News and Events

Archbishop calls for a Day of Fasting

In the wake of the most recent sex abuse scandals, Archbishop Stephen Brislin calls on all the faithful to observe a day of prayer, penance and fasting, expressing our own repentance and need for forgiveness and that of others, and showing solidatiry with all victims of sexual abuse. Attached below is his letter to all […]

Bishops’ statement on the recent attacks on foreign nationals

The Chairperson of the Office of Migrants & Refugees, at the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC), Archbishop Buti Tlhagale has condemned, in the strongest possible terms, the recent attacks on foreign nationals that occurred recently in Soweto and Zeerust. “Once again, we had to see media images of well dressed, well fed South Africans looting foreign owned shops, […]

Archbishop in Cape Talk interview

Why won’t priests divulge crimes learnt of in the confessional? Kieno Kammies, presenter of Cape Talk’s breakfast show speaks to Archbishop Stephen Brislin, Archbishop of Cape Town about why priests won’t divulge crimes learnt of in the confessional. This is in the light of the Catholic Church in Australia saying last week that it would be […]

Pope Francis’ response to recent abuse crisis

“If one member suffers, all suffer together with it” (1 Cor 12:26). These words of Saint Paul forcefully echo in my heart as I acknowledge once more the suffering endured by many minors due to sexual abuse, the abuse of power and the abuse of conscience perpetrated by a significant number of clerics and consecrated […]

Why We Need Science

By Anthony Egan SJ Let us consider today a community, once heavily persecuted but now the establishment; a community of contemplation and action on behalf of humanity, driven by flashes of insight backed up by systematic hard work; a community that has sought the good – and sometimes made terrible mistakes. No, not Christians or […]

Bicentennial Mass Pics

Below see gallery of pics from the bicentennial Mass at the Bellville Velodrome. Click on first pic to open the gallery.  

Archbishop’s Homily at the Bicentennial Mass

Read Archbishop Stephen Brislin’s homily at the Bicentennial Mass. Remember the past with gratitude, live the present with enthusiasm, and look forward to the future with confidence. These words of St Pope John Paul II have provided the framework for our bicentennial celebrations over the past year. We have recalled the past with gratitude, we […]

Welcome to the Archdiocese of Cape Town.

Archbishop StephenAs the Archbishop of the Mother City of South Africa, of the first ecclesiastical territory to be established in Southern Africa (1818), I welcome you to this website.

It is my hope that it will inform you and provide you with any information you may require regarding this segment of the Catholic Church.

We also provide links with other websites which might interest you. If you require any information not included here, email us and we will do what we can to help.

If you have discovered this page by accident, you are especially welcome and I hope you will find it of some value and maybe help you to understand how the Catholic Church in Cape Town is trying to serve the community and so bring it closer to the Lord.

With my very sincere and best wishes

+Stephen Brislin
ARCHBISHOP OF CAPE TOWN