St. Lawrence’s Church, Karachi
Encyclopedia
St. Lawrence’s Church, Karachi is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi. It became a parish in 1912.
The Church was constructed with elements of Mughal architecture in it.
Lawrence Cajetan Duarte donated the life-size statue of the patron saint which was ordered from Rome in 1930. The church was built by parishioners through personal contributions (1903 – 1929), and formally opened on August 10, 1931. The first High Mass was offered in 1929 without roof and doors and people brought their own stools and chairs.
Twenty-nine (29) sons and sixteen (16) daughters having dedicated their lives in the service of the Church, including one Cardinal, two archbishops and three bishops.
The parish has produced more than 70 doctors, numerous educationists and entrepreneurs, and houses 11 Religious Orders, 5 Homes for the Aged and Orphans, and the only Dispensary for the poor in the archdiocese.
The parish is also home to the St. Lawrence's Boys School
. The school was founded in 1950 by Fr. Victorino Fernandes who was then the Parish Priest. The school began in the parlour of the Parish House.
The parish also houses the St. Lawrence’s Girls School
, and a Blood Donors' Directory. The parish was also responsible for the St Lawrence’s Girls College which was nationalised in 1972. In 2001 the Sindh Education Department announced that the old premises of the college would be handed back to the church.
In 1964, Monsignor Athanasius Moniz was the parish priest. Fr. Canisius Mascarenhas was parish priest in 1978. Fr Evarist Pinto
was Parish Priest of St. Lawrence Church 1987-1993. Fr. Anthony D'Cruz came to St. Lawrence's Parish in 1997 as assistant parish priest and later became the parish priest until 2001 with Fr. Mario Rodrigues as assistant.
In 2004, Fr Robert D’Silva
was the parish priest. Fr. Jimmy deSouza
was the parish priest from October 2006 to June 2007. Fr Norbert Mendonca was the parish priest in 2007-08.
In 1995 the parish took the lead in promoting liturgical music when Sister Joyce Correa and parishioner David Braganza started organ classes in a modest way with a single electric organ and five pupils and now have 30 students. The success of the program has resulted in their music filling other parishes such as Saint Jude
’s and Saint Patrick
’s churches.
St. Lawrence’s parish is also home to a small community of Little Brothers of Jesus
a Catholic religious order for men.
The parish also played host to the 9th Annual Carnival of Carols - a festival of singing Christmas songs, in December 2008.
For more than 40 years, a muslim man Dadh Mohammad served as the church watchman and in later years doubled as the Sacristan.
The Archbishop comes to St. Lawrence’s every August 10 to celebrate the feast of the patron of the parish.
The Church was constructed with elements of Mughal architecture in it.
Lawrence Cajetan Duarte donated the life-size statue of the patron saint which was ordered from Rome in 1930. The church was built by parishioners through personal contributions (1903 – 1929), and formally opened on August 10, 1931. The first High Mass was offered in 1929 without roof and doors and people brought their own stools and chairs.
Twenty-nine (29) sons and sixteen (16) daughters having dedicated their lives in the service of the Church, including one Cardinal, two archbishops and three bishops.
The parish has produced more than 70 doctors, numerous educationists and entrepreneurs, and houses 11 Religious Orders, 5 Homes for the Aged and Orphans, and the only Dispensary for the poor in the archdiocese.
The parish is also home to the St. Lawrence's Boys School
St. Lawrence's Boys School
St. Lawrence’s Boys' School in Karachi, Pakistan is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi.-History:In January 1936 a school was founded by the Sisters of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary with 115 male and female students. Mother Mary Britwald was its first Principal. In 1950 this was...
. The school was founded in 1950 by Fr. Victorino Fernandes who was then the Parish Priest. The school began in the parlour of the Parish House.
The parish also houses the St. Lawrence’s Girls School
St. Lawrence’s Girls School, Karachi
St. Lawrence's Girls School in Karachi Pakistan is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi.-History:The school was founded in January 1936 by the Sisters of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary with 115 male and female students...
, and a Blood Donors' Directory. The parish was also responsible for the St Lawrence’s Girls College which was nationalised in 1972. In 2001 the Sindh Education Department announced that the old premises of the college would be handed back to the church.
In 1964, Monsignor Athanasius Moniz was the parish priest. Fr. Canisius Mascarenhas was parish priest in 1978. Fr Evarist Pinto
Evarist Pinto
Evarist Pinto is the current Archbishop of Karachi, Pakistan.-Education:He received his religious training at the Christ the King seminary in Karachi, where he was ordained a priest on 6 January 1968. He also had a doctorate in theology...
was Parish Priest of St. Lawrence Church 1987-1993. Fr. Anthony D'Cruz came to St. Lawrence's Parish in 1997 as assistant parish priest and later became the parish priest until 2001 with Fr. Mario Rodrigues as assistant.
In 2004, Fr Robert D’Silva
Robert D’Silva
Robert D'Silva was born in Karachi, Pakistan. He attended St Patrick's High School, Karachi where he was a classmate of BJP President L.K. Advani. He studied theology in Shillong from 1934 and was ordained a priest in 1942....
was the parish priest. Fr. Jimmy deSouza
James deSouza
James “Jimmy” deSouza was born on December 11, 1925, in Karachi, Pakistan. He was educated at St Patrick's High School, Karachi. He received his religious training at the Papal Seminary, Kandy, Sri Lanka, which entered in 1944 and was ordained a priest of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi...
was the parish priest from October 2006 to June 2007. Fr Norbert Mendonca was the parish priest in 2007-08.
In 1995 the parish took the lead in promoting liturgical music when Sister Joyce Correa and parishioner David Braganza started organ classes in a modest way with a single electric organ and five pupils and now have 30 students. The success of the program has resulted in their music filling other parishes such as Saint Jude
St. Jude's Church
St. Jude's Church in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi, is situated in North Nazimabad in Karachi, Pakistan.-History:In 1951 Gabriel Indrias did a survey of 25 Catholic families living across the Lyari River from the Portiuncula Friary. Fr. Edouald OFM was the first parish priest...
’s and Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick's Cathedral, Karachi
St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi, is situated on Shahrah-e-Iraq, formerly known as Clarke Street, located near the Empress Market in Karachi, Pakistan....
’s churches.
St. Lawrence’s parish is also home to a small community of Little Brothers of Jesus
Little Brothers of Jesus
The Little Brothers of Jesus is a religious congregation of brothers within the Catholic Church; it is inspired by the life and writings of Blessed Charles de Foucauld...
a Catholic religious order for men.
The parish also played host to the 9th Annual Carnival of Carols - a festival of singing Christmas songs, in December 2008.
For more than 40 years, a muslim man Dadh Mohammad served as the church watchman and in later years doubled as the Sacristan.
The Archbishop comes to St. Lawrence’s every August 10 to celebrate the feast of the patron of the parish.