{{Short description|Ghanaian Catholic prelate (1959–2022)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}} {{Infobox Christian leader |type = Cardinal |image = Richard Baawobr (cropped).jpg |caption = Baawobr in 2011 |honorific_prefix = His Eminence |name = Richard Kuuia Baawobr |honorific_suffix = MAfr |title = Bishop of Wa |church = Roman Catholic Church |diocese = Wa |appointed = 17 February 2016 |term_start = 7 May 2016 |term_end = 27 November 2022 |predecessor = Paul Bemile |successor = Francis Bomansaan |other_post = Cardinal Priest of Santa Maria Immacolata di Lourdes a Boccea (2022) |ordination = 18 July 1987 |consecration = 7 May 2016 |consecrated_by = Peter Turkson |cardinal = 27 August 2022 |created_cardinal_by = Pope Francis |rank = Cardinal priest |birth_name = Richard Kuuia Baawobr |birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1959|06|21}} |birth_place = Tom-Zendagangn, Ghana |death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2022|11|27|1959|06|21}} |death_place = Rome, Italy |previous_post = {{plainlist| *Superior General of the Missionaries of Africa (2010–2016) *Vice-Grand Chancellor of the Pontifical Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies (2010–2016) }} |motto = {{langnf|la|Servus misericordiae Dei|Servant of the mercy of God|break=yes}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.archivioradiovaticana.va/storico/2016/05/10/new_bishop_of_wa_reflects_on_his_mission/en-1228660 |title=New Bishop of Wa reflects on his mission |date=10 May 2016 |website=Vatican Radio |last=Avevor |first=Damian |access-date=22 December 2022 }}</ref> }} {{Infobox cardinal styles | name = Richard Kuuia Baawobr | dipstyle = His Eminence | offstyle = Your Eminence | relstyle = Cardinal | image = Coat of arms of Richard Kuuia Baawobr (cardinal).svg | image_size = 220px }}
right|thumb|200px|Coat of arms before becoming a cardinal (used 2016–2022)
'''Richard Kuuia Baawobr''', MAfr (21 June 1959 – 27 November 2022) was a Ghanaian Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Wa from 2016 until his death in 2022. A member of the Missionaries of Africa (also known as the White Fathers), he worked in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, France, and Tanzania before being named a bishop in his native country. Pope Francis created him a cardinal on 27 August 2022. Baawobr died just a few months later.
==Biography==
Richard Kuuia Baawobr was born in Tom-Zendagangn, in Nandom District, Dominion of Ghana on 21 June 1959.<ref name="vatbio" /><ref name="GhanaWeb-Obit" /> After attending the village primary school, St. Francis Xavier Minor Seminary, and Nandom Secondary School, he was admitted in 1979 to the St. Victor major seminary in Tamale for his philosophical studies. He then joined the Society of Missionaries of Africa in 1981 and continued his preparation for priesthood. He fulfilled his novitiate in Fribourg, Switzerland by 1982. He then moved to the Missionary Institute London where his theological studies were completed in 1987.<ref name=vatbio/> He made his religious vows at St. Edward's College in London on 5 December 1986 and was ordained a priest on 18 July 1987.<ref name=vatbio/>
From 1987 to 1991, he was the parish vicar in Livulu in the Archdiocese of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Studying exegesis at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome and Ignatian spirituality at Le Chatelard in Lyon, France, between 1991 and 1996, he earned a licentiate in sacred scripture as well as a doctorate in Biblical theology. From 1996 to 1999, he was his order's formator in Kahangala, Tanzania. From 1999 to 2004 he was director of their Toulouse formation house. From 2004 to 2010, he was first assistant general of the order.<ref name=vatbio/>
