Ghanaians especially Catholics received the news of the naming of the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Wa, the Most Rev. Richard Kuuia Baawobr, as a Cardinal with excitement and ecstasy. Cardinal-Elect Baawobr is among 21 new Cardinals announced by Pope Francis on Sunday, May 29.
Congratulatory messages have been coming in from Priests, Religious and political figures on social media in Ghana including Ghana’s Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia who stated in a congratulatory message that the “good news for Ghana is worth celebrating.”
On his part, Daniel Christian Dugan, a staunch Catholic of the Accra Archdiocese has this to share: “Glory to God for great things He has done. God has given us another cardinal, the third so far. May His Holy Name be Blessed Forever.”
“Your Eminence Richard Cardinal (Elect) Baawobr, may the Holy Spirit increase His Graces in you, so that you become one of God’s most efficient servants and labourers of His Vineyard,” he added.
Rev. Fr. Dr. Prosper Abotsi, a Ghaian Priest serving in Canada has this to say “CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU, CARDINAL-ELECT, BISHOP Richard K. Baawobr. May the Holy Spirit clothe you with power from on high. Amen.”
The Member of Parliament for Wa Central Constituency, Rashid Pelpuo, also joined in celebrating the newly appointed nandom born Cardinal with a hearty message. Celebrating the historic feat, Pelpuo tweeted “From Wa Central to the Most Rev Bishop of Wa, Richard Kuuia Baawobr of the Catholic Church. Congratulations on your appointment to the high office of the Cardinal. Wa is very proud of you and we are honored for this unique exultation. May God be your guide and protector”, Pelpuo tweeted.
“With honor, a sense of pride and accomplishment, I wish to congratulate the Bishop of the Wa Diocese of the Catholic Church on his elevation today by Pope Francis from the position of Bishop to Cardinal of the Catholic Church,” he added.
“This is without doubt, a feat worth extolling and celebrating by not only members of the Catholic Diocese of Wa but all citizens and friends of Wa in particular and the Upper West region at large,” the Wa Central MP disclosed.
He continued: “The promotion is recognition for your years of hard work, dedication and sacrifices to the church and community you selflessly served. This is probably the first time a Bishop from the Wa Diocese has been promoted to the rank of a cardinal. We are proud of you for this singular and unique achievement.
“I pray to God to bless and continue to guide you to discharge the burden of your new office. May your new mandate bring more peace, love, progress and unity among our people.”
With his elevation, Bishop Richard Kuuia Baawobr becomes the third Bishop from Ghana to become a Cardinal.
The first Cardinal from Ghana is Cardinal Peter Kwadwo Appiah Turkson in 2003, followed by late Servant of God Cardinal Peter Porekuu Dery in 2006 whose sainthood cause is in the process.
Cardinal-Elect Kuuia Baawobr was born on June 21, 1959 in Tom-Zendagangn, Ko in the Nandon District of the Wa Diocese. He had his Primary education at Tom-Zendagangn from 1965 to 1972 and continued at the St. Francis Xavier Minor Seminary at Wa from 1971 to 1977. He had his Secondary Education at the Nandom Secondary School.
In 1979, he went to the St. Victor’s Major Seminary at Tamale as a Diocesan Seminarian. Feeling God’s call to be a Missionary, he joined the Society of Missionaries of Africa (M.Afr.) in 1981 after his Philosophical Studies.
Cardinal-Elect Baawobr had his Novitiate at Freibourg, Switzerland from 1981 to 1982, studied Theology at the Missionary Institute in London from 1982 to 1987.
He took his Missionary Oath on December 5, 1986 at St. Edward College, London, UK and was ordained a Priest at Ko on July 18, 1987.
He studied Biblical Exegesis from 1991 to 1996 at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome where he obtained a Licentiate in Sacred Scripture and Doctorate Degree in Theology with specialization in Biblical Theology. He also trained in Ignatian Spirituality at Le Chateland in Lyon, France.
As a Religious, his appointments include: Assistant Parish Priest at Kinshasa, DR Congo from 1987 to 1991; Formator of the Missionaries of Africa in Kahangala, Tanzania from 1995 to 1999; Director of the Formation House of the Missionaries of Africa in Tolouse, France from 1999 to 2004.
He was the First Assistant General of the Missionaries of Africa from 2004 to 2010 and elected Superior General of the Society from 2010 to date and assumed the mantel of Chancellor of the Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies (PISAI).
In 2016, the year that the Holy Father appointed him Bishop, volunteers at the Bishop’s project that takes care of people with mental illnesses started going on the streets looking for patients and providing them with care.
The project that involves parishes, faith-based organizations, religious women and men also brought on board doctors and nurses who started providing free medication.
The Cardinal-Elect reportedly started using media platforms to raise awareness about mental illnesses in a country where stigmatization of people with such challenges is high.
He is currently in charge of Inter-Religious Dialogue on promoting understanding between Christians and Muslims, Ecumenism-Dialogue with other Christian churches, and also in charge of the Clergy.
