One of Pope Francis' first private meetings after being discharged from Rome's Gemelli hospital was with the bishops of Southern Africa.
ABP. STEPHEN BRISLIN
Archdiocese of Cape Town, South Africa
He looked relaxed. He looked actually very well. He was laughing, joking a little bit with us. He gave us an incredibly good message just about what sort of bishops we should be and what our calling is. He did look a little bit uncomfortable from time to time, which I would expect after an operation like that.
The Pope spoke to the bishops from Botswana, South Africa and Swaziland on the need for unity in diversity in the Church. He encouraged them to have a pastor's heart—something that Archbishop Brislin believes can help the small but lively Church in South Africa.
ABP. STEPHEN BRISLIN
Archdiocese of Cape Town, South Africa
We only are about 5-6% of the population. So it's quite a small church numerically. But I think the impact of the Church has been very big.
We battle really to deal with these things of trying to balance fidelity to the teaching of the Church, but at the same time to be compassionate and to find pastoral care, good means of pastoral care for people.
Archbishop Brislin says that this meeting with Pope Francis is an important opportunity to connect the local church in Southern Africa to the universal Church in the Eternal City.
KG
