The Most Reverend Kuuia Baawobr has expressed his gratitude to the Vatican for his “surprise” elevation.
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 serve which he had to honour.
The Most Rev. Baawobr was among the 21 new Cardinals named by Pope Francis to be created on August 27, 2022.
Speaking in an interview with The Sikaman Times, the Most Rev. Baawobr added, “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 for Promoting Christian Unity and nobody said anything to me, so 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 but not me because, in my understanding, it is Archbishops who are appointed as Cardinals, not Bishops who are in Dioceses,” he intimated.
Most The 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 take inspiration from the belief that the greatness of being a Christian was in service and not titles.
The Most Rev. Baawobr was born on June 21st, 1959 and has 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.
He was later elected as 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 as the Superior-General, where he served for another six years.
Pope Francis then appointed him as the Bishop of Wa, where he is currently serving after his tenure as Superior-General ended.
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.
The Most Rev. Baawobr thanked the Holy Father, Pope Francis, for the trust reposed in him by elevating him to the status of a Cardinal.
