Dakar Cardinal Bishop to visit Banjul

Robert Patrick Ellison C.S.Sp., the Bishop of Banjul, will officially welcome the Cardinal Archbishop of Dakar to The Gambia on Thursday, May 22, according to  press release from the Office of the Bishop of Banjul.

A cardinal is appointed by the Pope to serve as one of his key advisers. Although they are often called to provide counsel for the Pontiff, the most critical responsibility for the cardinals comes when the Pope dies, and the College of Cardinals chooses his successor.

Earlier in the year, Bishop Ellison invited Cardinal Theodore-Adrien Sarr to The Gambia. “The Gambia and Senegal share the same traditions with many Gambian families having close relatives in Senegal. The customs and culture of both countries complement each other. Cardinal Sarr’s family is a typical example of this kind of interaction.”

“Cardinal Sarr has been a frequent visitor to the country in past years. He visited as a priest and then as Bishop of Kaolack and again as Archbishop of Dakar. This will be his first visit since he was created a Cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI,” the release indicated.

The Bishop of Banjul used the opportunity to express gratitude to Ismaila Sambou, the secretary of state for Local Government, Lands and Religious Affairs, for the warm reception accorded him and his delegation during their recent meeting.

“His comments to the Bishop were encouraging and further strengthen the already strong relationship between the Government of The Gambia and the Catholic Church in The Gambia. The suggestion of the Honourable secretary of state for the involvement of all sectors of the community in the visit of the Cardinal demonstrates the close relationship between the Muslim and Christian communities of our country.

The visit of Cardinal Sarr will help to deepen our appreciation of our commitment to this special relationship of understanding and respect for each other. The Catholic community is at one with His Excellency, the president of the Republic of The Gambia, in promoting religious tolerance as a key element in the development of our nation,” the release added.

In the release, Bishop Ellison invited all parishes in the Greater Banjul Area to give their full support to the Organising Committee. “Priests and Parish Councils should organise parish groups to line the route displaying their parish or organisations banners.”

The Bishop also called on heads of Catholic schools to organise the pupils in their schools to line the route from Banjul International Airport, Yundum, to Shalom Retreat Centre in Fajara, Bakau.

Biography

Théodore-Adrien Sarr was born in Fadiouth to Rog and Louise (née Diakher Diouf) Sarr, as one of seven children. He completed his secondary studies at the minor seminary in Hann, where he received a baccalaureate. Sarr then studied philosophy and theology at the Major Seminary of Sébikhotane.

He was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Hyacinthe Thiandoum on May 28th, 1964, and furthered his studies at the University of Dakar, where he obtained his licentiate in the classical languages of Latin and Greek.

Fr Sarr then did pastoral work at the parish of Saint-Thérése in Dakar, as assistant to the groups of Catholic Action. He also served as a professor at the Mihnor Seminary of N’Gasobil, later as its superior from 1970 to 1974.

On July 1st, 1974, Fr. Sarr was appointed the second Bishop of Kaolack by Pope Paul VI. He received his episcopal consecration on November 24, 1975 from Archbishop Thiandoum, with Bishops Théophile Cadoux, MSC, and Augustin Sagna, serving as co-consecrator, in an open-air ceremony at Collége Pie XII in Kaolack. Bishop Sarr was later named the third Archbishop of Dakar on June 2nd, 2000.

Pope Benedict XVI created him Cardinal Priest of S. Lucia a Piazza d’Armi in the consistory of November 24, 2007. Cardinal Sarr will be eligible to participate in any future papal conclaves until he reaches the age of eight on November 28th, 2016.

In addition to his duties as Archbishop, the Cardinal also serves as President of the Episcopal Conference of Senegal, Mauritania, Cape Verde, and Guinea Bissau, and the first Vice President of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar.