Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, Archbishop of Cape Coast (Ghana), was born on October 11, 1948 in Wassaw Nsuta, Ghana. He was ordained for the Diocese of Cape Coast on July 20, 1975 and holds a doctorate in Sacred Scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute, Rome.
From 1975-1976 and 1980-1981 he served as staff member at St Theresa’s Minor Seminary, and from 1981-1987 as staff member at St Peter’s Major Seminary.
On October 6, 1992 he was appointed Archbishop of Cape Coast and was ordained on March 27, 1993.
He was served as President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (1997-2005) and member of the Pontifical Commission for Methodist-Catholic Dialogue; Chancellor of the Catholic University College of Ghana; member of the National Sustainable Development, Ministry of Environment; member of the Board of Directors of the Central Regional Development Committee and treasurer of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM).
On October 24, 2009, he was appointed President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, a position that he ceased upon the retirement of Peope Benedict XVI on February 28, 2013.
Created and proclaimed Cardinal by John Paul II in the Consistory of October 21, 2003, of the Title of S. Liborio (St. Liborius).
Member of:
- Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments;
- Pontifical Councils: for Promoting Christian Unity; for Justice and Peace;
- Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church.