In 2010, he was elected to a six-year term as the order's superior general, the first African to hold that position,<ref>{{cite news | language = fr | access-date = 30 May 2022 | url = https://www.cath.ch/newsf/un-ancien-de-fribourg/ | title = Rome: Le Père Richard Baawobr élu supérieur général de la Société des Missionnaires d'Afrique | website = Portail Catholique Suisse }}</ref> as well as serving as Vice Grand Chancellor of the Pontifical Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies.<ref name=vatbio/> The Union of Superiors General selected him to attend the Synod on the Family in October 2015.<ref name=vatbio/>
On 17 February 2016, Baawobr was appointed Bishop of Wa in Ghana by Pope Francis.<ref name=vatbio>{{cite press release| access-date = 30 May 2022 | language = it | url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2016/02/17/0127/00277.html| publisher = Holy See Press Office | date = 17 February 2016 | title = Rinunce e nomine, 17.02.2016 }}</ref> He received his episcopal consecration on 7 May 2016 from Cardinal Peter Turkson.<ref>{{cite web | access-date = 30 May 2022 | url = https://www.peresblancs.org/ordination_episcopale_Richard_Baawobr.htm | title = Ordination épiscopale de Mgr Richard Kuuia Baawobr Supérieur Général Sortant des Missionnaires d'Afrique | language = fr | website = Pères Blancs de l'Europe | first = Patrick | last = Bataille}}</ref>
Baawobr was also appointed a member and consultor of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity on 4 July 2020.<ref>{{cite press release| access-date = 30 May 2022 | language = it | url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2020/07/04/0372/00857.html | publisher = Holy See Press Office | date = 4 July 2020 | title = Rinunce e nomine, 04.07.2020 }}</ref>
In harmony with the Ghanaian Episcopate, he repeatedly expressed his opposition to claims by the LGBT+ community. He praised the draft law of the Ghanaian anti-LGBT bill, which was presented in 2021 to the Parliament. Despite strong criticism from various international organizations, Bishop Baawobr invited the president of the Parliament to proceed with the discussion of the text.<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 November 2021 |title=Catholic bishops in Ghana reiterate support for anti-LGBT bill |url=https://international.la-croix.com/news/world/catholic-bishops-in-ghana-reiterate-support-for-anti-lgbt-bill/15217 |access-date=1 September 2022 |website=international.la-croix.com |language=en}}</ref>
On 29 May 2022, Pope Francis announced that he would make Baawobr a cardinal at a consistory scheduled for August.<ref>{{cite news | work = Crux | access-date = 29 May 2022 | date = 29 May 2022 | url = https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2022/05/pope-francis-announces-21-new-cardinals-including-key-allies | first = Inés | last = San Martín | title = Pope Francis announces 21 new cardinals, including key allies }}</ref><ref name="AP2022Aug27">{{Cite news |first1=Frances |last1=D'Emilio |title=Pope expands ranks of cardinals who'll likely pick successor |language=en-US |work=AP News |url=https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-africa-religion-vatican-city-1584e3b17b7f65436ecb301cbfa47262 |date=August 27, 2022 |quote=Among the newest cardinals is Bishop Richard Kuuia Baawobr from Wa, Ghana, who has spoken out against LGBTQ rights. The African prelate felt ill when he arrived in Rome on Friday and was hospitalized for a heart problem, the pope told the other cardinals, asking them to pray "for this brother who should have been here."}}</ref>
Later that year, Baawobr was elected president of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) on 30 July at a plenary assembly in Accra.<ref name=absent>{{cite news | access-date = 31 August 2022 | url = https://www.aciafrica.org/news/6564/african-cardinal-absent-at-consistory-doing-well-in-high-spirits-catholic-priest | publisher = ACI Africa | date = 30 August 2022 | title = African Cardinal Absent at Consistory "doing well, in high spirits": Catholic Priest | first = Jude | last = Atemanke }}</ref> He became the first Ghanaian to hold that position.<ref name=treatment/>
