SA Cardinal Stephen Brislin takes possession of Rome church

by Fr Runaine Radine · Published May 13, 2024 · Updated May 14, 2024

By Fr Runaine Radine, Photos: Liandro Mensah – Cardinal Stephen Brislin of Cape Town has taken canonical possession of his titular church. It is an ancient custom to assign some of the churches around Rome to the patronage of the cardinals.

At his elevation in September last year, Pope Francis named Brislin cardinal-priest of Santa Maria Domenica Mazzarello, a parish dedicated to the co-foundress of the Salesian Sisters.

Cardinal Brislin presided over Holy Eucharist for the feast of the Ascension of the Lord. The local community welcomed him warmly. Some of the clergy of the diocese of Rome participated in the Mass, as well as priests, religious and seminarians from Southern Africa stationed in Rome.

In his homily, Cardinal Brislin encouraged the faithful to witness to their faith in the Risen Lord and so build a world of love, compassion, unity, justice and peace, until Christ comes again in glory.

The parish bulletin featured a biography of the cardinal and a brief history of the Church in South Africa. This underlined the unity of our faith in the one Lord and Saviour which we profess as Catholics throughout the world.

The celebration took place just a few days before South African expatriates are able to cast their votes for the upcoming national elections.

Cardinal Brislin also serves the Holy See as a member of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints. In South Africa, devotion to the saints is gaining momentum, especially after the beatification of Bl Benedict Daswa. There are also enquiries underway on a diocesan level for Sr Reinolda May of Ngome and Danny and Domitilla Hyams of Little Eden.

May they intercede for our new Cardinal, for our beloved country, and, indeed, for the Church in Southern Africa, so that we may truly be an evangelising community serving God, humanity and all creation.