Archbishop Stephen Brislin from Cape Town, South Africa, has recently received a surprising promotion from Pope Francis. He has been elevated to the esteemed position of cardinal within the Catholic Church, and this unexpected honor has left him both bewildered and confused.
Expressing his thoughts on the matter, Archbishop Brislin humbly stated, “To be honest, I’m taken aback by this promotion, and at the moment, I feel quite bewildered and unsure.” Despite his initial surprise, he aspires to emulate the admirable examples set by previous cardinals.
This announcement comes in the wake of Pope Francis appointing 21 new cardinals, three of whom hail from Africa. The other two African appointees are Archbishop Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla from Juba, South Sudan, and Archbishop Protase Rugambwa from Tabora Archdiocese in Tanzania.
There has been a growing call for increased representation of Africans within the Catholic Church. In January, it was brought to light that none of the continent’s cardinals held significant positions within the institution. This appointment of three African cardinals signifies a step toward addressing this concern.
The official ceremony to install the newly appointed cardinals is scheduled to occur at the end of September. It will be a momentous occasion when these individuals will assume their roles within the Catholic Church’s hierarchy.
