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Pakistani Capuchin named new bishop of Quetta
Khalid Rehmat is the first Pakistani Capuchin priest to be named a bishop in the country
Capuchin Father Khalid Rehmat, who edited Lahore Archdiocese s bimonthly magazine Catholic Naqeeb, was appointed bishop of Quetta on Jan. 1. (Photo supplied)
Pope Francis has named Capuchin Father Khalid Rehmat as the new vicar apostolic of Quetta in Pakistan s restive Balochistan province.
The Vatican announced the appointment on Jan. 1, making some local Catholics call it a New Year gift from Pope Francis.
Catholics worldwide took to social media to congratulate the bishop-elect.
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A year of conversions and coronavirus in Pakistan
Let s hope 2021 brings more good news for our country and a cure for the pandemic of prejudice
Arzoo Raja is escorted to Sindh High Court in Karachi on Nov. 9. (Photo: Nadim Bhatti)
What an experience 2020 has been. While much of the world came to a stop at times during the pandemic, the Pakistan Church continued the battle against blasphemy and forced conversions.
The walls of Sacred Heart Cathedral in Lahore share the highlights of this year’s long struggles.
“Wear a mask, save yourself and others” and “We strongly condemn the kidnapping of 13-year-old Arzoo [Raja] and her forceful conversion and marriage to a 44-year-old person” state the banners at its entrance. Other banners express solidarity with Muslim siblings in condemning the blasphemous statements by French President Emmanuel Macron and atrocities in Kashmir.
Catholics mourn Sri Lankan bishop who founded Pakistan vicariate
Bishop Gnanapragasam will be buried in the apostolic prefecture of Quetta on Dec. 15
Bishop Victor Gnanapragasam (standing) with Sharafat Sharif and Father Renald Lawrence planting a tree at the bishop’s house in Quetta. (Photo: Sharafat Sharif)
Prayers have been offered in Catholic churches across Pakistan for the late Sri Lankan missionary bishop who founded the apostolic prefecture of Quetta.
Bishop Victor Gnanapragasam died aged 80 on Dec. 12. His funeral will be held on Dec. 15 at Holy Rosary Cathedral in Quetta.
“Despite facing challenges of language and culture, he served in a challenging region and headed the Catholic bishops Commission for Catechetics from 2006 to 2010. We are very sad. It is a very big loss,” Archbishop Sebastian Shaw of Lahore told UCA News.