Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Ouagadougou (Agenzia Fides) – “Untaani” the man who creates unity in the name of God, this is the name given by the diocesan community of Fada N'Gourma to Jean Marie Untaani Compaoré, the first African bishop of the diocese and third archbishop of Ouagadougou, who died on November 9, 2024 at the age of 91.
“An emotional crowd paid tribute for the last time to this man of faith, spiritual guide and defender of Christian and traditional values, who was buried on Saturday, November 16, 2024 in the Notre-Dame de l'Immaculée Conception cathedral in Ouagadougou. He marked the history of the Catholic Church in Burkina Faso and leaves behind an example of faith, simplicity and dedication,” a local missionary told Fides.
“Archbishop Emeritus Untaani Compaoré was a unifier, a man of faith and a pastor with a big heart,” says Laurent Dabiré, Bishop of Dori and President of the Bishops’ Conference of Burkina Faso-Niger (CEBN). “He left us an example to imitate: a life of communion, mutual help and closeness. He believed in the importance of traditional values, such as hospitality and caring for those in need. We must draw inspiration from this legacy to build a more just and fraternal society.”
Untaani Compaoré was a priest of the Second Vatican Council, ordained on 8 September 1962 in Ouagadougou by Monsignor Paul Zoungrana, who was the first cardinal in the history of Burkina Faso.
He was the eldest of a family of five children, a boy and four girls. Bishop Untaani Compaoré exercised his priestly ministry from 1962 to 1963 in the parish of Kolog-Naaba as a vicar, from 1964 to 1965 in the student chaplaincy, from 1965 to 1969 as diocesan director of Catholic education. Then from 1969 to 1970 in the parish of Saaba as a parish priest. From 1970 to 1973 he was Vicar General of the Archbishop, as well as delegate of the CEBN and ex officio member of the Special Synod for Africa in 1994.
Paul VI appointed him auxiliary bishop (titular of Lamzella) of the archbishopric of Ouagadougou on 17 May 1973. He was consecrated Bishop in Ouagadougou by Cardinal Paul Zoungrana on October 28, 1973. He was appointed second bishop of the diocese of Fada N'Gourma by Pope John Paul II on June 15, 1979, replacing Bishop Marcel Chauvin, who resigned for health reasons. He was enthroned on the episcopal see of Fada N'Gourma, by Cardinal Paul Zoungrana, on September 23, 1979. He was assigned to be the Metropolitan Archbishop of Ouagadougou by Pope John Paul II on June 10, 1995 to replace Cardinal Paul Zoungrana who resigned due to age limit. The news was made public on July 22, 1995; he was transferred from the seat of Fada N’Gourma and enthroned on the Seige Metropolitan of Ouagadougou, on September 3, 1995, by His Excellency Msgr. Luigi Ventura, Apostolic Nuncio. From that date on, he took his function as the pastor of the Family Church of Ouagadougou, which he directed in the light of his episcopal motto: «collaborarantes fide evangelii».
Within the Episcopal Conference of Burkina Faso-Niger, Bishop Jean-Marie Untaani Compaoré assumed the following responsibilities: President of the Episcopal Conference of Burkina Faso-Niger, from 1989 to 1995, President of the Episcopal Commission for Social Communication, President of the Episcopal Commission for Catholic Education, President of the Episcopal Commission for the Apostolate of the Laity, President of the Episcopal Commission for Religious Institutes. Within the Regional Episcopal Conference of West Africa (CERAO), Bishop Jean-Marie Untaani Compaoré was president of the Episcopal Commission for Socio-Caritative Affairs from 1993 to 1998, president of the Episcopal Commission of the Apostolate of the Laity and Religious 1998 till his retirement on May 13, 2009. He was appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Ouagadougou until June 13, 2009, including 51 years as an episcopal. (AG/AP) (Agenzia Fides, 18/11/2024)
