Cardinal Stephen Brislin: In His Own Words
On September 30, 2023, Archbishop Brislin of Cape Town was elevated to the rank of cardinal-priest by Pope Francis. Born on September 24, 1956, Cardinal-elect Brislin attended St Agnes’ Convent School and Christian Brothers’ College in Welkom, and was ordained to the priesthood for the diocese of Kroonstad on November 19, 1983. He was appointed bishop of Kroonstad in 2006 to succeed the late Bishop Johannes Brenninkmeijer, and on December 18, 2009, archbishop of Cape Town in succession of Archbishop Lawrence Henry. Archbishop Brislin has led four pilgrimages for The Southern Cross, covering nine territories: Italy, Palestine, Israel, Egypt, Spain, Portugal, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Turkey.
The cardinal-elect was in conversation with Southern Cross editor Günther Simmermacher.
First off, the question to which everybody else will want to know the answer: How do we address you now, once you’re a cardinal?
I think just as people have normally addressed me. Most people here would say “Archbishop”, so if they now say “Cardinal”, that’s fine. I’ve never really been very fussy about how people address me. Some people call me Father, and I have no objection to that either. I basically leave it up to people to decide what they’re comfortable with — as long as it’s polite!
How did you find out about your appointment?
I found out through an SMS from Thailand, saying “Congratulations”, shortly after the Holy Father made the announcement at the Angelus. I had absolutely no inkling; nothing was said to me beforehand.

Cardinal-elect Stephen Brislin (right) in conversation with Günther Simmermacher at the archbishop’s Cape Town office.
Is that normal?
I know that I’m not the only one in that. I don’t know about this year’s group, but a cardinal who was appointed last year told me recently in Rome that he had been in the supermarket when his sister called him on his cellphone. She was angry with him and asked, “Why didn’t you tell me?” And he said, “Tell you what?” She said: “That you’re a cardinal.” And he replied: “Don’t be ridiculous!”
So I think that’s a little bit how the present pope works. I think previous popes would have said something beforehand. But this was a complete surprise.
He’s indeed a pope of surprises. How did your family react?
My family was quite shocked, I think, at first. They know me better than anybody else. But they are now extremely happy. I had lovely messages from them. My oldest brother sent me a nice message, not only of congratulations but also advice.
It’s nice to see an older brother who advises a cardinal.
Yes. He’s done it for the past 60 years. It’s lovely.
So the family does not treat you any differently, for all your titles and your achievements?
Not at all. I’m the youngest in the family. They know me better than anyone.

Archbishop Brislin at his installation as head of Cape Town archdiocese in February 2010 with (from left) Cardinal Wilfrid Napier, papal nuncio Archbishop James Green, his predecessor Archbishop Lawrence Henry, and archdiocesan master of ceremonies Deacon Rodney Williams.
What will change for you once you are a cardinal?
In terms of the actual work, I suppose I’ll have to go to Rome more often for meetings. And what would change, of course, I’ll have to go if there’s a conclave [to elect a new pope]. And that would be both very exhilarating but also rather daunting, because it’s such a big responsibility, I think.
What worries me is that people might start treating me differently. You know, it happens when you become bishop. It really happens overnight. Once you become bishop, people start treating you differently. But people must realise, I’m still the same person, that I’m this little boy from Welkom, ultimately, and I never forgot where I come from, and I’ve never failed to be proud of where I come from in the Free State. I’m still the same person, and people should treat me like that.
You mentioned the prospect of a conclave. You know that when you go into the conclave, you are automatically going to be a candidate for papacy.
Technically speaking. But I don’t have the worldwide experience that most of the other cardinals have. You mustn’t forget, I’m really small-fry in comparison to some of these real giants, people of great intellect and a lot of experience.
I mean, you take Archbishop [Víctor Manuel] Fernández [the new prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith], for example: he’s written 300 books or something. You know, he’s really a person who’s got a very broad vision. And it’s people like that, I think, who would be more likely to be candidates for the papacy.

