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Bishop(s)

Vacant
Sylvester Anthony John David, O.M.I., Auxiliary Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 11 January 1951
Metropolitan See
Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelization
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: South Africa
Square Kilometers: 30,892 (11,932 Square Miles)
Official Web Site: http://www.catholic-ct.org.za/
Mailing Address: Cathedral Place, 12 Bouquet Street, Cape Town 8001, South Africa
Telephone: (021)462.2417
Fax: 461.9330

Historical Details

Vicariate Apostolic of Cape of Good Hope, Western District {Capo di Buona Speranza, Distretto Occidentale}
- Latin Name: Districtus Occidentalis Promontorii Bonae Spei
- Erected: 30 July 1847
- Vicariate
- Country: South Africa
Vicariate Apostolic of Cape Town
- Latin Name: Civitatis Capitis
- Name Changed: 13 June 1939
- Vicariate
- Country: South Africa

Past and Present Ordinaries

Patrick Raymond Griffith, O.P. † (30 Jul 1847 Appointed - 18 Jun 1862 Died)
Thomas Grimley † (18 Jun 1862 Succeeded - 29 Jan 1871 Died)
John Leonard † (1 Oct 1872 Appointed - 19 Feb 1908 Died)
John Rooney † (19 Feb 1908 Succeeded - Dec 1924 Retired)
Bernard Cornelius O’Riley † (15 Jul 1925 Appointed - 6 Jun 1932 Resigned)
Franziskus Xaver Hennemann, S.A.C. † (30 Jun 1933 Appointed - 12 Nov 1949 Resigned)
Owen McCann † (12 Mar 1950 Appointed - 20 Oct 1984 Retired)
Stephen Naidoo, C.SS.R. † (20 Oct 1984 Appointed - 1 Jul 1989 Died)
Lawrence Patrick Henry † (7 Jul 1990 Appointed - 18 Dec 2009 Retired)
Stephen Brislin (18 Dec 2009 Appointed - 28 Oct 2024 Appointed, Archbishop of Johannesburg)

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Vicariate Apostolic of Cape of Good Hope, Western District {Capo di Buona Speranza, Distretto Occidentale}
30 July 1847	Erected	Vicariate Apostolic of Cape of Good Hope {Capo de Buona Speranza}	Vicariate Apostolic of Cape of Good Hope, Western District {Capo di Buona Speranza, Distretto Occidentale} (erected)
3 August 1874	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Cape of Good Hope, Western District {Capo di Buona Speranza, Distretto Occidentale}	Prefecture Apostolic of Cape of Good Hope, Central District {Capo di Buona Speranza, Distretto Centrale} (erected)
7 July 1909	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Cape of Good Hope, Western District {Capo di Buona Speranza, Distretto Occidentale} (Kenhardt, Van Rhyns Dorp, and Fraserburg) Vicariate Apostolic of Kimberley in Orange (Gordonia)	Vicariate Apostolic of Orange River
28 June 1930	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Cape of Good Hope, Western District {Capo di Buona Speranza, Distretto Occidentale} (Worcester, Tulbagh, Ceres, Swellendam, Riversday, Montagu, Robertson, Laingsburg, Sutherland, and Ladysmith)	Prefecture Apostolic of Cape of Good Hope, Central District {Capo di Buona Speranza, Distretto Centrale}
9 April 1934	Territory Added	Prefecture Apostolic of Cape of Good Hope, Central District {Capo di Buona Speranza, Distretto Centrale} (Island of Saint Helena)	Vicariate Apostolic of Cape of Good Hope, Western District {Capo di Buona Speranza, Distretto Occidentale} (Islands of Ascension and Tristan de Cunha)
Vicariate Apostolic of Cape Town
13 June 1939	Name Changed	Vicariate Apostolic of Cape of Good Hope, Western District {Capo di Buona Speranza, Distretto Occidentale}	Vicariate Apostolic of Cape Town
Archdiocese of Cape Town {Kaapstad}
11 January 1951	Elevated	Vicariate Apostolic of Cape Town	Archdiocese of Cape Town {Kaapstad}
18 August 1986	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Cape Town {Kaapstad} (Islands of Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha)	Mission "Sui Iuris" of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha (erected)

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Vicariate Apostolic of Cape Town

