Ghana Gets 2nd Cardinal
Mar 01, 2006
Archbishop Emeritus Peter Poreku Dery 88, has been elevated to the status of Cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI, the first such appointment by the Pope since his enthronement last May.
(The Ghanaian Times, 23 February 2006) He becomes only the second Ghanaian Cardinal after Peter Cardinal Kodwo Appiah Turkson, who was named Cardinal by the late Pope John Paul II on October 20, 2003.
Cardinal-elect Dery is among 15 prelates who will be consecrated on March 24, in the Vatican, followed by the official investiture ceremony.
Though Archbishop Dery, is above 80 years, and on retirement, the Pope elevated him and two others in "consideration of the service he rendered to the church with exemplary faithfulness and admirable dedication," a statement from the Vatican Information Service announced.
His elevation has been greeted with cheers form the Catholic faithful and the general public.
Born in Nandom Ko on May 10, 1918, Archbishop Emeritus Dery was ordained into the Priesthood on February 11, 1951.
He became the Bishop of Wa on May 8, 1960 and was enthroned Archbishop of Tamale on November 27, 1977, and retired in 1994.
The Archbishop Dery who holds a Doctorate in Divinity was one time the President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference for two terms from 1982 to 1988.
From Tamale, Yakubu Abdul-Majeed reports that Cardinal-elect Dery, who lives there, expressed gratitude to the Pope for the honour bestowed on him.
“In fact, I am lost for words to thank his Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI for uplifting me to this enviable position in the Catholic Church”, he said.
Archbishop Dery, who is said to be the architect of the Tamale Ecclesiastical Province, promised to do more to the service of the church in spite of his old age.
Speaking to the Times on phone Peter Cardinal Turkson, Archbishop of Cape Coast, said the elevation of Archbishop Dery was a big honour to the nation and the church.
He said the elevation had been long overdue since Archbishop Dery was his mentor for a very long time.
Cardinal Turkson said the Pope recognized the services of Archbishop Dery because of his active interest in the youth within the church.
He explained that a number of Catholic youth were mentored by cardinal-elect while others were prepared for the pastoral ministry.
“I rejoice with Archbishop Dery and congratulate him,” he said, adding, “it is a well deserved to be made the Pope”.
Ghana Gets 2nd Cardinal