Fr. Richard Baawobr appointed new Bishop of Wa in Ghana

The Holy Father, Pope Francis, has accepted the resignation presented by Bishop Paul Bemile, from the pastoral care of the Diocese of Wa, in Ghana in accordance with canon 401 § 1 of the Code of Canon Law and has appointed as new Bishop, Father Richard Kuuia Baawobr who was until his appointment, Superior General of the Society of Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers).

The Bishop-elect, Father Richard Baawobr, 57 was born in Nandom-Lawra, Ghana. He began his priestly studies in 1979 when he entered the diocesan major seminary of St. Victor in Tamale. After his studies in philosophy, he joined the Society of Missionaries of Africa and was sent for novitiate to Fribourg in Switzerland from 1981 to 1982.

Father Baawobr completed his theological studies at the Missionary Institute London (MIL) and took his religious vows at St. Edward’s College in London.  He was ordained priest at Ko, Ghana in 1987. His first appointment was to Livulu, Kinshasa Diocese in Congo DR where he spent 4 years.

He then studied Scripture in Rome, Italy at the Pontifical Biblical Institute or Biblicum as the place is popularly known. He was appointed formator at the Kahangala novitiate, Tanzania where he served from 1996 to 1999.  Between 1999 and 2004 he was the Director of formation in France. In 2004, he was was elected 1st Assistant General of the Society of Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers) and it was in this capacity that he took part in the Chapter that elected him Superior General of the Society in 2010.

In 2015, Fr. Baawobr was elected by the Union of Superior Generals in Italy to attend the Ordinary Synod of Bishops on the Family.

The Diocese of Wa, erected in 1959, is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Tamale. It has an area of 18,476 Square Kilometers and a population of about 700,000 inhabitants, of whom 341,000 are Catholics. There are 23 parishes, served by 104 priests (100 diocesan and 4 religious), 38 religious brothers, 148 nuns and 27 seminarians.

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