Pope Francis has called for prayers for Ghanaian Cardinal Richard Kuuia Baawobr who is said to have taken ill upon his arrival in Rome for a Consistory officially creating new cardinals for the Church.
Richard Cardinal Kuuia Baawobr, Bishop of Wa, Ghana is said to be suffering from a heart-related condition that may require surgery.
“..Richard Cardinal Kuuia Baawobr who since his arrival in Rome fell ill and has been hospitalized with problems of the heart and it seems he may need to have surgery. Let’s remember him as well,” Pope Francis said.
Despite his absence from the Consistory, will be recognised as a cardinal by the Church.
On May 29, 2022, Pope Francis unveiled the list of new cardinals he wanted to create and this Bishop from the West African country, Ghana was one.
Two months after he was elected cardinal, the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) elected him as the first Ghanaian to lead the Church in Africa since the institution of SECAM in 1969.
Existing and new members of the College of Cardinals from every corner of the globe gathered in Rome for Pope Francis’ eighth Consistory, where he created 20 new cardinals, 16 of whom are under the age of 80, thus electors in a future Conclave, and four non-electors, over the age of 80.
The celebration marks a universal Consistory, with Church leaders from the five continents. It will also be a “mixed” Consistory with the creation of the 20 new cardinals, who vote shortly afterward on the causes for canonization of two Blesseds.
The Consistory takes place at the end of August, which is usually a quiet period, and includes other celebrations over the next two days and next week with the reflection and in-depth study meeting on Praedicate Evangelium, the Apostolic Constitution reforming the Roman Curia.
