LAHORE, Pakistan (UCAN) -- Many priests in Muslim-majority Pakistan consider their efforts to obtain justice for the vulnerable Christian community a major challenge in their ministry.

Their difficulties will be among subjects discussed at the upcoming Asia-wide conference on "Caring for Priests -- Especially those in Difficult Situations," to be held Aug. 27-Sept. 1 in Pattaya, Thailand.

More than 60 archbishops and bishops from 11 Asian countries are scheduled to attend, including Archbishop Evarist Pinto of Karachi. The Office of Clergy of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences is conducting the seminar.

Several priests who spoke with UCA News about their main concerns cited working for an embattled Christian community, occasional misunderstanding among priests and with laity, and the handling of finances.

Pakistan is beset by political and socio-religious tensions, including attempts by Muslim militants to impose an intolerant version of Islam on this country of 157 million. Priests say discrimination and abuse of blasphemy laws, which severely punish vaguely defined insults to Prophet Muhammad or the Qur'an, are serious issues for them in their work.

Father John William, a parish priest in Rawalpindi diocese, said priests try to help victims of discrimination, which he sees as the biggest obstacle for Christians, since it leads to unemployment and related problems. He complained that even school-age Christian children are discriminated against.

Father Aftab James Paul, of Faisalabad diocese, holds the blasphemy laws responsible for insecurity among "non-Muslims" in their daily life. "They have become easy prey to this law, for which even compromise is not a solution," he said. Church leaders have long charged the laws are abused for personal gain.

Pakistan slid toward religious fundamentalism under the late president Muhammad Zia ul-Haq, who came to power in 1977. Islamic laws were introduced and blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad was made a capital crime.

According to Father Paul, who directs his diocese's Commission for Interfaith Dialogue, priests have to come to the forefront of the struggle against these "unjust laws," helping all people who fall afoul of them. "About 11 percent of those accused in 833 blasphemy cases from 1986 to 2006 were Christians, (including) 3 percent who were Catholics," he said.

For some, Church "politics" are also troubling.

Father Francis Anwar, of Hyderabad diocese, spoke of misunderstandings between diocesan and Religious priests, sometimes due to "jealousy and differences over personal opinion." He added that sometimes Religious "are restricted from making certain decisions by diocesan priests who prefer to follow their own charism."

On a more practical level, Father Anwar, 33, pointed to parish income vis-a-vis salaries, bills and maintenance as a common problem.

Father Ishaq Yaqoob, of Multan diocese, said priests in Pakistan "are challenged by splinter churches funded by foreigners who successfully attract lots of people to leave their Catholic faith and join other denominations."

Father Yaqoob, 42, also referred to certain misconceptions among people about local priests. "While early missionaries are highly respected and remembered for their services, people generally believe local priests favor their own relatives," he said. He acknowledged, however, that this could be true of "some priests." Allegations of priests involved in illicit relationships also hurt the image of local priests, he added.

According to Archbishop Pinto, 73, who will give the keynote address at the Thailand conference, "Priests in our country have to fight against discriminatory laws, poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, drugs, AIDS and so forth."

Talking with UCA News Aug. 23 by telephone from his southern archdiocese, the prelate also highlighted the great impact Western influence has had on the thinking of the Christian community, even the priests.

"Modern ideas and Western media have made our community materialistic, the same community upon which we depend to get the best people for religious formation," he said. This is one of the reasons, he continued, why there are controversies involving priests handling financial affairs.

The prelate, who has spent close to four decades as a priest, also expressed concern over priests seeking fame. "Trying to headline Christian publications and show off in snaps (photos) for the sake of publicity is an easy thing to do," rather than tackling more serious issues, he said.

In his view, priests need guidance to improve their relationship with the community.

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