ASIA/PAKISTAN - New church dedicated to Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, in an area where poor families live

Monday, 26 January 2015

Faisalabad (Agenzia Fides) - The Catholic community in Pakistan rejoices for the consecration of a new church dedicated to Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross in Pansara, in the diocese of Faisalabad, in Punjab Pakistan. This was reported to Agenzia Fides by Fr. Emmanuel Parvez, pastor in Pansara, a town 25 km from Faisalabad, reporting that the celebration of consecration was presided over by the Bishop of Faisalabad, His Exc. Mgr. Joseph Arshad, on 17 January.
As reported to Fides, Fr. Parvez had bought four acres of land about three years ago to accommodate one hundred and four poor and homeless families, mostly workers in the territory of Punjab. Thanks to the help of the Italian Episcopal Conference, a few housing units were built that can accommodate more than two hundred families, mostly Christians.
"Therefore there was a need to build a church, dedicated to Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) in that area", explains the priest to Fides, thanks to the support of the organization of Pontifical Right "Aid to the Church in Need". Bishop Arshad came to consecrate the church with joy praising the efforts of the local community: the faithful said they were "very proud and happy of the new church". Mgr. Arshad stressed "the importance of the spiritual formation of the community".
The plan of the community in Pansera has not finished: in a second stage "they want to free these families who live a life of slavery and misery". Finally, the priest told Fides, "we want to give them the tools and the possibility to work and earn their own bread with dignity and freedom". (PA) (Agenzia Fides 26/01/2015)


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