After teaching in the Saint Joan of Arc minor seminary of Ouidah (1967–1968), and being chaplain and teacher at the Aufiais College in Cotonou (1968–1970), and assistant parish priest of St Francis of Assisi at Bohicon, Abomey (1970–1971), he spent 1971 to 1977 continuing his studies in religious sociology in Paris, and then of theology at the University of Regensburg, where he earned his doctorate.
Between 1977 and 1984 he was rector of the Minor Seminary of St. Paul at Djimi, Abomey, Missionary Professor at the University of West Africa in Abidjan and professor of methodology of research in human and social sciences at the University of the State of Abomey-Calavi and at the Major Seminary of Saint Gall in Ouidah, Benin.
He kept in touch with his former professor, turned Archbishop, then a month later, Cardinal, going on to become Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and finally Pope in 2005, under the name of Benedict XVI.
At the end of 2009 when the nomination of the new Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Culture was due to take place, its president Gianfranco Ravasi, spoke to the Pope Benedict, suggesting the possible addition of a figure from Africa, to assist him as he felt that the Roman Curia was at risk of becoming too Italianised.
[5] He received episcopal consecration at the hands of Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone on 8 October 2011 along with Giuseppe Sciacca.