First Catholic Parish in Qatar Consecrated

(16 Mar 08 -RV) Thousands of worshippers gathered yesterday for the consecration of the first Catholic church in the Gulf state of Qatar. The envoy of Pope Benedict XVI and the Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, Cardinal Ivan Dias, presided at the ceremony, and presented the church with a chalice offered by the Holy Father and a relic of Saint Padre Pio. Irene Lagan has this report…