A. Catholic Population
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As of Nov. 2009, Lahore archdiocese had a Catholic population of 377,000 representing 1.3 percent of all 27,000,000 people in the territory. The archdiocese had 26 parishes.
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People in the Diocese
Baptized Catholics: 377,000, or 1.3%
Members of other Christian denominations:
data not available
Followers of other religions (mostly Muslims, approximate):
26,000,000 or 96.3%
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B. Diocesan and Religious Priests
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Diocesan Priests: 24 (23 locals, 1 foreigner)
Religious Priests: 34
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C. Religious Brothers, Sisters
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Religious Brothers: 6 (3 final professed, 3 simple professed, all locals)
Religious Sisters: 315
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D. Lay Missionaries, Catechists
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Lay missionaries: 20
Catechists: 209 (salaried: 168, volunteers: 41)
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E. Seminaries, Houses of Formation
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Minor seminary: 1
Major seminary: 1
Houses of Formation and Retreat Centers: 31
Religious Houses (Men): 10
Religious Houses (Women): 21
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F. There are 26 parishes in the archdiocese
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Archbishop Lawrence Saldanha of Lahore (extreme left)
prays for the farmers and their crop |
Diocesan Activities and Organizations
A. Major Diocesan Commissions and Organizations
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Archdiocesan Family Life Commission
Phone: +92 42-36367335
Focolare Center
Phone: +92 42-35759189
Serra Club (Promotion of priestly vocation)
Phone: +92 42-36313325
Catholic Youth Ministry
Holy Childhood Society
Franciscan
Legion of Mary
Renewal Program Centers
Renewal Center, Lahore
Loyola Hall, Lahore
Dar-ul-Kalam (Religious Education Center), Lahore
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B. Catholic Educational Institutions
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| Students in Catholic schools in the archdiocese: |
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57,744 |
| Catholic students: |
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27,546 (13,167 male, 14,379 female) |
| Other Christian students: |
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5439 (2367 male, 3072 female) |
| Other students: |
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24,759 (12255 male, 12504 females) |
Statistics:
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Schools |
Students |
| Montessori / Nurseries |
2 |
Not available |
| Primary schools |
33 |
Not available |
| Middle schools |
7 |
Not available |
| High schools |
59 |
Not available |
| Higher secondary schools |
6 |
Not available |
| Technical |
1 |
Not available |
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C. Catholic Social Welfare
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Hospitals: 1
Dispensaries: 3
Homes for the mentally and physically challenged: 2
Home for polio affected: 1 (females)
Home for blind:1 (females)
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Devotees pray and burn candles at the National Marian
Shrine in Mariamabad, Pakistan Sept. 4-6, 2009. The
Marian shrine in Lahore archdiocese traditionally
draws several hundred thousand of Pakistan's 1.6
million Catholics, as well as some Muslims |
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Lahore cathedral parishioners visit residents
at Karishma House, a Church-run center for
mentally challenged poor people |
D. Social Communications
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There are 3 Catholic publications in the archdiocese
Catholic Naqib (Urdu bimonthly)
The Christian View (English weekly)
Hamjoli (Children's magazine)
Publications associations
Theological Institute of Laity
Email: map@maktabaanaveempakistan.org
Phone: +92 55-33265373
Website: www.maktabaanaveempakistan.org
Fatima Designing and Printing Press
Phone: +92 42-36368254
Communication associations
Catholic TV
Email: morisjalal@hotmail.com
Mobile No: +92 3004426615
Union of Catholic Asian News
Email: kamangle@hotmail.com
Phone: +92 42-37581652
St. Paul Communication Center
Email: pauline@beaconet.net
Phone: +92 42-36367039
Vatican Radio Urdu Service
Email: rabitamanzilpak@yahoo.com
WAVE (Workshop Audio Visual Education) Studio
Address: c/o Social Communication Center
Phone: +92 42-37581623
Email: wave@lhr.comsats.net.pk
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A blind man weaves a rug at Pakistan
Christian Blind Society in Lahore |
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The villagers rushed eagerly out of the Catholic school
compound when the Caritas truck arrived with materials
they needed to rebuild houses damaged by
monsoon rains and flooding |
E. Other Church Organizations and Associations
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Caritas Pakistan Lahore
Phone: +92 42-36369654
Email: cpl@lhr.comsats.net.pk
Website: www.caritaslahore.org
Caritas Pakistan National Secretariat
Phone: +92 42-36315584
Email: caritas@brain.net.pk
Email: caritaspakistan_red@yahoo.com
Catechists Commission
Email: mary@lhr.comsats.net.pk
Phone: +92 42-36372684
National Catechetical Commission
Email: nccp79@hotmail.com
Catholic Bible Commission Pakistan
Email: cbcp@nexlinx.net.pk, frasi@wol.net.pk
Catholic Youth Ministry
Email: cymtpk@yahoo.co.in
Justice and Peace Commission (MSLCP)
Email: jpcmslcp@hotmail.com
Website: www.jpc-mslcp.110mb.com
National Commission for Justice and Peace
Email: ncjppakistan@gmail.com
Email: ncjp@wol.net.pk
Phone: + 92 42-36668692
Website: www.ncjp.hypermart.net
Pakistan Catholic Women Organization
Phone: +92 42-36668692
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Students working at an automotive workshop at the
Don Bosco Technical and Youth Center in Lahore |
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Jesus and Mary Convent School (English section)
students who took part in the first girls'
basketball tournament in Pakistan |
Religious Congregations, Societies and Institutes
A. Religious Institutes of Men
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Order of Friars Minor Capuchins ~ OFM Cap.
