By: Clifford Okyere
His Eminence Cardinal Richard Kuuia Baawobr, Ghana’s Cardinal has died in Rome at age 63. According to a statement by the Secretary General Missionary of Africa, the Cardinal passed away on Sunday, November 27.
“Our confrere was taken by ambulance from the Generalate to the Gemelli Hospital at 5.45pm and we received the sad news at 6.25pm. May Richard rest in the peace of his Lord whom he so generously served,” The letter reads.
The Cardinal was hospitalised in August at the Santo Spirito Hospital in Rome shortly before Pope Francis conferred on him as Cardinal.
Reports says he was earlier discharged from the Agostino Gemelli University Hospital Friday November 18 where he underwent a heart surgery.
The late reverend received the title of cardinal while in the Roman hospital. Pope Francis asked people to pray for Baawobr at the end of his homily for the consistory.
H.E Baawobr was earlier elected this year as head of the African bishops’ conference, the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), at the end of July.
Prior to this, he was the Diocese of Wa, in northwest Ghana since 2016, and was well known locally for his charity works as well as his advocacy and care for people with mental health disorders in a country where the stigmatization is still in height.
BELOW IS THE FULL STATEMENT
