Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cape Town
Encyclopedia
The Roman Catholic
Metropolitan
Archdiocese
of Cape Town
is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese
of the Roman Catholic Church
in South Africa
. It was erected as the Apostolic Vicariate
of Cape of Good Hope on June 18, 1818 by Pope Pius VII
, and renamed as the Apostolic Vicariate of Cape of Good Hope, Western District on July 30, 1847 and as the Apostolic Vicariate of Cape Town on June 13, 1939. Pope Pius XII
elevated it to the rank of a metropolitan archdiocese
on January 11, 1951, with the suffragan sees
of Aliwal, De Aar, Oudtshoorn, Port Elizabeth, and Queenstown.
The archdiocese's motherchurch
and thus seat of its archbishop is the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Flight into Egypt. The current Archbishop-elect of Cape Town is His Grace The Most Rev. Dr. Stephen Brislin, having been appointed by Pope Benedict XVI
on Friday, December 18, 2009. He succeeds Archbishop Emeritus Lawrence Patrick Henry.
List of Ordinaries
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
Metropolitan
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
Archdiocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. It was erected as the Apostolic Vicariate
Apostolic vicariate
An apostolic vicariate is a form of territorial jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church established in missionary regions and countries that do not have a diocese. It is essentially provisional, though it may last for a century or more...
of Cape of Good Hope on June 18, 1818 by Pope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII , born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti, was a monk, theologian and bishop, who reigned as Pope from 14 March 1800 to 20 August 1823.-Early life:...
, and renamed as the Apostolic Vicariate of Cape of Good Hope, Western District on July 30, 1847 and as the Apostolic Vicariate of Cape Town on June 13, 1939. Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
elevated it to the rank of a metropolitan archdiocese
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
on January 11, 1951, with the suffragan sees
Suffragan bishop
A suffragan bishop is a bishop subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop. He or she may be assigned to an area which does not have a cathedral of its own.-Anglican Communion:...
of Aliwal, De Aar, Oudtshoorn, Port Elizabeth, and Queenstown.
The archdiocese's motherchurch
Mother Church
In Christianity, the term mother church or Mother Church may have one of the following meanings:# The first mission church in an area, or a pioneer cathedral# A basilica or cathedral# The main chapel of a province of a religious order...
and thus seat of its archbishop is the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Flight into Egypt. The current Archbishop-elect of Cape Town is His Grace The Most Rev. Dr. Stephen Brislin, having been appointed by Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
on Friday, December 18, 2009. He succeeds Archbishop Emeritus Lawrence Patrick Henry.
List of OrdinariesOrdinaryIn those hierarchically organised churches of Western Christianity which have an ecclesiastical law system, an ordinary is an officer of the church who by reason of office has ordinary power to execute the church's laws...
of Cape Town
- Dr. William Placid Morris, OSBOrder of Saint BenedictThe Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict. Within the order, each individual community maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests...
(1831 - 1840) - Dr. John Leonard (1872 - 19 Feb 1908)
- Dr. John Rooney (1908 - 1925)
- Dr. Bernard Cornelius O'Riley (1925 - 1933)
- Dr. Francis Hennemann, SACPallottinesThe Society of the Catholic Apostolate , better known as the Pallottines, are a Society of Apostolic Life within the Roman Catholic Church, founded in 1835 by the Roman priest Saint Vincent Pallotti. Pallottines are part of the Union of Catholic Apostolate and are present in 45 countries on six...
(1933 - 1949) - Dr. Owen Cardinal McCannOwen McCannOwen McCann , was a South African cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. Archbishop of Cape Town from 1951 to 1984, he was elevated to the cardinalate in 1965.-Biography:...
(1950 - 1984) - Dr. Stephen Naidoo, CSSRCongregation of the Most Holy RedeemerThe Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer is a Roman Catholic missionary Congregation founded by Saint Alphonsus Liguori at Scala, near Amalfi, Italy for the purpose of labouring among the neglected country people in the neighbourhood of Naples.Members of the Congregation, priests and brothers,...
(1984 - 1989) - Dr. Lawrence Patrick Henry (1990 - 2009)
- Dr. Stephen Brislin (2009 - present)