Missionary society of St. Columban ~ SSC
Order of Preachers ~ OP
Order of Friars Minor ~ OFM
Institute of the Incarnate Word ~ IVE
Society of Jesus ~ SJ
Missionary Society of St. Paul ~ MSSP
Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate ~ OMI
Salesians of Don Bosco ~ SDB
Brothers of Charity ~ FC
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B. Religious Institutes of Women
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Apostolic Carmel ~ AC
Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary ~ SCJM
Daughters of St. Paul ~ FSP
Daughters of the Cross ~ FC
Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Sienna ~ OP
Dominicans of Malta ~ OP
Franciscan Missionaries of Mary ~ FMM
Franciscan Missionaries of Christ the King ~ FMCK
Religious of Good Shepherds ~ RGS
Holy Family ~ HF
Religious of Jesus and Mary ~ RJM
Franciscan Tertiary Sisters of Lahore ~ FTL
Missionaries of Charity ~ MC
St. John of God ~ SJG
Sisters of Charity of St. Jeanne Antide ~ SOC
Franciscan Sisters of the heart of Jesus ~ FCJ
Salvatorians ~ SDS
Missionaries of the Schools ~ OP
Medical Mission Sisters ~ MMS
Sisters of St. Joseph of Chambery ~ CSJ
Daughters of the Heart of Mary ~ DHM
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| General Characteristics of the Diocese
The Archdiocese of Lahore is a major Catholic Church territory in Punjab province and the oldest diocese in the country.
Topography
In a land area of around 23,069 square kilometers, the archdiocese covers the districts of Kasur, Sheikhupura, Nankana-Sahib, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Narowal and Hafizabad.
Climate
The territory is under an atypical version of a humid subtropical climate with long and extremely hot summers, dry and relatively mild winters, a monsoon and dust storms. Temperature ranges from 48 degrees Celsius in summer to minus 1 degrees Celsius in winters.
Language
Punjabi is the main language spoken. But a sizeable number of people speaks Urdu and English.
History
The first Roman Catholic chapel was constructed in Lahore in 1597 during Mughal Emperor Akbar. On the account of the letters received at Goa Christian Society by the Priests of Jesuit Christian Missions in 1595, Emperor Akbar had promised Jesuit Christian Priests the erection of the church.
Following the Emperor's invitation, three separate Christian Jesuit Missions were sent off to Lahore by the Goa authorities. The first mission comprising of three Christian priests stayed for three years till 1583 at the Court of Akbar. In 1592, on Emperor's urgent request, the second mission was sent which remained at Akbar's court for two years. The last mission arrived in Lahore in 1595 and became a permanent institution.
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Christian-Muslim leaders at the Badshahi Mosque
in Lahore, in January 2004 |
However, churches only began to be established in Lahore after advent of the British in 1840. The Catholic population of Lahore at that time was composed of the Europeans, mostly Portuguese, and the Armenians. They were mostly chaplains, members of the East India company and British soldiers. Portuguese at that time had occupied three colonies on the sub continent, including Goa.
Lahore was erected as the Vicariate Apostolic of Punjab in 1880 from Apostolic Vicariate of Agra. Belgian Capuchin prelates headed Lahore diocese from its erection in 1886 until 1975.
Often called "grandmother diocese" for the entire Punjab province, its boundaries underwent several changes during the later years thus giving birth to Islamabad Rawalpindi diocese and Multan diocese. The diocese of Faisalabad was created from Multan diocese.
On April 23, 1994, Lahore became an Archdiocese. Lahore is also Pakistan's second-largest city. Often referred to as the cultural heart of the country, it is the center of Pakistani arts, films and intelligentsia.
Other Helpful Information
The website of Lahore archdiocese is available at: www.archdioceselahore.org
< Last updated on: May 12, 2010 >
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