After Pope Francis passes away, Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Turkson becomes a serious candidate to succeed him as pope.
One name is already being discussed with a lot of excitement and hope as the Catholic Church grieves the passing of Pope Francis today at the age of 88.
What’s his name? Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson. Turkson is a prominent man in the Church and a patriotic Ghanaian. He is considered a strong contender to become the next pope, which may be a momentous event for the Catholic community around the world.
Turkson was born in Wassa Nsuta, a small town in Ghana’s Western Region, on October 11, 1948. His story is one of incredible tenacity and strong faith. He was raised as the fourth of 10 children in a humble home.
His mother, a Methodist, sold vegetables at the local market, while his Catholic father worked as a carpenter. His family was deeply religious, with a strong blend of Muslim and Christian influences.
Turkson’s journey to the priesthood started early. Before pursuing his study in the US at St. Anthony-on-Hudson Seminary in New York, he attended St. Teresa’s Minor Seminary and St. Peter’s Regional Seminary in Ghana.
Later, he studied further in Rome, graduating from the esteemed Pontifical Biblical Institute with a licentiate in Sacred Scripture.
After being ordained as a priest in 1975, Turkson shown leadership abilities right away. He was named Archbishop of Cape Coast in 1992, and in 2003, Pope John Paul II crowned him the first cardinal in Ghana.
Since then, Turkson has been a powerful spokesperson for the African Church, raising awareness of issues related to human dignity, justice, and peace.
He is well-known for his kind disposition, keen intellect, and bilingual skills. He is fluent in Hebrew, French, Italian, German, Fante, and English.
Turkson is sometimes referred to as a “bridge-builder” across many customs and cultures. He was hailed by The Tablet in 2013 as “one of Africa’s most energetic church leaders.”
Turkson played a number of important positions in Rome. He boldly discussed global inequality and the shortcomings of contemporary capitalism while serving as President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.
He once criticised the “idolatry of the market” and emphasised the necessity for a “ethic of solidarity” among nations, calling for the establishment of a “global public authority” to regulate financial markets.
He was named the first prefect of the Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development in 2016 by Pope Francis. This important Vatican institution addresses themes such as economic justice, migration, peace, and the environment.
Additionally, Turkson served as a papal ambassador to unstable areas, including as South Sudan and Ivory Coast, where he assisted in mediating during civil upheaval.
Turkson maintains his groundedness in spite of his great resume. He is frequently spotted grinning broadly and interacting with everyone, whether they are parishioners or world leaders.
He is a powerful figure at a time when the Church is becoming more concerned with the poor world because of his deep African roots and global perspective.
Now that Pope Francis has passed away, Cardinal Turkson finds himself in a pivotal position. He would become the first African pope in over 1,500 years if chosen.
For the Catholic Church and the African continent as a whole, this will be a genuinely momentous occasion.
