Cardinal Wilfrid Fox Napier OFM’s fivefold jubilee has prompted Sister Hermenegild Makoro, CPS, to reflect on his years of service to the Church, remembering him as a man of strong convictions, deep commitment and courage in standing up for justice.

The celebrations, held on 8 November 2026 at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Kokstad, marked his 85th birthday, 65 years of religious profession, 56 years of priesthood, 45 years of episcopal ordination and 25 years as a cardinal.

In her tribute, Sr Makoro, a Missionary Sister of the Precious Blood and currently Chancellor of the Diocese of Mthatha, recalls her years working with Cardinal Napier at the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC), where he served as President and she later became Secretary General.

“The Church is bigger than the Diocese”

Sr Makoro recalled that Cardinal Napier first approached her religious superiors to request her services at the Bishops’ Conference. At the time, she was working in the Diocese of Mthatha and was reluctant to leave pastoral ministry for an administrative role.

“I said, I’m not an office lady, I’m a pastoral person,” she recalled.

However, Cardinal Napier insisted she was needed at the national level, telling the late Bishop Oswald Georg Hirmer, who was then reluctant to release her, “The Church is bigger than the Diocese of Mthatha, so we need Sister Hermenegild here.”

She eventually joined the SACBC, serving as Associate Secretary General for six years before becoming Secretary General in 2011, the first woman to hold the position. She served two terms.

A man of conviction

Describing Cardinal Napier’s leadership, Sr Makoro highlighted his determination to stand by what he believed was right, even when he found himself alone.

“If he is convinced of what he believes should be happening, he will stand, even if he is alone,” she said, recalling particularly his commitment to defending the Church and speaking out on matters of justice.

She also praised his knowledge of Church teaching, noting that his contributions to the Bishops’ Conference were grounded in extensive reading and familiarity with Church documents. “He is not just a person who takes things from the air, but he reads,” she said.

His commitment was also evident in his energy and readiness to participate in the work of the Conference. Sr Makoro recalled that even after returning from Rome, sometimes immediately before a plenary meeting, he would arrive ready to engage and share his insights.

“You would think this man has not been flying anywhere. He is ready to engage, he is ready to share whatever he needs to share,” she said.

Carrying forward a legacy

Sr Makoro had known Cardinal Napier even before joining the Bishops’ Conference, through her service as Provincial Superior of the Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood and on the executive of the Leadership Conference of Consecrated Life (LCCL). Their encounters included discussions on religious life and the Church’s mission in the region.

Her own service has included membership of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, to which Pope Francis appointed her for a second term in 2018. She is also a member of the Synod’s Study Group 7, which examines aspects of the person and ministry of the bishop from a missionary and synodal perspective.

Reflecting on the transition between generations of Church leadership, Sr Makoro expressed hope that younger leaders would draw on the experience of those who have served before them and continue the work of the Bishops’ Conference.

“I really enjoyed working with him, and I wish him well,” she said.