Cardinal Archbishop of the Metropolitan archdiocese of Cape Town
• Born in Welkom on 24 September 1956.
• Schooling at St Agnes’ Convent, Welkom and CBC, Welkom
• Seminary: Philosophy at St John Vianney, Pretoria and Theology at the Missionary Institute, London
• Ordained a priest on 19 November 1983.
• Ordained Bishop of Kroonstad on 28 January 2007.
• Installed as Archbishop of Cape Town on 7 February 2010, on the Solemnity of Our Lady of the Flight into Egypt, the patronal feast of the Archdiocese of Cape Town.
• Awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Pastoral Leadership by the Oblate School of Theology, San Antonio, Texas, USA on 5 May 2023.
• Announced as a Cardinal by Pope Francis at the pope’s Angelus address in Rome on 9 July 2023.
• Created a Cardinal-Priest of the Titular Church of Santa Maria Domenica Mazzarello by Pope Francis at the Consistory on 30 September 2023.
The Coat-of-Arms of Cardinal Stephen Brislin
The Coat-of-Arms of Cardinal Brislin shows on a red shield a silver pall, which symbolises the cross as the instrument of salvation. On it is placed a red Basotho hat (mokorotlo) that represents the Cardinal’s roots in the Free State.
Below the pall is the star that symbolises the Southern Cross and the patronage of Our Lady of the Flight Into Egypt; as well as the anchor, a symbol of hope that reflects Cape Town’s location at the Cape of Good Hope.
Behind the shield is the patriarchal cross and the pallium, both indicating that he is the Archbishop of a Metropolitan see.
As a member of the College of Cardinals the coat of arms is surmounted by a scarlet galero with 15 tassels (fiocchi) on each side. The Cardinal’s motto “Veritas in Caritate” (Truth in Charity) remains unchanged since his first appointment as bishop of Kroonstad.