Zoungrana, one of his country's first three priests, then did pastoral work in his native Ouagadougou until joining the Society of Missionaries of Africa on 24 September 1948, later taking his final vows in 1952 at Rome.

From 1948 to 1953, he furthered his studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University, from where he obtained his doctorate in canon law; and the Catholic Institute of Paris.

He received his episcopal consecration on the following 8 May from Pope John XXIII himself, with Bishops Napoléon-Alexandre La Brie and Fulton J. Sheen serving as co-consecrators, in St. Peter's Basilica.

[1] Pope Paul VI created him Cardinal Priest of San Camillo de Lellis in the consistory of 22 February 1965.

[2] He also led a protest against the World Bank for its policy of refusing financial aid to countries without population planning programs.