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Pakistan

Innovative Bishop Remembered At Memorial Mass

Updated: February 07, 2007 05:00 PM GMT
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The late Franciscan Bishop Bonaventure Paul is being remembered for his innovation, especially in inculturation and tribal mission work, which he continued even in death.

The prelate, who served as the first Pakistani bishop of Hyderabad diocese until he retired in 1990, died on Jan. 18. He was 77 and had been ill for many years due to cardiac problems.

Two Franciscan priests and Father Andrew Francis, vicar general of Lahore archdiocese, led the Feb. 2 memorial Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Lahore, 270 kilometers southeast of Islamabad. About 70 nuns and 12 priests working in Lahore archdiocese gathered for the Mass, which coincided with the feast of the presentation of Jesus in the temple.

The bishop "was a modern-day Simeon" because of how much he prayed and how hard he worked in the pastoral field, Father Sebastian Shah said in his homily. He described the prelate as "devoted to the priestly life and a strong promoter of tribal mission."

Saint Luke´s Gospel says Simeon was a righteous man to whom the Holy Spirit revealed that he would not die before he saw the Messiah. When Mary and Joseph presented Jesus in the temple, Simeon recognized him as the Messiah.

Bishop Paul took charge of Hyderabad diocese in April 1967 when, as a priest, he was appointed its apostolic administrator. He served as its bishop from his episcopal ordination in June 1971 until September 1990. He also served as national director of Caritas Pakistan for more than 10 years.

According to Father Shah, the late bishop was a strong believer in liturgical inculturation. When dealing with the Kachi Kohli, a Hindu tribe in Sindh province, where Hyderabad is located, he gave Communion to women in the hand instead of putting it in their mouths, "to avoid contrast of cultures." The priest explained that a Kachi Kohli groom puts sweets in the mouth of his bride at their wedding.

Bishop Paul invited missioners from many congregations for tribal mission work, Father Shah continued, naming the Columbans, Mill Hill Missioners, Holy Family Sisters, Medical Mission Sisters, Presentation Sisters, Oblates of Mary Immaculate and Congregation of the Holy Spirit and the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Spiritans) among these groups. The bishop also built schools, hospitals, dispensaries, hostels and churches for tribal people.

Bishop Paul served freely in tribal areas, even with opposition from local landlords, political leaders and influential persons in the Hindu community. According to Father Shah, these opponents feared that conversions to Christianity would produce "a subsequent reduction in their vote bank." Nonetheless, the priest credited five priestly vocations from tribal areas to the late bishop´s efforts, with "a few (more) are under formation."

In 1990, Bishop Paul became the first -- and he remains the only -- Pakistani bishop to retire, handing over diocesan responsibilities to Bishop Joseph Coutts, his coadjutor bishop for two years and the current bishop of Faisalabad diocese. Several other local bishops have died in office.

Father Emmanuel Asi, executive secretary of the Catholic Bible Commission Pakistan, highlighted the significance of Bishop Paul´s retirement. Seven foreign-missioner bishops had retired, he pointed out, but not a single local bishop had dared do so, he told UCA News.

"It was an important step," Father Asi said, because Bishop Paul continued his life and aided his successor, which cannot happen "if we wait until a prelate dies." He added that the late bishop became "a spiritual guru" in his retirement and helped resolve many clashes.

Father Asi recalled the elderly Bishop Paul traveling to the desert of Muzaffargarh, where dozens of Christian families were being evicted. "His presence made a lot of difference, energizing people and the local Church leadership there," the priest remarked.

Bishop Paul´s peacemaking presence also was crucial in a 1973 dispute between seminarians and professors in the country´s only major seminary, Christ the King Major Seminary in Karachi, Father Asi added.

Similarly, Peter Jacob, executive secretary of Catholic bishop´s National Commission for Justice and Peace, remembered his year working with the late bishop as "a pleasant experience." Bishop Paul was chairperson of the commission from 1998 to 1999.

It was a difficult time, Jacob said, after the commission´s previous head, Bishop John Joseph, shot himself on May 6, 1998, to protest a Christian´s conviction and death sentence for alleged blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad.

The commission was in need of someone who had the trust of the staff and administration, Jacob continued, noting that Bishop Paul made it independent in each diocese, with every bishop becoming chairman of the diocesan office.

Bishop Paul´s funeral Mass, held Jan. 19, was led by Archbishop Evarist Pinto of Karachi, at St. Patrick´s Cathedral in Karachi, the Sindh capital, with four bishops from other dioceses present. The late prelate had been ordained a priest in the same church in 1954. He was buried later that day.

"While other priests set aside their congregation, and stick to their diocese after becoming a bishop" Father Shah commented, "Bishop Paul remained faithful to his Franciscan order all his life." He had joined it in 1947.

Hyderabad´s first local bishop never wore bishop´s garb and was placed in the casket in his Franciscan habit Father Shah noted. Even in death Bishop Paul was innovative, he told UCA News.

END

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