Archbishop Brislin interacts with a boy after concelebrating Mass at Holy Family parish in the Gaza Strip in 2018. For some years, the cardinal-elect has been a member of a group of bishops who make regular fact-finding and peacebuilding visits to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. (CNS photo/Marcin Mazur, Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales)
You mentioned that you are Welkom boy. It’s quite a journey from the Free State to the College of Cardinals. Just in brief, what is your vocation story? What made you become a priest?
When I was in school, I always had the feeling that God was calling me to the priesthood. My school friends always thought I was going to be a priest, and they were quite shocked when I decided not to go immediately into the seminary. But when I came to matric, I thought, “I need more time.” So I came to the University of Cape Town and started a BA degree. After I entered St John Vianney Seminary, I took a two-year break and came back to Cape Town, and completed the degree.
I think really what helped me through my vocation was all the people around me. I come from a very, very close family, a very supportive family. My father passed away when I was nine-going-on-ten, but I had a very strong mother, a very caring mother, a very gentle mother. But cross her, and she was a firebrand. She was a very courageous person.
The Dominicans also had an enormous influence on me. The priests in Kroonstad were Dominicans, and they were really good, good priests and good role models for me.
And the Dominican Sisters. When I was newly ordained, I became what they used to call the “extraordinary confessor” to the Sisters. All those people have had a very, very important influence in my life.
Why didn’t you join the Dominicans?
I thought about it a lot. I did really consider it and I loved the Dominicans very much. But I thought, you know, it’s really the diocese of Kroonstad that needed priests. And I thought, well, if I’m a Dominican, I could be sent to other places, whereas it’s Kroonstad diocese that was short of priests.
Don’t forget, when I decided to go to the seminary, I was living in Cape Town. So I could have also joined the Cape Town archdiocese, and I considered that too. But I thought because of the need for priests, I’d go back home.
And Cape Town got you in the end anyway…
God has a sense of humour.
You have a Sesotho nickname — Motlalepula, which means “he comes with rain”.
Oh yes. That happened when Bishop Brenninkmeijer sent me to Lesotho as a deacon to learn Sesotho for a few months. It was in a village high up in the mountains, and I arrived during rain. One of the nuns named me Motlalepula — the One Who Brings Rain.
And I heard that at your ordination, it was raining as well.
Yes, it was both a dust storm and spots of rain. And the Dominicans in their white habits looked like brown Dalmatians. It was quite funny. It was a very weird day: it rained and then it was dust and it rained.
Now we’ll have to see what the weather is like in Rome on September 30. If it rains… but let’s not go there. To move on… What informs your spirituality?
A massive influence on my spirituality was a retreat given by a Franciscan when I was a young priest. I spoke to him and I said to him: “Look, I am very busy and have quite a lot of responsibility. Sometimes I don’t really have a lot of time to pray; you know, the morning prayer and evening prayer.” But I see that when I’m going out and working with people, that is prayer, too. And he said: “Don’t be ridiculous. You just make excuses. Prayer is a discipline, and you’ve got to make time for it. And if you don’t do that, you’re putting yourself in danger.”
He was absolutely excellent and he took no nonsense from me. He put me right, and it really changed my life. I started to regulate my prayer life, and I’ve kept that up until today. So I make sure that I get a good chunk of prayer in the morning. I’m deeply grateful to that priest.
I’m faithful to daily Mass, and I ensure that I try to say not only the office but also to have a decent time of meditation and reflection every day. Quite honestly, without that meditation, I could not face the day properly.

? Archbishop Brislin greets the Holy Father during the SACBC bishops’ ad limina visit in June. Behind the cardinal-elect is his auxiliary, Bishop Sylvester David. At left is Bishop José Luis Ponce de León of Manzini, Eswatini
You also enjoy going on pilgrimages, usually as a spiritual director. Is the benefit for you the same as it is for the people whom you are leading?
Even more, I would say. Because not only are you going on pilgrimage with people, but when people come to you for spiritual direction or just to talk to you, it’s not just you giving them something, but they are giving you a lot of stuff as well. So in that sense, I think I get even more out of it than other people, because of the interaction with fellow pilgrims.
In talking to the people I serve as a priest, in parishes or on pilgrimages, I think I’ve benefited far more than I’ve ever given to people, I really feel that.
I had always thought with the pilgrimages: “Why go on pilgrimage? I mean, God is everywhere.” But going on pilgrimage has changed me in that view. I can just see what deeply spiritual experiences they are. To be able to pray in the Holy Sepulchre, or at my favourite place of all, Bethlehem, is just remarkable experiences, very special.
Behind the scenes, in private, what do you do to relax?
I enjoy reading very much, both novels and light reading as well as more serious books. At the moment, I’m reading a book, Catholicism: A global history from the French Revolution to Pope Francis by John T McGreevy, and it is absolutely fascinating. Often I’ll read a novel at the same time as I’m reading a serious book. So at night, I might read a novel when I’m tired.
I cook — not very well, but I enjoy cooking, when I have the time. During the lockdown, I started gardening as well, but I haven’t really kept that up much.
I also love listening to some of the music from my youth, the 1970s and ‘80s — it always brings back memories. I like to listen to some classical as well. My taste is eclectic; I also enjoy reggae, for example.
And movies or TV?
I haven’t watched a movie for a long time. I started to watch TV sometimes and I just get pretty bored with quite a lot of things.
Do you have any pets?
Yes, I’ve got two dogs. They’re both rescue dogs. Cointreau is a mixed Ridgeback, which is quite small in size. The other, Cinzano, is small but she thinks she’s a Rottweiler.
Both named after drinks…
Yes, and my previous dogs were Pushkin and Shandy. And the reason for that is that when I was a priest in Kroonstad, my doctor and friend bought me this little dog. But it came with a name: Chérie. I couldn’t imagine myself shouting: “Chérie!” So I changed it to Sherry. Since then, I’ve named my dogs after drinks. I do love dogs. I grew up with dogs.
Finally, you are well-known for wearing a black beret or a grey cap. Will we now see you sporting a red hat?
[Laughs] No, the grey cap and beret are going nowhere!
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