Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cape Town, South Africa

Continent: Southern Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Cape Town (English) / Kaapstad / Città del Capo (Italiano) / Civitatis Capitis (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Aliwal, De Aar, Oudtshoorn, Port Elizabeth, Queenstown

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Websites:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Our Lady of the Flight into Egypt, Saint Patrick

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1837.06.06: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Cape of Good Hope and Saint Helena Island (English) / Capo di Buona Speranza e l’isola di Sant’Elena (Italiano) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Cape of Good Hope and adjacent territories)
1847.07.30: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Cape of Good Hope, Western District / Capo di Buona Speranza, Distretto Occidentale (Italiano) / Districtus Occidentalis Promontorii Bonæ Spei (Latin) (lost territory to establish Apostolic Vicariate of Cape of Good Hope, Eastern District)
1874.08.11: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Cape of Good Hope, Central District
1934.04.09: Gained territory from Apostolic Prefecture of Cape of Good Hope, Central District
1939.06.13: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Cape Town (English) / Kaapstad / Città del Capo (Italiano) / Civitatis Capitis (Latin)
1951.01.11: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cape Town (English) / Kaapstad / Città del Capo (Italiano) / Civitatis Capitis (Latin) (with suffragan sees Aliwal, Oudtshoorn, Port Elizabeth and Queenstown)
1967.04.13: Gained suffragan see De Aar
1986.08.18: Lost territory to establish Mission sui juris of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha

Contact Info

Address: Cathedral Place, 12 Bouquet Street, PO Box 2910, Cape Town 8001, South Africa

Phone: (021) 462 2417

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop:

vacant

Apostolic Administrator (2025.01.31 – ...):

Cardinal Stephen Brislin (68)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria Domenica Mazzarello

Metropolitan Archbishop of Johannesburg (South Africa)

President of Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference

Auxiliary Bishop (2019.06.06 – ...):

Bishop Sylvester David, O.M.I. (71)

Titular Bishop of Gunugus

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Cape Town (Roman Rite)

Cardinal Stephen Brislin (68)
(Apostolic Administrator 2025.01.31 – ...)

Cardinal Stephen Brislin (68)
(2009.12.18 – 2024.10.28)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria Domenica Mazzarello
Metropolitan Archbishop of Johannesburg (South Africa)
President of Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference
Apostolic Administrator of Cape Town (South Africa)

Veritas in caritate

Born:	1956.09.24 (Welkom, South Africa)
Ordained Priest:	1983.11.19
Consecrated Bishop:	2007.01.28
Created Cardinal:	2023.09.30

Priest of Kroonstad (South Africa) (1983.11.19 – 2006.10.17)

Prelate of Honour of His Holiness (2002.08.02 – 2006.10.17)

Bishop of Kroonstad (South Africa) (2006.10.17 – 2009.12.18)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cape Town (South Africa) (2009.12.18 – 2024.10.28)

President of Inter-Regional Meeting of Bishops of Southern Africa (2012.08 – 2016.11)

President of Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (2013.02 – 2019.02)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria Domenica Mazzarello (2023.09.30 [2024.05.12] – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Johannesburg (South Africa) (2024.10.28 – ...)

President of Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (2025.01 – ...)

Apostolic Administrator of Cape Town (South Africa) (2025.01.31 – ...)

Archbishop Lawrence Patrick Henry
(1990.07.07 – 2009.12.18)

Christum vivere et prædicare

Born:	1934.07.27 (South Africa)
Ordained Priest:	1962.12.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1987.08.16
Died:	2014.03.04 († 79)

Titular Bishop of Cenculiana (1987.04.27 – 1990.07.07)

Auxiliary Bishop of Cape Town (South Africa) (1987.04.27 – 1990.07.07)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cape Town (South Africa) (1990.07.07 – 2009.12.18)

Archbishop Stephen Naidoo, C.SS.R.
(1984.10.20 – 1989.07.01)

Born:	1937.10.23 (South Africa)
Ordained Priest:	1961.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1974.09.15
Died:	1989.07.01 († 51)

Titular Bishop of Mammilla (1974.07.01 – 1974.08.02)

Auxiliary Bishop of Cape Town (South Africa) (1974.07.01 – 1984.10.20)

Titular Bishop of Aquæ flaviæ (1974.08.02 – 1984.10.20)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cape Town (South Africa) (1984.10.20 – 1989.07.01)

Cardinal Owen McCann
(1951.01.11 – 1984.10.20)

Nisi Dominus in vanum

Born:	1907.06.29 (Woodstock, South Africa)
Ordained Priest:	1935.12.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1950.05.18
Created Cardinal:	1965.02.22
Died:	1994.03.26 (Wynberg, South Africa † 86)

