The Archbishop of Cape Town, Stephen Brislin, is a Cardinal-elect. He has ministered to the people of South Africa for over 40 years.
The Catholic Church is growing faster throughout Africa than anywhere else in the world. In Archbishop Brislin's home country of South Africa, the Church may be small, but the impact is strong.
ABP. STEPHEN BRISLIN
Cardinal-elect, Archbishop of Cape Town
We only are about 5 to 6% of the population so we're quite a small church numerically, but I think the impact of the Church has been very big.
It became very big too during the crisis of HIV and AIDS, where we became the second-biggest health provider after government itself.
Yet the growing Catholic presence does not come without challenges—often ones that are faced by the global Church.
ABP. STEPHEN BRISLIN
Cardinal-elect, Archbishop of Cape Town
We face also many of the common problems that have been faced in the United States or the United Kingdom. And 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 to people.
Archbishop Brislin is one of the three newly announced cardinals from Africa. He will be made a cardinal by Pope Francis in the consistory on September 30.
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