1950 33,464 762,000 4.4% 40 40 80 418 82 411 32 ap1951

Archdiocese of Cape Town {Kaapstad}

1959 55,039 913,922 6.0% 41 49 90 611 109 493 35 ap1960

1970 96,343 1,120,500 8.6% 73 71 144 669 131 431 49 ap1971

1980 141,780 2,678,000 5.3% 61 63 124 1,143 2 97 415 62 ap1981

1990 192,000 2,304,000 8.3% 53 59 112 1,714 49 82 352 67 ap1991

1999 191,900 3,679,375 5.2% 65 59 124 1,547 51 85 241 72 ap2000

2000 193,810 3,734,564 5.2% 62 60 122 1,588 51 93 229 69 ap2001

2001 196,717 3,790,581 5.2% 59 60 119 1,653 66 80 211 72 ap2002

2002 198,684 3,846,457 5.2% 63 62 125 1,589 62 88 260 72 ap2003

2003 200,670 3,921,397 5.1% 68 59 127 1,580 58 93 260 73 ap2004

2004 205,679 3,539,306 5.8% 60 60 120 1,713 57 94 252 72 ap2005

2006 213,677 2,682,000 8.0% 63 54 117 1,826 61 94 217 72 ap2007

2013 234,000 2,875,000 8.1% 67 57 124 1,887 59 93 167 72 ap2014

2016 248,847 4,321,101 5.8% 71 56 127 1,959 52 67 159 75 ap2017

2019 260,436 4,626,198 5.6% 68 66 134 1,943 50 78 136 75 ap2020

2021 268,307 4,741,156 5.7% 66 61 127 2,112 45 70 143 73 ap2022

2023 276,415 4,975,701 5.6% 72 60 132 2,094 43 68 129 74 ap2024

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Vicariate Apostolic of Cape Town
1950	33,464	762,000	4.4%	40	40	80	418		82	411	32	ap1951
Archdiocese of Cape Town {Kaapstad}
1959	55,039	913,922	6.0%	41	49	90	611		109	493	35	ap1960
1970	96,343	1,120,500	8.6%	73	71	144	669		131	431	49	ap1971
1980	141,780	2,678,000	5.3%	61	63	124	1,143	2	97	415	62	ap1981
1990	192,000	2,304,000	8.3%	53	59	112	1,714	49	82	352	67	ap1991
1999	191,900	3,679,375	5.2%	65	59	124	1,547	51	85	241	72	ap2000
2000	193,810	3,734,564	5.2%	62	60	122	1,588	51	93	229	69	ap2001
2001	196,717	3,790,581	5.2%	59	60	119	1,653	66	80	211	72	ap2002
2002	198,684	3,846,457	5.2%	63	62	125	1,589	62	88	260	72	ap2003
2003	200,670	3,921,397	5.1%	68	59	127	1,580	58	93	260	73	ap2004
2004	205,679	3,539,306	5.8%	60	60	120	1,713	57	94	252	72	ap2005
2006	213,677	2,682,000	8.0%	63	54	117	1,826	61	94	217	72	ap2007
2013	234,000	2,875,000	8.1%	67	57	124	1,887	59	93	167	72	ap2014
2016	248,847	4,321,101	5.8%	71	56	127	1,959	52	67	159	75	ap2017
2019	260,436	4,626,198	5.6%	68	66	134	1,943	50	78	136	75	ap2020
2021	268,307	4,741,156	5.7%	66	61	127	2,112	45	70	143	73	ap2022
2023	276,415	4,975,701	5.6%	72	60	132	2,094	43	68	129	74	ap2024

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Reginald Michael Cawcutt † (Priest: 9 Jul 1962; Auxiliary Bishop: 29 May 1992 to 17 Jul 2002)
Ernest Arthur Green † (Priest: 24 Feb 1941 to 19 Apr 1955)
Patrick Raymond Griffith, O.P. † (Vicar Apostolic: 30 Jul 1847 to 18 Jun 1862)
Thomas Grimley † (Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: 18 Dec 1860; Vicar Apostolic: 18 Jun 1862 to 29 Jan 1871)
Franziskus Xaver Hennemann, S.A.C. † (Vicar Apostolic: 30 Jun 1933 to 12 Nov 1949)
Lawrence Patrick Henry † (Priest: 22 Dec 1962; Auxiliary Bishop: 27 Apr 1987; Archbishop: 7 Jul 1990 to 18 Dec 2009)
Denis Eugene Hurley, O.M.I. †
John Leonard † (Vicar Apostolic: 1 Oct 1872 to 19 Feb 1908)
Owen McCann † (Priest: 21 Dec 1935; Vicar Apostolic: 12 Mar 1950; Archbishop: 11 Jan 1951 to 20 Oct 1984)
Stephen Naidoo, C.SS.R. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 1 Jul 1974; Archbishop: 20 Oct 1984 to 1 Jul 1989)
Bernard Cornelius O’Riley † (Priest: 1 Nov 1890; Vicar Apostolic: 15 Jul 1925 to 6 Jun 1932)
John Rooney † (Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: 29 Jan 1886; Vicar Apostolic: 19 Feb 1908 to Dec 1924)

Source(s)

Vicariate Apostolic of Cape of Good Hope, Western District {Capo di Buona Speranza, Distretto Occidentale}
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 27, Page 254, and Page 255

Archdiocese of Cape Town {Kaapstad}