Pakistan diocese starts Year of Priests

(June 22, 2009) More than 20 priests of Pakistan’s Faisalabad diocese celebrated a special Mass on Friday in the city’s Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral to inaugurate the Year of Priests in the diocese. Fr. Rufin Anthony, Vicar General of Faisalabad, prepared a twenty page Urdu language booklet about importance of the priest’s year for the faithful, introducing them to the figure of French Saint John Mary Vianney, the patron of parish priests. During mass Fr. Aftab James Paul, diocesan director of interfaith commission, highlighted the importance of the year-long observance as well as suggested practical steps for the whole diocese during the year. Fr. Paul also highlighted the three points outlined by Pope Benedict XVI during the year, viz.: relentlessly seeking a solid union with Jesus; striving for sainthood; and, living a prayerful life. In the majority Muslim nation of 160 million, Pakistani priests who number less than 260, are entrusted with the care of over 1 million Catholics, or l.1% of the 160 million habitants. Fr. Khalid Rasheed, diocesan director of Faisalabad’s Youth Commission, noted that priests in Pakistan have a prophetic role of being missionaries. Pope Benedict who called for the Year of Priests launched the year-long celebration with a special vespers service in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome on Friday, June 19, the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests as well as the 150^th death anniversary of St. John Mary Vianney.