ASIA/PAKISTAN - Archbishop Shaw on the growth of parishes and mission stations in Punjab

by Paolo Affatato
Lahore (Agenzia Fides) - "We want to live our Christianity in Pakistan here and now, without fear and without concern. With the Gospel as our guide, the Church as our mother, the poor and the needy as our brothers and sisters", said Sebastian Francis Shaw OFM, Archbishop of Lahore on his Church's presence in Pakistan. In central Pakistan, two more parishes are to be erected by 2023, adding to the 30 already scattered throughout the archdiocese, which the Archbishop, speaking to Fides, sees as a "consoling sign".
"The life of the diocese", said the Archbishop, "starts from the idea of being increasingly present in the vast territory of Punjab. For this reason we are opening new parishes and, above all, we are creating new mission stations in the villages where we have built several chapels without a priest being present. This year I have blessed at least ten new chapels, because people want a small church close by where they can pray, receive the sacraments, hold meetings and have a place for community life".
"Even at the beginning of my pastoral activity as auxiliary bishop in 2009 - the Archbishop recalls - we carried out a study of the area on a social, economic and pastoral level. The study was based on geographical and demographic data. When I became archbishop in 2013 we realized that we have very large parishes, the distances between parishes are very large: especially in rural areas they can be more than 60 km, in an area that in some cases includes more than a hundred villages".
From this, a predetermined path emerges: "We said to ourselves: let's try to reduce the size of the parishes. For example, if we reduce the area of the parish to 50 villages, that makes the work of the catechists easier: if there are five catechists, each of them can take responsibility and pastoral care - then together with priests and religious - for 10 villages. The idea is to build a network of small chapels. A catechist will visit these chapels and the families in the area regularly. For this reason, in the last 10 years, we have been intensively involved in the vocation and spiritual growth of the catechists with a three-year formation program. Step by step, we now have 258 catechists in the diocese: we give them a small salary and they work full time for the diocese.The people in the villages feel the Word of God very closely".
According to Archbishop Shaw, "the fruit of this pastoral commitment is also the gift of vocations to the priesthood". "This year we have almost a hundred new seminarians. These young men are a gift, but also a responsibility that God entrusts to us," he emphasizes in this context.
The Archdiocese of Lahore has 580,000 Catholics out of a majority Muslim population of 33 million: "This is the fundamental fact of our presence: being Christians in an Islamic society
The path we follow for coexistence is that of dialogue and encounter: the compass is to live the commandment of Jesus, that is, to love God and neighbor. I must say that, in this approach, the initiative of 2019 , when Pope Francis visited Abu Dhabi, met with Islamic leaders and signed with Al-Azhar Imams the "Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Common Coexistence", also known as the name "Abu Dhabi Declaration", was very helpful. We translated it into Urdu and distributed it to civil and religious authorities, universities and schools. At the end of the text it is written that we, Christians and Muslims, believe in one God. We believe in God the Creator, we believe in the Last Judgment. We can be brothers and live in the world with an attitude of mutual acceptance and brotherhood. This document is still studied today in madrasas (Islamic schools), mosques and many Muslim communities. In the meantime, the Franciscan and Dominican friars in our area continue the dialogue. Today we see the fruits of these efforts: interreligious relations have improved. People treat us with respect. They understand that we are not against anyone and that we just want to follow the words of Jesus: Love one another".
In the life of the Christian community, according to the Archbishop, the area of access to education is important, "which for us is an old problem because in the past many Christians who were very poor did not have access to adequate educational paths. Today we have about 70 Catholic schools in the diocese where we cater to Catholic children, but also children of other religions. In recent years we have upgraded two institutes to colleges (high school), one for young men, one each for boys and girls. After their basic education, the children often have no chance to attend a secondary school, let alone a university. So we're trying to give them that opportunity". Last month I met high school students: 300 are enrolled in colleges and universities. This is a good first result for us. To help them, we have set up a scholarship program with the help of foreign donations. Some are studying to become doctors, computer scientists, lawyers or chemists", he remarks. In addition, attempts are being made to open small schools in rural areas where the families employed in the brick factories live. "We want to give the children of an educational opportunity. Christian children but also Muslims come to these small rural schools, which are completely free and aimed at poor people: this is how a harmonious society is built, starting with the children".
Catholics in Pakistan also face the country's social and political problems. "The Church does not interfere in politics, but moves in society with the power of prayer and asking God for the spirit of wisdom," explains the Archbishop. "We say to the faithful: let's not polarize, let's stand together for the good of society and support good leaders who work for the common good." "We are living through an economic crisis that is affecting people's lives, mainly through inflation," he laments, "the prices of basic necessities are rising, and this is a serious problem for the lives of ordinary people. Thanks to charities, we can continuously help the poorest and destitute. Today there are really many people. The economic crisis was compounded by the devastating effects of the 2022 floods, which affected two districts in a part of our diocese, has been exacerbated. Caritas carries out reconstruction and development programs: we have set up textile workshops for women to enable them to be self-sufficient and to contribute to the livelihood of their families".
All the activities, the Archbishop concludes, "take place in the spirit of synodality, both within the ecclesial communities and on the journey with the Muslim faithful and all people of good will". "We have the year 2023 at the diocesan level as the 'Year of Formation 'Vocation and Formation'", the Archbishop continues, "a journey to be made together with faith, hope and charity". "A journey that is based in particular on the testimony of the young Akash Bashir, who was killed while trying to protect the brothers and sisters of his Church from a terrorist attack. Last year, with the help of the Salesians, we officially opened the diocesan phase of the beatification process. brothers and sisters of his church from a terrorist attack. The Commission and the Tribunal are working hard, and that phase should be completed within this year. We know that the Lord is blessing our steps and that this experience will bear fruit in our community as well". (Agenzia Fides, 1/7/2023)

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