Baawobr traveled to Rome to attend the consistory scheduled for 27 August, but he was taken ill and did not attend.<ref name="AP2022Aug27"/><ref>{{cite news | access-date = 28 August 2022 | date = 27 August 2022 | url = https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252141/jesus-asks-us-can-i-count-on-you-pope-francis-creates-20-cardinals-for-the-catholic-church | publisher = Catholic News Agency | title = Jesus asks us, 'can I count on you?' — Pope Francis creates 20 cardinals for the Catholic Church | first = Hannah | last = Brockhaus}}</ref> On that day Pope Francis made him a cardinal priest and assigned him the titular church of Santa Maria Immacolata di Lourdes a Boccea.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/2022/documents/ns_lit_doc_20220827_titoli-diaconie-nuovi-cardinali_it.html|title=Assegnazione dei Titoli e delle Diaconie ai nuovi Cardinali|date=27 August 2022|website=The Holy See|publisher=Ufficio delle Celebrazioni Liturgiche del Sommo Pontefice|language=it|trans-title=Assignment of Titles and Deaconries to the new Cardinals|access-date=28 August 2022|archive-url=|archive-date=}}</ref> He became the third Ghanaian to have been created a cardinal, after Peter Turkson and Peter Porekuu Dery.<ref name=treatment>{{cite news | access-date = 31 August 2022 | url = https://www.businessghana.com/site/news/general/269700/Wa-Bishop,-Cardinal-Baawobr-responding-to-treatment-after-heart-complication | publisher = Business Ghana | date = 30 August 2022 | title = Wa Bishop, Cardinal Baawobr responding to treatment after heart complication }}</ref> He remained in hospital for several days.<ref name=treatment/><ref name=absent/>
Baawobr died in Rome's Gemelli Hospital shortly after arriving there by ambulance on 27 November 2022, at the age of 63.<ref name="GhanaWeb-Obit">{{cite news |title=Head of Catholic Church in Africa, Ghana's Cardinal Baawobr is dead |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Head-of-Catholic-Church-in-Africa-Ghana-s-Cardinal-Baawobr-is-dead-1670462 |access-date=4 December 2022 |work=GhanaWeb |date=27 November 2022 |language=en}}</ref> He had undergone heart surgery in late August and was released from the hospital a few days before his death.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.acistampa.com/amp/story/morto-allimprovviso-nel-pomeriggio-a-roma-il-cardinale-ghanese-richard-baawobr-21236 | title = Morto all'improvviso nel pomeriggio a Roma il Cardinale ghanese Richard Baawobr | language = it | access-date = 28 November 2022 | date = 27 November 2022 | publisher = ACI Stampa | first = Angela | last = Ambrogetti | archive-date = 27 November 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20221127204057/https://www.acistampa.com/amp/story/morto-allimprovviso-nel-pomeriggio-a-roma-il-cardinale-ghanese-richard-baawobr-21236 | url-status = dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Cardinal Richard Baawobr dies unexpectedly - Vatican News |url=https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2022-11/cardinal-baawobr-ghana-dead-rome.html |access-date=28 November 2022 |work=www.vaticannews.va |date=28 November 2022 |language=en}}</ref>
==See also== * Cardinals created by Pope Francis
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{wikiquote|Richard Kuuia Baawobr}} {{commonscat}}
* {{cite web|url=https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_baawobr_rk.html| title=Baawobr Card. Richard Kuuia, M. Afr.|website=Holy See Press Office|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220828005139/https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_baawobr_rk.html|archive-date=28 August 2022|url-status=live}} *{{cite web | website = Catholic Hierarchy | url = https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bbaawobr.html | title = Bishop Richard Kuuia Baawobr, M. Afr. }}
{{Cardinals created by Francis}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baawobr, Richard}} Category:1959 births Category:2022 deaths Category:White Fathers priests Category:People from Northern Region (Ghana) Category:Ghanaian Roman Catholic bishops Category:Ghanaian cardinals Category:Bishops appointed by Pope Francis Category:Cardinals created by Pope Francis