Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lahore

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lahore
Archdiocese of Lahore
Archidioecesis Lahorensis
Location
Country Pakistan
Metropolitan Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lahore
Statistics
Area 23,069 km2 (8,907 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics		 (as of 2004)
25,000,000
570,000 (2.3%)
Information
Rite Latin Rite
Cathedral Sacred Heart Cathedral, Lahore
Current leadership
Bishop Lawrence Saldanha
Auxiliary Bishop Sebastian Francis Shah OFM

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lahore is an archdiocese in Punjab, Pakistan.

Contents

History

It was founded as a diocese on 1 September 1886,[1] having previously been the Vicariate of Punjab. On 23 April 1994 the diocese was elevated to the rank of Archdiocese. Fr. Lawrence Saldanha was appointed Archbishop of Lahore by pope John Paul II.[2][3][4][5]

The Sacred Heart Cathedral is the principal church of the Archdiocese. The Archdiocese is also home to St. Joseph’s Church, Lahore the oldest church of the Punjab, built in 1853.[6]

The Archdiocese also publishes the Catholic Naqib, the oldest Urdu-language Catholic journal, founded in Lahore in 1929.[7]

In 1964 the Diocese opened the 215 bed Bethania Hospital, Sialkot which focuses mainly on preventing and treating TB. In 2008 it was treating 60,000 patients a year. [8]

Lahore archdiocese had 511,226 Catholics, 30 diocesan priests, and 214 nuns, according to the 2001 Annuario Pontificio, the Vatican yearbook.[9] The largest Catholic Archdiocese in Pakistan is divided into 26 parishes.[10]

The Archdiocese is also home to the St. Francis Xavier Seminary.[11]

The country’s 1st National Eucharistic Congress was organised by the local Catholic Church 9–11 September 2005 at the Marian Shrine of Mariamabad, Lahore diocese. It drew 20,000 participants and attracted ample media coverage local and national. The national marian strine of Mariamabad is situated 90 km from Lahore. Every year it draws thousands of clergy, religious and laity, families, other Christians and Muslims. Mariamabad shrine was opened in 1949 by a Belgian Cappuchin Friar Frank who died a martyr.[12]

On 14 Feb 2009 Fr. Sebastian Francis Shah OFM was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Lahore.[13]

The Diocese is also home to Catholic TV, Pakistan the first Pakistani Catholic TV channel launched in 2009.[14]

Ordinaries

  • Paul Tosi, O.F.M. Cap. † (1 Sep 1886 Appointed - 1888 Died)
  • Symphorien Charles-Jacques Mouard (Monard), O.F.M. Cap. † (8 Aug 1888 Appointed - 14 Jun 1890 Died)
  • Emmanuel Alfonso van den Bosch, O.F.M. Cap. † (21 Nov 1890 Appointed - 2 Jan 1892 Appointed, Archbishop of Agra)
  • Goffredo Pelckmans, O.F.M. Cap. † (2 Jun 1893 Appointed - )
  • Fabiano Antonio Eestermans, O.F.M. Cap. † (11 Apr 1905 Appointed - 17 Dec 1925 Resigned)
  • Hector Catry, O.F.M. Cap. † (28 Mar 1928 Appointed - 4 Jul 1946 Resigned)
  • Marcel Roger Buyse, O.F.M. Cap. † (12 Jun 1947 Appointed - 12 Mar 1967 Retired)
  • Felicissimus Alphonse Raeymaeckers, O.F.M. Cap. † (12 Mar 1967 Succeeded - 10 Jul 1975 Resigned)
  • Armando Trindade † (10 Jul 1975 Appointed - 31 Jul 2000 Died)
  • Lawrence John Saldanha (24 Apr 2001 Appointed - )

Schools in the Diocese

There were 57,744 students in Catholic schools in the archdiocese - 33 primary schools and 59 high schools.[15] Some of the schools are:

References

  1. ^ "Lahore". catholic-hierarchy.org. http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dlaho.html. 
  2. ^ "Archbishiop of Lahore". catholic-hierarchy.org. http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bsaldanha.html. 
  3. ^ "Exclusive interview with Archbishop Lawrence Saldanha: Archbishop expresses concern at civilian casualties in Balochistan". Daily Times. January 23, 2006. http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006%5C01%5C23%5Cstory_23-1-2006_pg7_16. 
  4. ^ "Agenzia Fides". 14 May 2004. http://www.fides.org/eng/news/2004/0405/14_2361.html. 
  5. ^ "Charles urges inter-faith respect". BBC News. 2 November 2006. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6110204.stm. 
  6. ^ "PM, CM, governor grace 150-year jubilee of St Joseph’s Church". Daily Times. November 1, 2003. http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_1-11-2003_pg7_14. 
  7. ^ "Three Day Communications Seminar" (PDF). signis.net. Archived from the original on unknown. http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:V4gsoBdOVskJ:www.signis.net/IMG/pdf/Signis-Media20074.pdf+%22Catholic+Naqib%22&cd=9&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=au. 
  8. ^ Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association, vol. 58:318; 2008
  9. ^ "Pope Names Former Communications Head New Archbishop of Lahore". UCANews.com. May 14, 2001. http://www.ucanews.com/2001/05/14/pope-names-former-communications-head-new-archbishop-of-lahore/?key=islamabad. 
  10. ^ "United Nations tasks Faisalabad Caritas with repatriating Afghan refugees living in local diocese". AsiaNews.it. 29 October 2009. http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=1492. 
  11. ^ "Pontificia Universitàs Urbaniana". sfxs-pk.urbaniana.edu. http://www.sfxs-pk.urbaniana.edu/pages/present.htm. 
  12. ^ "1st National Eucharistic Congress". fides.org. http://www.fides.org/aree/news/newsdet.php?idnews=5690&lan=eng. 
  13. ^ "Catholic Hierarchy". catholic-hierarchy.org. http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bshah.html. 
  14. ^ "Catholic channel broadcasts on cable TV". ucanews.com. 2009-06-22. http://www.ucanews.com/2009/06/22/catholic-channel-broadcasts-on-cable-tv/?key=pakistan+priest. 
  15. ^ "Diocesan Profile Series". UCANews.com. http://www.ucanews.com/dps/html/dps-pa_lahore.php. 
  16. ^ "Apostolic Carmel Nuns Mark Silver Jubilee of Service in Pakistan". UCANews.com. May 2, 2006. http://www.ucanews.com/2006/05/02/apostolic-carmel-nuns-mark-silver-jubilee-of-service-in-pakistan/?key=lahore. 


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