his priesthood prior to becoming a bishop: as chaplain to the South African navy. He was a popular chaplain among the mariners, who appreciated not only the relatable priest’s pastoral care but also his direct manner and ability, no doubt nurtured in the horse-racing community, to tolerate, and even apply, salty language.

Fr Cawcutt in his days as navy chaplain. (Photo: The Southern Cross)

To the surprise of many, especially himself, Fr Cawcutt was named auxiliary bishop of Cape Town in May 1992, and ordained on August 29 that year, with Archbishop Lawrence Henry as principal consecrator.

As auxiliary he took a hand in the administrative running of the archdiocese. A man of direct language, Bishop Cawcutt was also compassionate and quick to help, not always to his advantage.

Bishop Reginald Cawcutt (left) and Archbishop Lawrence Henry of Cape Town. (Photo: RTS Barnes/Southern Cross)

In the later 1990s, Bishop Cawcutt was ahead of his time in providing pastoral care to homosexual Catholics and their families, a ministry that was admired by many but also earned him the enmity of others. An early adapter of Internet technology, Bishop Cawcutt also was part of an international support group forum for priests who are gay. While the tone of this private chat group at times failed to reach the highest standards of discretion, public revelations of this group’s content, obtained by an infiltrator for a right-wing grouping, included many distortions and lies, presenting even innocent jokes as salacious smut.

As a result of his involvement with the group, Bishop Cawcutt was called to Rome to explain himself in a hearing with the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith. His prescribed penance was to go on an extended retreat. Archbishop Henry rejected his offer to resign in case this episode would cause problems in the archdiocese.

Stitched-up by ‘journalist’

But with his name now associated with controversy, a “journalist” of the Weekend Argus newspaper manipulated Bishop Cawcutt’s openness in an interview to set him up for a demonstrably false accusation involving abusive behaviour. The fake news was interdicted, with the judge saying that he had never seen a case of such unethical and dishonest journalism.

The lies were not published, but they circulated in episcopal and clerical circles. Knowing that he no longer had the confidence of his brother bishops and especially the clergy of the archdiocese — some of whom later declared their regret at not having supported him — Bishop Cawcutt offered his resignation, which Pope John Paul II accepted on July 17, 2002. In his letter of resignation, Bishop Cawcutt said he could not continue serving in his position if this might be the cause for division in the archdiocese.

Bishop Cawcutt in Cape Town City Hall before the episcopal ordination of Bishop Sylvester David in August 2019. He received a warm reception from the congregation.

In retirement, Bishop Cawcutt attended various functions, but was rarely seen with his mitre. His last public appearance at an archdiocesan event was at the episcopal ordination of his successor as auxiliary (even at a remove of 17 years), Bishop Sylvester David OMI on August 25, 2019.

As the tall but already frail Bishop Cawcutt slowly took his seat on the stage in the auditorium of Cape Town’s City Hall, the congregation applauded. He had resigned in 2002 to avoid division among the people, but that day the faithful of Cape Town were united in their love and respect for Bishop Reggie Cawcutt.