Cardinal Brislin on a Year of Surprises

From his surprise appointment to Johannesburg to electing a new pope, Cardinal Stephen Brislin has had a busy 12 months. In an interview, he told Günther Simmermacher about his experiences, his challenges and his vision for the local Church (read the full Q&A interview in the November issue of The Southern Cross).

Cardinal Stephen Brislin has an eventful year behind him. Within the space of months, he was unexpectedly transferred from Cape Town to Johannesburg, assumed the presidency of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC), buried a pope, and helped elect the new pope, Leo XIV.

“It came as a surprise to me,” the cardinal recalled of his appointment to Johannesburg. “One morning I got a telephone call to inform me that the Holy Father had appointed me to the archdiocese of Johannesburg. From that moment, my life changed considerably.” He had to tie up affairs in Cape Town, prepare for his move, and begin acquainting himself with the Johannesburg archdiocese, all while stepping into his new role as SACBC president. “It’s a bit of a juggling act,” he admitted.

Despite the challenges, the reception in Johannesburg has been warm. “From the moment I came here, beginning with my installation, it was absolutely beautiful,” he said. “The response of people was really overwhelming.” Still, leaving Cape Town after 15 years was a wrench: “I obviously miss Cape Town… but certainly the people of Johannesburg have made that very easy for me.”

Settling in personally has brought lighter moments. The cardinal, now in his late sixties, quipped that memory is not his strongest suit. “I had to warn the priests that even though they had introduced themselves to me, I would probably be going to them some months later and ask: ‘Who are you?’” he laughed. His two dogs adjusted even more quickly: “They jumped out and immediately were at home. I never expected that.”

Soon after taking up residence in Johannesburg, the Church was plunged into mourning with the illness and death of Pope Francis. Cardinal Brislin remembers the media response as “very positive”, noting how even non-believers recognised the late pontiff’s compassion and humanity. He himself learned of the pope’s passing in the unlikeliest of settings — shopping for a suitcase at China Mall. “I phoned Sheila [Pires, SACBC communications officer]. She said: ‘The Holy Father has passed away — and the SABC wants you to be in the studio in 45 minutes.’ So I had to dash back home, change into something more clerical, and head for the studio.”

Soon afterwards, the cardinal was in Rome for Pope Francis’ funeral and then the conclave. He describes the daily pre-conclave congregations as “a wonderful occasion just to hear people’s perspectives”, with cardinals speaking not about personalities but about “what they saw the needs of the world are, the needs of the Church, what they would envisage in the future pope”.

Inside the Sistine Chapel, when the doors closed with the command extra omnes, “the atmosphere changed completely. We were very conscious of the importance of the task before us… That’s why I believe the Holy Spirit was truly at work.”

Cardinal Brislin did not expect a US pope, but as Cardinal Robert Prevost was being elected as Pope Leo XIV, he saw the wisdom of the choice. “We shouldn’t refer to Leo as being a pope from the United States. He’s from the Americas,” he said, noting the pope’s long ministry in Latin America.

The moment of the announcement was unforgettable: the white smoke, the crowd rushing to St Peter’s Square, and the roar of “Papa Leone” rising after the new pope’s name was revealed. “It’s just a moment where your whole body is tingling.”

Weeks later, Cardinal Brislin was back in Rome to receive his pallium from Pope Leo, alongside Cardinal Robert McElroy. The South African and US prelates were surprised to be made chief concelebrants. “We quickly tried to brush up on our Latin,” he smiled. In a personal moment, after receiving the pallium he thanked the pope. “And he said: ‘No, thank you, Stephen.’ He said ‘thank you!’”

In August, Brislin was appointed to the Dicastery for Clergy, in addition to his service on the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints. The latter, he said, is a joy because “it’s looking at everything positive, at very holy people”. His new assignment is weighty: “Priests and deacons are really the face of the Church. It’s very important that we ensure very good formation for future priests, so that they may be well-grounded.”

The prominence of Southern Africa in Rome has grown, with three local bishops appointed to dicasteries in the same period, — Bishop Thulani Mbuyisa of Kokstad was appointed to the Dicastery of Consecrated Life, then Bishop Sithembele Sipuka of Mthatha to Interreligious Dialogue, then you to Clergy. “Rome does see the Church in Southern Africa as being very, very important,” the cardinal affirmed.

As SACBC president, his vision is rooted in community and reconciliation. “We cannot lose human interaction,” he warned in an age of digital communication. “We’ve got to be very careful that our parishes pay a lot of attention to being communities, where people know each other, care for each other, and where they feel a sense of belonging.” He also stressed the ongoing need for racial healing: “People still live with a lot of hurt from the past, and we can’t think that that’s just going to be obliterated. We’ve got to find ways of bridging the divisions that still exist.”

Above all, Cardinal Brislin emphasised the missionary call of all Christians and the spirit of synodality: “Each and every person is a missionary by virtue of their baptism. Truly being a synodal Church means listening to each other, learning from each other, and working with each other.”

Amid all his responsibilities — leading Johannesburg, tending to Cape Town as its administrator, presiding over the SACBC, and contributing in Rome — how does he unwind? “My two dogs demand walks, so I take them off to one of the parks in Johannesburg,” he said. He also treasures family time and reading. “Sometimes I feel like a fraud, because so many other people are doing the work, and I’m just there looking over. I could never do this without a great number of people who take the load and really do the work.”