Pope appoints new Bishop for Wa Diocese in Ghana
By Damian Avevor
The Holy Father Pope Francis has appointed Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Richard Kuuia Baawobr, M. Afr. as the new Bishop of Wa Diocese in Ghana, replacing Most Rev. Paul Bemile, who has retired after attaining the canonical age of 75.
The appointment was announced February 17, in a Press Release by the Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, Most Rev. Jean Marie Speich.
Bishop-Elect 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.) popularly known as “White Fathers in 1981 after his Philosophical Studies.
Fr. 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 with a Thesis entitled “Quand Jésus prend la parole. Identité du Maître et naissance du disciple en Luc 4,16-30” (2004).
. 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).
He has published commentaries on the Sunday Gospels (Years A B C) and on the Second Reading of Sundays for Christian Communities (Years A B C) and Guidelines for Facilitators for Bible Study and Sharing Groups.
He has also published articles in other scientific journals. Since 2004, he has been serving on the General Council of the Missionaries of Africa, first of all as Vicar General and since 2010 as Superior General.
This has enabled him to measure the vitality of the Church in different parts of the world and the impact of the renewal that Vatican II brought in terms of the way Mission is conceived and lived by our members and other Missionary Institutes.
Wa has an area of 18,476 square kilometres, population of 700,000, with Catholics 341,000, 104 Priests, and 186 Religious.
The bishop-elect was born in Tom-Zendagangn, Ghana in 1959, gave his religious vows in 1981 and was ordained a priest in 1987. He has served in a number of roles within his order, as well as deputy Grand Chancellor of the Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies, and member of the Synod on the family, and is currently superior general of his order.
He succeeds Bishop Paul Bemile, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same Diocese upon reaching the age limit was accepted by the Holy Father.
The Holy Father Pope Francis has appointed Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Richard Kuuia Baawobr, M. Afr. as the new Bishop of Wa Diocese in Ghana, replacing Most Rev. Paul Bemile, who has retired after attaining the canonical age of 75.
The appointment was announced February 17, in a Press Release by the Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, Most Rev. Jean Marie Speich.
Bishop-Elect 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.) popularly known as “White Fathers in 1981 after his Philosophical Studies.
Fr. 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 with a Thesis entitled “Quand Jésus prend la parole. Identité du Maître et naissance du disciple en Luc 4,16-30” (2004).
. 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).
He has published commentaries on the Sunday Gospels (Years A B C) and on the Second Reading of Sundays for Christian Communities (Years A B C) and Guidelines for Facilitators for Bible Study and Sharing Groups.
He has also published articles in other scientific journals. Since 2004, he has been serving on the General Council of the Missionaries of Africa, first of all as Vicar General and since 2010 as Superior General.
This has enabled him to measure the vitality of the Church in different parts of the world and the impact of the renewal that Vatican II brought in terms of the way Mission is conceived and lived by our members and other Missionary Institutes.
Wa has an area of 18,476 square kilometres, population of 700,000, with Catholics 341,000, 104 Priests, and 186 Religious.
The bishop-elect was born in Tom-Zendagangn, Ghana in 1959, gave his religious vows in 1981 and was ordained a priest in 1987. He has served in a number of roles within his order, as well as deputy Grand Chancellor of the Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies, and member of the Synod on the family, and is currently superior general of his order.
He succeeds Bishop Paul Bemile, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same Diocese upon reaching the age limit was accepted by the Holy Father.
