Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lahore
Encyclopedia
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lahore
is an archdiocese in Punjab
, Pakistan
.
. 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.
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.
The Archdiocese also publishes the Catholic Naqib
, the oldest Urdu-language Catholic journal, founded in Lahore in 1929.
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.
Lahore archdiocese had 511,226 Catholics, 30 diocesan priests, and 214 nuns, according to the 2001 Annuario Pontificio, the Vatican yearbook. The largest Catholic Archdiocese in Pakistan is divided into 26 parishes.
The Archdiocese is also home to the St. Francis Xavier Seminary
.
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.
On 14 Feb 2009 Fr. Sebastian Francis Shah
OFM was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Lahore.
The Diocese is also home to Catholic TV, Pakistan
the first Pakistani Catholic TV channel launched in 2009.
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
is an archdiocese in Punjab
Punjab (Pakistan)
Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
History
It was founded as a diocese on 1 September 1886, having previously been the Vicariate of PunjabPunjab (British India)
Punjab was a province of British India, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British rule. With the end of British rule in 1947 the province was split between West Punjab, which went to Pakistan, and East Punjab, which went to India...
. On 23 April 1994 the diocese was elevated to the rank of Archdiocese. Fr. Lawrence Saldanha
Lawrence Saldanha
Lawrence John Saldanha was born in Mangalore, India on 25 October 1936. He received his religious training at the Christ the King seminary in Karachi and was ordained a priest in Lahore, Pakistan on 16 January 1960....
was appointed Archbishop of Lahore by pope John Paul II.
The Sacred Heart Cathedral
Sacred Heart Cathedral, Lahore
Sacred Heart Cathedral, Lahore was consecrated by Bishop Fabian Eestermans, Bishop of Lahore on 19 November 1907. The design of this Cathedral was made according to the Roman Byzantine style by a Belgian architect, Dr. Dubbeleere of Antwerp....
is the principal church of the Archdiocese. The Archdiocese is also home to St. Joseph’s Church, Lahore
St. Joseph’s Church, Lahore
St. Joseph’s Church, Sarfaraz Rafiqui Road, is the oldest church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lahore in Pakistan. It was blessed on October 31, 1853. St. Joseph's was originally built to serve Catholics in the British Army....
the oldest church of the Punjab, built in 1853.
The Archdiocese also publishes the Catholic Naqib
Catholic Naqib
The Catholic Naqib is the oldest Urdu-language Catholic magazine, founded in Lahore, Pakistan in 1929 and published by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lahore.Until July 1987 Fr. Inayat Bernard was the editor of the Catholic Naqib....
, the oldest Urdu-language Catholic journal, founded in Lahore in 1929.
In 1964 the Diocese opened the 215 bed Bethania Hospital, Sialkot
Bethania Hospital, Sialkot
Bethania Hospital, Sialkot, Pakistan is a medical facility owned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lahore.The hospital treats 60,000 patients a year, 5,000 of which are TB patients. It has a staff of 130 and occupies an area of 300,000 sq...
which focuses mainly on preventing and treating TB. In 2008 it was treating 60,000 patients a year.
Lahore archdiocese had 511,226 Catholics, 30 diocesan priests, and 214 nuns, according to the 2001 Annuario Pontificio, the Vatican yearbook. The largest Catholic Archdiocese in Pakistan is divided into 26 parishes.
The Archdiocese is also home to the St. Francis Xavier Seminary
St. Francis Xavier Seminary
St. Francis Xavier Seminary is situated on four hectares of land next to the Christian housing estate of Yuhannabad, 25 kilometers east of Lahore. It is an Institute of Philosophical studies serving the whole country. It offers a two year program in Christian Philosophy. It is affiliated to the...
.
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.
On 14 Feb 2009 Fr. Sebastian Francis Shah
Sebastian Francis Shah
Sebastian Francis Shah was born in Padri-Jo-Goth, Pakistan on 14 November 1957. He received his early education at Fatima High School and attended the Government Degree College. He received his religious training under the Order of Friars Minor and at the Christ the King seminary in Karachi and...
