Cardinal Stephen Brislin celebrated Mass and preached at a special jubilee celebration for 18 priests celebrating their silver and golden jubilees of ordination to the priesthood at St Michael’s, Rondebosch on 18 August 2025. Below is his homily on the occasion.
Congratulations to all who are officially celebrating their 25th or 50th priestly jubilees today, even if the actual date was during the time of Covid when we could not gather together for a celebration. It is important for us to be together today to acknowledge the ministry of those who are celebrating, to thank them and to thank God for the service they have given to the Church through the grace that he has given to them over many years. Each of you has his own story to tell on how you became priests, the struggles that you have had, the people you have encountered and the joy that you have experienced in your priesthood. You have much to share of your experiences in ministry but perhaps more importantly, you have much to share about what priesthood has meant to you, the highs and the lows, how you have lived priesthood in terms of your relationship with God and how priesthood has changed you as a person. For most of us our stories will never fully be told, they remain between us and God because priesthood is ultimately a personal and an intimate experience between the priest and God. The ministry, the exterior manifestation of priesthood that can be observed, is only part of the story. Today, you who celebrate your anniversaries, are invited to give thanks to God in that interior forum, as we do, too, in thanksgiving for your priesthood as well as our own.
One thing you will be very aware of is how priesthood has changed over the years in terms of its challenges and adaptations to the modern world. In essence it remains the same priesthood given by Jesus Christ and handed on by the Apostles. But since society changes so the outreach and service of the priest must change in order to fulfil the needs of the time. As priests, we not only read the signs of the times but also the unfolding of these signs and what they mean for the future. The priesthood is not only ministerial; substantially it is also prophetic. In the confusion and upheaval of our own times there are clear risks that are present and evolving. We are in an age that is characterised by misinformation, manipulation of facts and the manipulation of the media. Social media, bots and AI can convincingly spew out falsehoods and absolute lies for the purpose of social manipulation and domination over people. To preach Christ, who is the truth, is the responsibility of every priest. Truth has always been hated and rejected by those who are intent on domination. For present priests and for those who are coming after us, this is a major challenge we face to counteract deception and those who would lead others away from truth. Rootedness in the Gospel and in the tradition of the Church is the antidote to the lure of the illusions that are created through falsehoods.
Falsehoods and duplicitous talk are being used to undermine and attack the rule of law and democratic structures which are designed to protect the dignity of each human person. As with every human structure, democracy has its weaknesses and is imperfect; yet, in terms of the tyranny of the past – not least the horrors of the 2nd world war and the holocaust – lives, as well as human dignity, need protection. The thought of a return of fascism is horrific and yet we would be blind not to recognize that possibility – the signs are there, although we do not know how they will play out. Priests need, and will increasingly need in the future, to have the courage to speak out in defence of life – life at every stage. From womb to tomb, as we say. Vocations may be diminishing and they will, perhaps, diminish even more. What is important is that those who offer themselves in priesthood must be men of courage, unafraid to speak the truth, to promote justice, to gather people together, not to divide and to always stand in solidarity with the vulnerable and the weak.
And there are many who are vulnerable, not only in the ways that we customarily think of the vulnerable – children, the elderly, the mentally or physically challenged. Young people are vulnerable as they struggle to progress in the life; the poor encounter a ceiling that prevents them from breaking out of their poverty. The mighty dollar is the new god that is used to further enrich the rich and to keep the poor poor. More and more people find themselves in the situation of which Pope Francis warned – that people are at the mercy of an anonymous economy rather than the economy being at the service of people. It is a subtle form of a new slavery.
In all of this we are reminded of our own need, of those committed to the truth and to service, to live the truth ourselves. In a corrupt world of deception, our lives must not be corrupted by duplicity or hypocrisy. What we preach is what we must live. Unlike the rich young man, we need to clarify our motivation and to know the treasure in which our heart lies. Disillusionment among people abounds. Disillusionment with leaders, political and economic systems. In a broken world people question: who can be trusted, who can I confide in, where can I get support? It is for we, entrusted with the noble calling of priesthood, to be instruments of hope for people, so that they can see beyond what is to what is possible and achievable. We too, who rejoice in our priesthood with deep gratitude, must be the conduit to others of the joy which comes from God that can lighten the hearts of the heavily burdened.
We face our own burdens. We have our own disillusionments. We are often burdened with multiple responsibilities and expectations. At times loneliness, isolation and fatigue overtake us. Intimacy with God is the source of both strength and calmness for our hearts and souls. In the words of Pope Benedict: “If the priest is a man of God, he cannot fail to cultivate a deep intimacy with God… Prayer is the first form of witness which awakens vocations.” In a noisy world, priests are called to first be men of prayer, witnessing to the presence of God not just in words, but in the quality of their lives. Another source of our strength is found in each other – fraternity among priests. Regrettably this is so often lacking and yet is essential for us to know that we are not alone but that we can depend on each others. Jealousy and the many other issues that exist among us hurt us all and diminish us as priests. It is incumbent on us, whether we like or dislike some of our confreres, to strive for unity and mutual support.
Once again, to all the jubilarians – congratulations. May God grant you many more years. Thank you for being priests, thank you for your ministry and thank you for who you are. May God grant you many more years and may they be filled with an abundance of joy, happiness and peace. Let us continue to pray for and support each other, that we may be agents of change and hope, and that we remain always faithful to our calling as priests.
Cardinal Stephen Brislin
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