Appointed the first prefect of the Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development in 2017, Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson has served as a significant figure in the Roman Curia for over a decade. His ecclesiastical career has spanned leadership roles in Ghana and Vatican City, involving him in major diplomatic missions and international theological discourse.
Early Formation and Priesthood
Born in 1948 in Nsuta Wassa, Ghana, Turkson completed his early theological studies at St. Anthony-on-Hudson Seminary in New York, where he earned an M.A. in Theology and a Master of Divinity. He was ordained a Catholic priest in 1975. He later pursued advanced studies at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, earning a licentiate in Sacred Scripture in 1980. His academic background also includes studies in French, German, Latin, Italian, Greek, Hebrew, and his native Ahanta.
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In 1992, Pope John Paul II appointed Turkson as the Archbishop of Cape Coast, a position he held until 2009. During this tenure, he served as President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference from 1997 to 2005. In 2003, he became the first Ghanaian cardinal, receiving the title of cardinal priest of San Liborio. His contributions to academic and religious life in his home country were formally recognized in 2013 when he was named a Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Vatican Administration and Diplomatic Missions
Turkson transitioned to Vatican administration in 2009 as president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, serving until 2016. In 2011, he acted as a mediator during the civil conflict in Ivory Coast. In 2016, Pope Francis tasked him with a peace-seeking mission to South Sudan, where he engaged with political leaders to facilitate dialogue. He subsequently served as the prefect of the Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development from 2017 until 2021.
Current Appointments and Papal Conclaves
Since 2022, Turkson has served as the chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. Throughout his time as a cardinal, he has participated in multiple papal conclaves, including the elections of Pope Benedict XVI in 2005, Pope Francis in 2013, and the conclave of 2025. Media outlets have frequently identified him as a papabile candidate during these electoral processes.
Fast facts
- Born: 1948, Nsuta Wassa, Ghana
- Ordination: 20 July 1975
- Appointed Archbishop of Cape Coast: 6 October 1992
- Created Cardinal: 21 October 2003
- Prefect, Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development: 2017-2021
- Chancellor, Pontifical Academy of Sciences: 2022-present
- Academic Fellowship: Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (2013)
- Languages: English, French, German, Latin, Italian, Greek, Hebrew, Ahanta
Questions readers ask
What official positions has Peter Turkson held in the Vatican?
He served as president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, prefect of the Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development, and chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.
Was he ever the Archbishop of Cape Coast?
Yes, he served as the Archbishop of Cape Coast from 1993 until 2009.
Achievements
- Educated at Pontifical Biblical Institute and St. Anthony-on-Hudson Seminary
- Worked as Catholic priest and Catholic bishop
