New Pakistan archbishop emphasizes social harmony between religions

Last updated on: February 17, 2014 at 10:56 pm by CNA Daily News

New Pakistan archbishop emphasizes social harmony between religions 2014-02-17T22:56:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Lahore, Pakistan, Feb 17, 2014 / 03:56 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The new Archbishop of Lahore, Pakistan, has asked people to pray that he has “courage and faith,” stressing the need for justice and respect between religions.

“There is not much peace in Pakistan,” Archbishop Sebastian Shaw told Aid to the Church in Need Feb. 10, ahead of his Feb. 14 installation.

He voiced his commitment to have more meetings with other faith leaders and to increase training programs for teachers, catechists, parents and women to help them learn about their rights and responsibilities.

“There is an urgent need for greater equality and social justice and for peace,” he added. “The Church should be a visible sign of our commitment to this and we can only move forward by lives of service.”

The Archdiocese of Lahore has as many as 600,000 Catholics, about half of all Catholics in Pakistan. Christians and other religious minorities, including Shiite Muslims and Ahmadiyya Muslims, suffer persecution, violence and discrimination in the country.

Archbishop Shaw said that interfaith cooperation, ecumenical dialogue and outreach through television are important in developing social harmony. He plans to launch a cable channel initiative called “Catholic TV Lahore” to broadcast 12 or more hours each day.

He said that people must “feel the need for peace.”

“They will see that peace comes when we have justice,” he stressed.

“What we need is to learn to respect one another – to realize that we are all Pakistanis, whether we are Muslims, Christians, Sikhs or Hindus.”

Archbishop Shaw, a Franciscan, has been the archdiocese’s apostolic administrator since Archbishop Lawrence Saldanha stepped down in 2011.

Archbishop Shaw was installed as head of the Lahore archdiocese at a Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral led by Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, the apostolic nuncio to Pakistan. All of Pakistan’s bishops attended.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has said that Pakistan should be classified as a Tier 1 “country of particular concern,” the worst category of offender against religious liberty. The commission’s 2013 report cited “chronic” sectarian and religiously motivated violence in the country, as well as the Pakistan government perpetrating and tolerating “systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of freedom of religion or belief.”

The predominantly Muslim country’s strict anti-blasphemy laws have led to death sentences for some Christians, including a mother of five named Asia Bibi, who remains in prison.

Controversy over the blasphemy law resulted in the 2011 assassinations of Punjab governor Salman Taseer and of Shahbaz Bhatti, a Catholic who was the national Minister for Minorities and the first Christian in the national cabinet.

Middle East - Africa

Previous Post

February 17, 2014

Be patient even in the midst of trials, Pope encourages

Next Post

February 18, 2014 Spain's pro-life bill hailed as growing European trend

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

I am an offering without defect, completely burned on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the Lord. What am I?

Select your answer to see how you score.

A grain offering A peace offering A burnt offering A sin offering