UWilfrid Fox Cardinal Napier OFM, indodana yesithathu kaTom noMary Napier, wazalelwa eMatatiele ngomhlaka 8 Mashi 1941. Uthole imfundo yakhe yamabanga aphansi e-Holy Cross Convent eMatatiele. Lapho eseqedile izifundo zakhe zamabanga aphakeme e-Little Flower School Ixopo, waya e-Ireland ngo-Agasti 1960 ukuyongena e-Franciscan Novice House e-Killarney, okusho ukuqala kohambo lweminyaka eyishumi ukuya ebuPristini. Ngemuva kwe-Noviciate yakhe wachitha iminyaka emithathu e-Galway ethola iziqu ze-BA eNyuvesi , ngesi-Latini nangesiNgisi njengamakhosi akhe.
Wabe esedlulela eLouvain wayofunda ifilosofi ne-Theology e-Catholic University. Ngemuva kweminyaka eyisithupha wavela nge-Baccalaureate in Philosophy and Theology ne-Masters kwi-Theology. UNapier wabuyela eNingizimu Afrika ukugcotshwa njengomfundisi e-St Patrick’s Cathedral eKokstad ngomhlaka 25 Julayi 1970.
Ngemuva kokufunda isiXhosa eLumko Missionary Institute, wachitha iminyaka emibili nohhafu njenge- Assistant Priest e-St Anthony’s Parish, eLusikisiki neminye iminyaka emihlanu njengo–Parish Priest of St Francis Parish eNtabankulu.
Ngo-1978 waqokwa waba ngu-Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese yaseKokstad futhi wagcotshwa njengoMbhishobhi waseKokstad ngomhlaka 28 Febhuwari 1981.
Ngesikhathi sikaNapier sokuba nguMongameli we-South African Catholic Bishops ‘Conference (kusukela ngo-1987-1994) isiyaluyalu noshintsho kwaphawula isimo sezombusazwe saseNingizimu Afrika futhi ngokuhlanganyela nabaholi be-National and Provincial Church, uNapier wayebandakanyeke kakhulu emsebenzini wokulamula nowezingxoxo. Wamela iSonto LamaKhatholika ekusayinweni kweSivumelwano Sokuthula ngoSepthemba 1991 nasemhlanganweni we-Patriotic Front ngoNovemba 1991.
Waqokwa njengoMbhishobhi Omkhulu waseThekwini mhla zingu-22 Juni 1992. Ngo-1995 wathola iziqu zokuhlonishwa ze-LLD e-National University of Ireland kwathi ngoJulayi 1998 uPapa John Paul II wamqoka waba ngumeluleki we-Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
Ngomhlaka 21 Febhuwari 2001 wakhuliswa waba ngu-Cardinal by His Holiness, uPapa John Paul II. Ngo-4 Febhuwari 2007 waqokelwa ku-Study of Organizational and Economic Questions of the Apostolic See.
Imisebenzi yakhe:
- Apostolic Administrator of Kokstad (1978-80)
- Bishop of Kokstad (1980–92)
- President of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (1987-93; 2000-08)
- President of Inter-Regional Meeting of Bishops of Southern Africa (1988-94; 2003-06)
- Apostolic Administrator of Umzimkulu (1994-2008)