OFM was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Lahore.
The Diocese is also home to Catholic TV, Pakistan
Catholic TV, Pakistan
The first Catholic TV channel in Pakistan was launched in 2009.The introduction of Catholic TV will be for the Church in Pakistan, a great opportunity for evangelisation through the media, supplementing the Urdu service of Radio Veritas Asia...
the first Pakistani Catholic TV channel launched in 2009.
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 TrindadeArmando TrindadeArmando Trindade † was born in Karachi, British India on 25 October 1927. He studied at St Patrick's High School, Karachi. He received his religious training at the Papal Seminary, Kandy, Sri Lanka and was ordained a priest on 6 May 1950....
† (10 Jul 1975 Appointed - 31 Jul 2000 Died) - Lawrence John SaldanhaLawrence SaldanhaLawrence John Saldanha was born in Mangalore, India on 25 October 1936. He received his religious training at the Christ the King seminary in Karachi and was ordained a priest in Lahore, Pakistan on 16 January 1960....
(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. Some of the schools are:- St. Anthony's High School, Cantonment, LahoreSt. Anthony's High School (Lahore)St. Anthony's High School is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lahore in Pakistan. It is ranked among the best educational institutions in Punjab. It is situated at Lahore's historical road, The Mall....
- St. Joseph's English High SchoolSt. Joseph's English High SchoolSt. Joseph's English High School, Gujranwala, Punjab, Pakistan is the first English medium school in the city.St. Joseph’s English High School was founded on the 1 April 1954, by Fr. Bene OFM then Parish Priest of Gujranwala, in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lahore. Originally named as St....
, Gujranwala - Convent of Jesus and Mary, SialkotConvent of Jesus and Mary, SialkotThe Convent of Jesus and Mary, Sialkot was the first Catholic school in the Punjab and second in British India after Agra. It was established in 1856 opened at the request of the Archbishop of Agra. It was established by five nuns headed by Mother St. Gonzaga Bergonhoux.The school is located at...
- Presentation Convent School, JhelumPresentation Convent School, JhelumPresentation Convent School, Jhelum, was founded by the Presentation Sisters and is regulated by the Catholic Board of Education under the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lahore....
- Convent of Jesus and Mary (Ambala Cantt)
- Sacred Heart High School for BoysSacred Heart High School for BoysSacred Heart High School for Boys in Lahore, Pakistan belongs to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lahore.Alexander Lewis was the principal of the school in 2008....
- Sacred Heart High School for GirlsSacred Heart High School for GirlsSacred Heart High School for Girls is one of the oldest girls schools in Lahore Pakistan. It belongs to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lahore....
- St. Anthony's Girls School, Sangla HillSangla HillSangla Hill is a tehsil located in Nankana Sahib District in the Punjab Province of Pakistan.- Introduction :Sangla hill is a tehsil under district Nankana Sahib...
- St. Anthony's High School (Lahore), Lawrence Road
- St. Joseph's English High SchoolSt. Joseph's English High SchoolSt. Joseph's English High School, Gujranwala, Punjab, Pakistan is the first English medium school in the city.St. Joseph’s English High School was founded on the 1 April 1954, by Fr. Bene OFM then Parish Priest of Gujranwala, in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lahore. Originally named as St....
- St. Thomas’ High School, JhelumSt. Thomas’ High School, JhelumSt. Thomas’ High School, Jhelum, Pakistan was founded by Sr. Maureen Costelloe of the Presentation Sisters under the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lahore. It started as a boys school but is now co-educational with a girls’ Section and a boys’ Section. It provides education up to Matriculation...
- St. Paul’s High School, Gujranwala
- Don Bosco High School
- St. Anthony's High School, Faisal Town, Lahore
- St. Thomas’ School, Gulberg
- St. Mary's High School, Lahore.
- Fransiscan Girls High School, Lahore
- St. Lawrence High School, Gulberg, Lahore
- St. Mary’s High School, Gujranwala