For Immediate Release
November 28, 2022
Cardinal Baawobr’s Passing Reverberates Throughout Africa and World
Washington, DC – Today Vatican News announced the passing of Cardinal Richard Kuuia Baawobr on November 27, 2022 in Rome. Cardinal Baawobr, bishop of Wa Ghana, and a member of the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers) was created cardinal on August 27th this year. In July he was elected President of The Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa, and Madagascar. As Superior General of the White Fathers in Rome, Rev. Baawobr, expressed strong support for the mission of the Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN), an organization which MAfr helped found in 1983. AFJN also had the honor of having Rev. Baawobr, MAfr, offer his reflections on ministry and deliver the keynote address on behalf of Cardinal Peter Turkson in 2013 for the 30th Anniversary of the founding of AFJN.
Steven Nabieu Rogers, PhD, executive director at the Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN) made the following remarks:
- “The Africa Faith and Justice Network is deeply saddened by the passing of Cardinal Baawobr, who was an ardent supporter of the mission of AFJN and an advocate for Africa. We pray that he is at peace with our Loving Father and that those he left behind may be consoled by the fact that he left such an important legacy of good works for Africa and the world.”
Rev. Barthelemy Bazemo, President of the Missionaries of Africa in the USA and AFJN Board Member made the following remarks:
- “Our hearts are broken within our community for the sudden passing of our brother Richard. He had a passion and dedication for missionary work knowing the importance of spreading the Good News to the world.
- “He loved AFJN, he believed in our mission for both the people of the USA and Africa. I was appointed by him to serve AFJN because he knew the good work AFJN was doing and the importance of its mission for the people of Africa.”
Rev. Aniedi Okure, AFJN Consultant and former Executive Director and General Promoter of Justice and Peace and the new Delegate to the United Nations for the Domincans made the following remarks:
- “The Missionaries of Africa lost a beloved colleague, the Diocese of WA lost their beloved Bishop, and the Church in Africa lost their President [of SECAM]. A loss like this reverberates throughout the continent.
- “I knew Fr. Richard when he was Superior General of the Missionaries of Africa as a strong supporter of the Africa Faith and Justice Network. He believed so strongly in our mission, a mission that his organization helped to found, that he sent a colleague to work in our office for free.
- “Whenever he was approached by AFJN to do something he would. I will never forget how he so eloquently delivered Cardinal Turkson’s keynote address during our AFJN’s 30th Anniversary Conference, when the Cardinal was summoned to Rome because of the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. He was so amenable that if he could do something, he would.”