Father Karabo Baloyi’s recent post about the possibility of another African being considered for sainthood truly excited me.

I first met Bernardin Cardinal Gantin at St John Vianney Seminary in the 1990s. At that time, many of us as students and seminarians were frustrated because the seminary was reluctant to appoint the first African/Black rector. Some influential people in the Church wanted the successor of Fr Graham Rose, the last White rector of the seminary, to be another White rector.

While some wanted a Jesuit to succeed Fr Graham Rose, the Jesuit in question was White. We said clearly that there were also Africans gifted in leadership who were being overlooked simply because of their African heritage. At the same time, vocations among White candidates were at their lowest.

As students and seminarians, we said, “Not under our watch.”

This same seminary, when it was established, was meant only for White seminarians, while Black seminarians were admitted to St Peter’s Seminary in Hammanskraal. The difference between Hammanskraal and Waterkloof was enormous. The latter represented the rejected, while the former represented the most privileged.

It was because of Cardinal Gantin’s intervention that Fr Mlungisi Dlungwane was eventually appointed as the first African rector of the seminary.

Cardinal Bernardin Gantin (1922–2008), a pioneering Beninese prelate, is remembered for his profound impact on the Catholic Church, characterised by deep spirituality, humility, and his role as a bridge-builder between Africa and the Vatican.

He was a pioneering African leader. As the first African to head a Vatican congregation and later serve as Dean of the College of Cardinals, he was a trailblazer who brought what many described as a “missionary heart” to the Roman Curia.

He was known for his deep spirituality and humility. Described as a man of constant prayer, he was remembered for his discreet kindness and spontaneous directness. Pope Benedict XVI said he was “permeated with love for Christ” and that his service was devoid of human ambitions.

He was also a bridge-builder and diplomat, fostering understanding between cultures and serving as a natural mediator between Africa and the universal Church.

Even after decades in high-ranking Vatican positions, including Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, he maintained a deep love for his native Benin. In retirement, he returned home and described himself as a “Roman missionary in my country.”

His episcopal motto, In tuo sancto servitio (“In Your Holy Service”), reflected his deep commitment to pastoral care. In retirement, he emphasised the importance of bishops remaining close to their people, focusing on prayer, and resisting the temptation to travel excessively.

He was a strong advocate for local clergy and supported the growth of the Church in Africa. He noted with gratitude the impressive rise in priestly vocations in Benin and consistently advocated for proper formation and education.

Following his death, his reputation for holiness led to the opening of his cause for canonisation. He was declared a Servant of God by Pope Francis.

Cardinal Gantin is often remembered for his unprecedented impact as a top-ranking African prelate who remained deeply humble and focused on the essentials of faith. I believe many of the positive transformations we witnessed in the seminary and in the wider Church in South Africa happened because of his quiet yet firm influence.

If Cardinal Gantin is ever declared a saint, he should also be regarded as a patron saint of African excellence