Cardinal Brislin takes the helm in Johannesburg as its new archbishop
By Kati Dijane – It was a historic moment on January 25, during the feast day of the conversion of St Paul, as thousands of Catholics gathered at St Benedict’s College in Bedfordview to celebrate the installation of the new archbishop of Johannesburg, Cardinal Stephen Brislin.
Church leaders, including bishops from the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference, who had been in Pretoria since early this week for their first plenary session, as well as the Apostolic Nuncio to Southern Africa, Archbishop Henryk Jagodzinski, attended the event. Other state dignitaries who honoured the invitation to the installation were the Honourable Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Thokozile Didiza, Mrs Nomvula Makonyane, the first deputy secretary-general of the ANC and member of the St Anne Sodality, Ms Sophia Williams-De Bruyn, former anti-apartheid activist, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, ANC veteran and former minister, Mr Velenkosini Hlabisa, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, as well as Panyaza Lesufi, the Premier of Gauteng.
At the start of the liturgy, Archbishop Jagodzinski announced the reading of the Apostolic letter (Papal Bull) from His Holiness, Pope Francis, which Monsignor Dario Paviša, the secretary at the Apostolic Nunciature, read in Latin. The English translation was then read by Father Jean-Marie Kuzituka Did’ho, the chancellor of Christ the King Cathedral.
Thereafter, Archbishop Emeritus Buti Joseph Tlhagale OMI led Cardinal Brislin to his seat, prayed for him and presented him with a crozier (a gift from diocesan priests). After Father Peter Doherty, the most senior priest of the Archdiocese of Johannesburg, read a pledge of loyalty, the clergy in the diocese, as well as a representative of the religious sisters, greeted the new archbishop.
Archbishop Buti Tlhagale’s Homily
In his homily, ArchbishopTlhagale mentioned that lay people have been endowed with a variety of gifts and are in their own right God’s good stewards. “Trained lay people become evangelisers in those communities where they find themselves without shepherds,” he said, adding, “The Catholic Church faces serious challenges from other churches and cultural changes, while the departure of the religious from Catholic schools has weakened these schools as grounds for evangelisation.”The archbishop said that it’s for these reasons that lay Catholics have a duty and a responsibility to be witnesses to Christ. He added that they are to allow Christ’s message to permeate their families, communities and their places of work. “They are to promote and intensify virtues that affect social behaviour, including honesty, moral integrity, fairness and justice.”
He also highlighted the issue of poverty in communities, saying: “Those who do not have tend to be treated as others. Historically, in this country, poor people have been known as the surplus, the discarded, the unwanted people. The poor have grown in number, a challenge that needs to be brought to the fore by religious leaders. We need to remind each other that everyone bears the image of God. The value of human life in our communities is threatened by gangsterism, human trafficking, violence inside and outside our homes, drugs and abject poverty.” Archbishop Tlhagale added that poverty diminished human dignity, stating that people had a moral duty to uphold the dignity of every person, who is made in the image of God. He also warned against greed, saying that it entrenched poverty and prevented material progress. “Human creativity and work should be encouraged and promoted as necessary conditions for human progress and happiness. This is because the absence of work is the unhappy, hapless companion of poverty; hence, work is the antithesis of poverty. Work is key to human progress. It promotes dignity and makes living possible. Everyone deserves a chance to work.”
Addressing broader social issues, he added: “Religious leaders cannot ignore the fragmentation of our church communities and the stubborn racial division in our societies. These divisions don’t always play themselves out in the open, and they haven’t in a long time in this country, but they have conveniently gone underground. Repairing the rifts that are in church communities is the duty of church and lay leaders. In segregated communities, there is no appetite to forge bonds of unity, not even in our church communities, so that we may cry together, Abba, as children of one God. Racial groups keep apart from each other; we believe that high fences are a solution to our lifestyle. We pray with Saint Paul, especially on this feast day of his conversion, that the scales on our eyes may fall.”
