“Be a Pastor of hope”: Cardinal to Newly Consecrated Catholic Bishop of Tenkodogo Diocese in Burkina Faso

Tenkodogo, 26 May, 2025 / 8:38 PM

Philippe Cardinal Ouédraogo has urged the newly Consecrated Bishop of Tenkodogo Catholic Diocese in Burkina Faso to foster hope among the people of God under his pastoral care in his Episcopal Ministry.

In his homily during the May 24 Episcopal Ordination of Mons. David Koudougou, Cardinal Ouédraogo called upon the new Bishop to embrace his Episcopal Ministry with courage, humility, and unwavering commitment to the people of God.

“Be a pastor of hope. Never backward; always forward. Go into the deep, to the human and geographical peripheries of your Diocese,” the Burkinabe Cardinal said during the Eucharistic celebration that was held at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral of Tenkodogo Diocese.

He added, “The mission of the Bishop is not only to serve the baptized but also to reach those who are not yet in Christ’s fold. His role is to bring unity in diversity; to be a mirror reflecting Christ himself.”

“To lead this people of God to greener pastures, your mission is to raise for all a life of deep communion with God and fidelity to the Church’s teaching,” Cardinal Ouédraogo said.

He reminded the Bishop-elect that as a Local Ordinary, his role is not one of privilege, but of service, marked by humility, compassion, and unity with Christ and His Church.

“The Episcopate is not an honour, it is a service according to the commandment of Jesus our Master,” he said.

The Burkinabe Cardinal also called on the Clergy and the people of God to collaborate with their new shepherd, who Pope Francis appointed Bishop of Tenkodogo on February 6.

“Every Bishop must be an icon of Jesus, that is to say, a mirror that reflects his image. His life must reflect the will of God and help to gather people into one single fold and lead them to eternal life,” Cardinal Ouédraogo said.

He implored, “May Mary, the Star of Evangelization, accompany your Episcopal ministry for a living, holy, and missionary Church.”

In his maiden speech following his Episcopal Consecration, Bishop Koudougou expressed gratitude to God and the Church for the grace of his Ordination as Bishop and pledged to serve with faithfulness despite his human weaknesses.

“I give thanks to God for his infinite love. He has honoured to make me what I am today without any merit of my part and despite my weaknesses and frailties. May His name be blessed,” he said, adding, “It is together that we can build a Church that is a family of God and a place of peace.”

Bishop Koudougou is the second Local Ordinary of the Burkinabe Episcopal See that was erected in February 2012 having been curved out from the Diocese of Fada N’Gourma.

Located within the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Koupéla, the Diocese of Tenkodogo that measures 10,047 square kilometers has a total population of 1,394,751 with 192,352 Catholics representing 13.8 percent, according to 2023 statistics.