The Most Reverend Richard Kuuia Baawobr, the Bishop of Wa, has thanked the Holy Father, Pope Francis, for the trust reposed in him by elevating him to the status of a Cardinal.

He said he received the news of his elevation with shock and surprise as he never anticipated that status, but added that it was a divine call to service, which he had to honour.

Most Rev. Baawobr was speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Wa on Sunday after the announcement of his elevation by the Holy Father, Pope Francis, and a circular from his office in Wa.

Most Rev. Baawobr was among 21 new Cardinals named by Pope Francis to be created on 27th August 2022.

“It really came to me as a surprise because a couple of days ago, I was in Rome to attend a meeting at the Pontifical Council of Promoting Christian Unity and nobody said anything. I did not suspect anything.

“It was in the newspapers I read that there were going to be cardinals who would be appointed, but I said this concerns other people, it doesn’t concern me because in my understanding, it is Archbishops who are appointed as cardinals, not the Bishops who are in Diocese”, he intimated.

Most Rev. Baawobr explained that his goal was to serve God and mankind regardless of the position he held saying, “What is important is to serve other people with joy”.

He admonished Christians to draw inspiration from the belief that the greatness of being a Christian was in the service and not the titles.

Most Rev. Baawobr was born on 21st June 1959 and had served as a priest since 1987.

He served in the Democratic Republic of Congo for four years, before being transferred to Tanzania, where he served in the House of Formation for three years, and later worked in France, where he again served in the House of Formation.

Most Rev. Baawobr was later elected the first Assistant-General to the Superior-General of the Missionaries of Africa in Rome, a position he served for six years before he was elected the Superior-General where he served another six years.

Pope Francis then appointed Most Rev. Baawobr as the Bishop of Wa after his tenure as Superior-General ended.

He had served as the Bishop of Wa for the past six years.

He is currently in charge of Inter-Religious Dialogue on promoting understanding between Christians and Muslims, Ecumenism-Dialogue with other Christian churches, and also in charge of the Clergy.

According to the Vatican, eight of the newly named Cardinals are from Europe, six from Asia, two from Africa, one from North America, and four from Central and Latin America.

The Bishop’s Office, Maria Yiri, in Wa, has also released a circular on the appointment of Most Rev. Baawobr to the status of a Cardinal.