Bishop Sipuka and Papal Nuncio Address
The outgoing president of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC), Bishop Sithembele Sipuka, from the diocese of Mthatha, congratulated the Archdiocese of Johannesburg for receiving a new archbishop, especially soon after the retirement of Archbishop Tlhagale. He wished the archdiocese well in striving to be more like Christ under the leadership of Cardinal Brislin, emphasising the values listed during the homily. Bishop Sipuka also congratulated the cardinal on his appointment and assured him that the Lord would be with him, just as the Archangel Gabriel assured Mary that the Lord would be with her as the mother of Christ. He pledged the support and prayers of his fellow bishops as Cardinal Brislin takes on his added role as president of the SACBC, effective Tuesday, 28 January 2025. Paying tribute to Archbishop Tlhagale, Bishop Sipuka thanked him for his service to the church.
Archbishop Jagodzinski highlighted Pope Francis’ confidence in Cardinal Brislin, as expressed in the pope’s appointment letter. The letter mentioned admiration for the new archbishop’s zeal and dedication, describing the new pastoral mission as a call to unite the church and proclaim the Gospel fearlessly and with love. Archbishop Jagodzinski encouraged the faithful of Johannesburg to welcome Cardinal Brislin with open hearts, support him through prayers and cooperate with him in building the kingdom of God. He extended his best wishes to the new archbishop, praying for the Holy Spirit to guide him and grant him wisdom, strength and peace.
The new Johannesburg Archbishops’s Address
In his address before the closing of Mass, Cardinal Brislin admitted that his appointment came as a shock but expressed gratitude to God for the grace, strength and hope that enabled people to be his instruments and witnesses. He also thanked Pope Francis for entrusting him with the role, the nuncio for assisting in the process, and Archbishop Tlhagale for his dedicated service to the Archdiocese of Johannesburg, the Archdiocese of Bloemfontein and the SACBC as its former secretary-general. Cardinal Brislin expressed appreciation for the kindness and support he received during the transition and thanked everyone who participated in the liturgical celebration, acknowledging it as a sacrament of the kingdom of God. He extended gratitude to those who travelled from his home diocese of Kroonstad and other parts of the country to attend the event.
The Cardinal also addressed the challenges faced by South Africa, including division, poverty, unemployment and corruption. He emphasised that these social issues must concern the church as it strives to enhance human dignity. While acknowledging that these challenges are not unique to South Africa, he urged the faithful not to lose hope, particularly in Jesus Christ, who leads us through dark times. He stressed the need for church leaders to consciously oppose injustice and restore ethical values, morality and human dignity. “This cannot be possible without promoting and strengthening family life,” he said. “Without happy and healthy families, we will never have peaceful and united societies.” He also highlighted the church’s role in healing societal brokenness and accompanying rather than denouncing people.
The cardinal also warned against the negative impact of social media on personal relationships, urging people to strengthen connections with each other and with God. Reflecting on the Jubilee Year, he expressed hope for renewal and unity within the church and society.
After Mass, Archbishop Tlhagale shared his hopes for the growth of the church in Johannesburg, emphasising the importance of increasing both the number of followers and the quality of faith. “Quantity is as good as quality,” he said. “You have to show that you have a decent number of followers who believe in what you are doing. If you don’t have the numbers, it means the faith you are preaching is not touching enough people to be faithful members of the church.” He also highlighted the need to address racial tensions and promote unity within church communities.
Archbishop Tlhagale concluded with a message for the Jubilee Year of Hope: “My hope is that people will renew their faith. Lay people must become lay missionaries to themselves. It’s important that church leaders make people aware that they have the right to be heralds of the Gospel and to lead the church. We must involve young people in large numbers in church activities and teachings to carry on the church’s mission. People must take their faith seriously and see its impact on their lives. By involving everyone, we can bring about meaningful changes in our lives, the church, and society.” He also invited Catholics in the Archdiocese of Johannesburg to attend the Jubilee Year launch on Saturday, 1 February 2025, at Christ the King Cathedral.
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