Titular Bishop of Stectorium (1950.03.12 – 1951.01.11)

Vicar Apostolic of Cape Town (South Africa) (1950.03.12 – 1951.01.11)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cape Town (South Africa) (1951.01.11 – 1984.10.20)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Prassede (1965.02.25 – 1994.03.26)

President of Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (1967 – 1974)

Vicars Apostolic of Cape Town (Roman Rite)

Bishop Owen McCann (later Cardinal)
(1950.03.12 – 1951.01.11)

(see above)

Bishop Francis Hennemann, S.A.C.
(1939.06.13 – 1949)

Born:	1882.10.27 (Germany)
Ordained Priest:	1907.06.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1914.04.26
Died:	1951.01.17 († 68)

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Cameroun (Cameroon) (1913.07.16 – 1914.11.07)

Titular Bishop of Coptus (1913.07.16 – 1951.01.17)

Vicar Apostolic of Cameroun (Cameroon) (1914.11.07 – 1922.06.26)

Prefect Apostolic of Cape of Good Hope, Central District (South Africa) (1922.06.26 – 1933.06.30)

Vicar Apostolic of Cape of Good Hope, Western District (South Africa) (1933.06.30 – 1939.06.13)

Vicar Apostolic of Cape Town (South Africa) (1939.06.13 – 1949)

Vicars Apostolic of Cape of Good Hope, Western District (Roman Rite)

Bishop Francis Hennemann, S.A.C.
(1933.06.30 – 1939.06.13)

(see above)

Bishop Bernard Cornelius O’Riley
(1925.07.15 – 1932.06.06)

Born:	1868.02.10 (South Africa)
Ordained Priest:	1890.11.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1926.01.06
Died:	1956.07.21 († 88)

Vicar Apostolic of Cape of Good Hope, Western District (South Africa) (1925.07.15 – 1932.06.06)

Titular Bishop of Phoba (1925.07.15 – 1956.07.21)

Bishop John Rooney
(1908.02.19 – 1925)

Born:	1844.01.26 (Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1867.06.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1886.09.21
Died:	1927.02.26 († 83)

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Cape of Good Hope, Western District (South Africa) (1886.01.29 – 1908.02.19)

Titular Bishop of Sergiopolis (1886.01.29 – 1927.02.26)

Vicar Apostolic of Cape of Good Hope, Western District (South Africa) (1908.02.19 – 1925)

Bishop John Leonard
(1872.10.01 – 1908.02.19)

Born:	1829.01.15
Ordained Priest:	1855.01.05
Consecrated Bishop:	1872.12.15
Died:	1908.02.19 († 79)

Titular Bishop of Charadrus (1872.10.01 – 1908.02.19)

Vicar Apostolic of Cape of Good Hope, Western District (South Africa) (1872.10.01 – 1908.02.19)

Bishop Thomas Grimley
(1862.06.18 – 1871.01.29)

Born:	1821.12.21 (Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1846.06.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1861.01.25
Died:	1871.01.29 († 49)

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Cape of Good Hope, Western District (South Africa) (1860.12.18 – 1862.06.18)

Titular Bishop of Antigonea (1860.12.18 – 1871.01.29)

Vicar Apostolic of Cape of Good Hope, Western District (South Africa) (1862.06.18 – 1871.01.29)

Bishop Patrick Raymund Griffith, O.P.
(1847.07.30 – 1862.06.18)

Born:	1798.10.15 (Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1821
Consecrated Bishop:	1837.08.24
Died:	1862.06.18 († 63)

Vicar Apostolic of Cape of Good Hope and Saint Helena Island (South Africa) (1837.06.06 – 1847.07.30)

Titular Bishop of Paleopolis (1837.06.06 – 1862.06.18)

Vicar Apostolic of Cape of Good Hope, Western District (South Africa) (1847.07.30 – 1862.06.18)

Vicars Apostolic of Cape of Good Hope and Saint Helena Island (Roman Rite)

Bishop Patrick Raymund Griffith, O.P.
(1837.06.06 – 1847.07.30)

(see above)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: Bishop John Rooney (1886.01.29 – 1908.02.19)
Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: Bishop Thomas Grimley (1860.12.18 – 1862.06.18)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Reginald Michael Cawcutt (1992.05.29 – 2002.07.17)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Lawrence Patrick Henry (later Archbishop) (1987.04.27 – 1990.07.07)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Stephen Naidoo, C.SS.R. (later Archbishop) (1974.07.01 – 1984.10.20)