The Most Rev. Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, SVD, the Local Ordinary of the Catholic Diocese of Ho in Ghana, has eulogised his long-time friend the late Richard Cardinal Kuuia Baawobr, MAfr., Bishop of Wa for his dedication and commitment to God’s work.
At memorial Mass celebrated for the late Cardinal at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Ho on December 29, 2022, Bishop Fianu was very emotional as he spoke about the late Prince of the Church and his friendship with him.
The Bishop gave a historical account of how he met the late Cardinal in his formative years until he finally became a Bishop of the Wa Diocese and his later elevation as a Cardinal of the Church.
Bishop Fianu, in his homily, recounted how he related with his friend, stating, “Cardinal Baawobr was a witness of Christ.”
“There is something very interesting about the late Cardinal and myself. We met as students in 1979 at Tamale. I was two years ahead of him but we kept writing to each other and later met in Rome and finally worked as bishops in Ghana,” he revealed.
Bishop Fianu said in his stay in Rome, three other Ghanaian priests arrived for further studies and they are now bishops namely; Archbishop John Bonaventure Kwofie, (Accra Archdiocese), Bishop Richard Baawobr (Wa Diocese) and Bishop Alfred Agyenta (Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese).
He hinted that “Interestingly, Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson, our elder brother ordained three of us (Richard, John Bonaventure and Emmanuel) bishops.”
According to Bishop Fianu, Cardinal Baawobr’s dedication to do the work of God made him to serve his religious congregation, the Missionaries of Africa also known as the White Fathers in different capacities.
He stayed in Rome longer as the Vice Superior General and eventually the Superior General of the Congregation before Pope Francis appointed him as the Bishop of Wa in 2016.
The Bishop called on the faithful to pray for peaceful repose of soul of Richard Cardinal Baawobr and encouraged all to be true witnesses of Christ to the world.
The Memorial Mass was attended scores of Priests, Religious and lay faithful, whom Bishop Fianu thanked despite their schedules for the day.
By Sr. Gifty Anastasia Blewu, SMMC//Newswatchgh.com
