Pakistan Church bids farewell to retired Archbishop Lawrence Saldanha

(June 13, 2011) Hundreds of Catholic clergy and laypeople in Pakistan attended a thanksgiving Mass on Saturday for retired Archbishop Lawrence Saldanha of Lahore. More than 500 Catholics and all the diocese’s 58 priests attended a concelebrated Mass at Lahore’s Sacred Heart Cathedral, presided over by Apostolic Nuncio to Pakistan, Archbishop Edgar Pena Perra. Archbishop Saldanha retired on April 7 this year, after heading Lahore archdiocese for almost 10 years. Speakers paid tribute to the retired prelate who “strongly supported inter-religious harmony and dialogue during a decade of the ‘war on terror’.” They recalled major instances of Christian persecution, all in Punjab province, under his tenure of office, including the assassination of Catholic federal minister for minorities Shahbaz Bhatti on March 2, this year. The nuncio acknowledged “the difficult circumstances” and also assured the faithful of his prayers and support. Among several offices that Archbishop Saldanha held was the presidency of the Federation of Asian Bishop’s Conference and chairmanship of Radio Veritas.