Catholic Bishop of Wa, Cardinal Baawobr dies aged 63

Ghana’s Cardinal Richard Kuuia Baawobr has died in Rome, Italy.

A communique issued by the Secretary-General Missionary Of Africa, Father André-Léon Simonart, said the 63-year-old Cardinal died on Sunday, November 27, after he was rushed to the Hospital.

“Our confrere was taken by ambulance from the Generalate to the Gemelli Hospital at 5.45 pm and we received the sad news at 6.25 pm. May Richard rest in the peace of his Lord whom he so generously served,” parts of the statement read.

He was the former Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Wa and was later named Cardinal in May by Pope Francis I.

Cardinal Baawobr underwent heart surgery in Rome in September 2022 at the Santo Spirito Hospital in Rome shortly before the Vatican ceremony in which he was to receive a red biretta from Pope Francis.

In February 2016, His Eminence Baawobr was appointed the 4th Bishop of Wa, taking over from His Lordship Paul Bemile. This was after he had served six (6) years as Superior General of the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers) from May 2010.

He was the first African to occupy the Office.

Shortly after his announced elevation to the Office of Cardinal in August, His Eminence was elected President of the Symposium of Episcopal Conference of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) at its 19th Plenary held in Accra.

The continental body is composed of eight (8) regional conferences, and Cardinal Baawobr is the first Ghanaian to serve as its President.

He replaced Philippe Cardinal Ouedraogo Nakellentuba, Metropolitan Archbishop of Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso).