ASIA/PAKISTAN - Have open horizons, as men of learning and of the Lord, following the example of St. Francis Xavier

Lahore (Agenzia Fides) - On the occasion of the feast of St. Francis Xavier, Patron of the Missions, the students of St. Francis Xavier Regional Seminary in Lahore organized on December 3 the celebration of the Holy Mass which was presided by Father Emmanuel Asi and concelebrated by 9 priests. In a note sent to Agenzia Fides, Father Mustaq Anjum, the first Camillian who was recently ordained a priest in Pakistan, said that the celebration served to remind the seminarians to keep their horizons open and to be men of learning and serve the Lord, just as St. Francis Xavier did. The day was also attended by the seminarians of other religious congregations, male and female, including the Sisters of the Holy Family, the Medical Mission Sisters, Dominican Sisters, the missionaries of the Society of St. Paul and the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI). The St. Francis Xavier Regional Seminary in Lahore is home to the seminarians enrolled in the two-year course in philosophy and the annual spiritual formation. Before its inauguration and blessing on behalf of Cardinal Josef Tomko, which took place on December 2, 1994, the seminarians studied philosophy at Christ the King Major Seminary in Karachi. Later, since the students increased, the Bishops decided to move to Lahore. This year there are 41 students: in addition to diocesan seminarians, the religious congregations will send novices to study philosophy. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 06/12/2011)