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Archdiocese of Lahore's History
In 1880 the Vicariate of the Punjab was erected by separation from the Vicariate of Hindustan, and was placed under the care of the Italian Capuchin Fathers. This Vicariate, with the establishment of the Hierarchy in India in 1886, was elevated to a diocese with the Episcopal see at Lahore, and made suffragan to the Archdiocese of Agra. Two years later it was entrusted to the Belgian Province of the Capuchin Order.
During the years the boundaries of the diocese underwent several changes, as various areas were detached:
- 1887: The Rawalpindi Division and the State of Kashmir were taken away to form a Prefecture Apostolic of Rawalpindi.
- 1910: Certain western districts were ceded to the newly formed Archdiocese of Dehli/Simla, which became in 1913 the Metropolitan of Lahore.
- 1936: The Division of Multan, some adjacent districts and the State of Bahawalpur were detached to form the Prefecture Apostolic of Multan.
- 1938: Two districts adjoining the prefecture Apostolic of Rawalpindi were joined to it.
- 1952: After the partition in 1947 the Indian portion of the diocese was taken away to form a Prefecture Apostolic with headquarters at Jullunder, while the State of Jammu went into the formation of the Prefecture Apostolic of Kashmir.
On April 23, 1994 Lahore became an Archdiocese.
The Archdiocese of Lahore comprises the following civil boundaries: The whole of Lahore Division with the Districts of Lahore, Kasur, Sheikhupura and Nankana-Sahib. In the Gujranwala Division, the Districts of Gujranwala, Sialkot, Narowal and Hafizabad.
Courtesy: The Catholics Church in Pakistan, Directory 2018
Bishop(s)
Suffragan Dioceses | General Information
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Historical Details
- Diocese of Lahore
- Latin Name: Lahorensis
- Erected: 1 September 1886
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Karachi
- Country: Pakistan
Past and Present Ordinaries
- Symphorien Charles-Jacques Mouard (Monard), O.F.M. Cap. † (10 Aug 1888 Appointed – 14 Jul 1890 Died)
- Emmanuel Alfonso van den Bosch, O.F.M. Cap. † (21 Nov 1890 Appointed – 2 May 1892 Appointed, Archbishop of Agra)
- Godefroid Pelckmans, O.F.M. Cap. † (2 Jun 1893 Appointed – 3 Aug 1904 Died)
- Fabien Antoine Eestermans, O.F.M. Cap. † (11 Apr 1905 Appointed – 17 Dec 1925 Resigned)
- Hector Catry, O.F.M. Cap. † (28 Mar 1928 Appointed – 4 Jul 1946 Resigned)
- Marcel Roger Buyse, O.F.M. Cap. † (12 Jun 1947 Appointed – 12 Mar 1967 Retired)
- Felicissimus Alphonse Raeymaeckers, O.F.M. Cap. † (12 Mar 1967 Succeeded – 10 Jul 1975 Resigned)
- Armando Trindade † (10 Jul 1975 Appointed – 31 Jul 2000 Died)
- Lawrence John Saldanha (24 Apr 2001 Appointed – 7 Apr 2011 Retired)
- Sebastian Francis Shaw, O.F.M. (14 Nov 2013 Appointed – )
Historical Summary
| Date | Event | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diocese of Lahore | |||
| 1 September 1886 | Erected | Vicariate Apostolic of Punjab | Diocese of Lahore (erected) |
| 6 July 1887 | Territory Lost | Diocese of Lahore | Prefecture Apostolic of Kafiristan e Kashmir (erected) |
| 13 September 1910 | Territory Lost | Archdiocese of Agra (Simla, Ambala, Hissar, Karnal, Patiala, Nakha, Jind, Loharu, and Maler Kotla) Diocese of Lahore (Mandi, Suket, Kulu, Lahul, and Spiti) | Archdiocese of Simla (erected) |
| 22 May 1913 | Metropolitan Changed | Diocese of Lahore (from Agra to Simla) | |
| 17 December 1936 | Territory Lost | Diocese of Lahore (Dera Ghazi Khan with Buoch Trans Frontier, Muzaffargarth, Jhang, Multan, Montgomery, Lyalpur, Dera Ismail Khan, along with Bhajákar and Bahawalpur) | Prefecture Apostolic of Multan (erected) |
| 13 December 1938 | Territory Lost | Diocese of Lahore (Shahpur and Gujrat along with Pind-Dadan-Khan) | Prefecture Apostolic of Kafiristan e Kashmir |
| 15 July 1950 | Metropolitan Changed | Diocese of Lahore (from Delhi and Simla) | |
| 17 January 1952 | Territory Lost | Diocese of Lahore (Jammu) | Prefecture Apostolic of Jullundur (erected) |
| 17 January 1952 | Territory Lost | Diocese of Lahore (Jammu) Diocese of Rawalpindi (Kashmir) | Prefecture Apostolic of Kashmir and Jammu (erected) |
| Archdiocese of Lahore | |||
| 23 April 1994 | Elevated | Diocese of Lahore | Archdiocese of Lahore |
Statistics
| Year | Catholics | Total Population | Percent Catholic | Diocesan Priests | Religious Priests | Total Priests | Catholics Per Priest | Permanent Deacons | Male Religious | Female Religious | Parishes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diocese of Lahore | ||||||||||||
| 1950 | 78,429 | 15,000,000 | .5% | 2 | 40 | 42 | 1,867 | 5 | 102 | ap1951 | ||
| 1970 | 156,240 | 6,448,575 | 2.4% | 8 | 42 | 50 | 3,124 | 58 | 168 | ap1971 | ||
| 1980 | 166,000 | 10,371,000 | 1.6% | 13 | 44 | 57 | 2,912 | 59 | 168 | 21 | ap1981 | |
| 1990 | 425,603 | 2,025,000 | 21.0% | 20 | 33 | 53 | 8,030 | 76 | 202 | 25 | ap1991 | |
| Archdiocese of Lahore | ||||||||||||
| 1999 | 505,883 | 22,000,000 | 2.3% | 30 | 31 | 61 | 8,293 | 90 | 214 | 25 | ap2000 | |
| 2000 | 511,226 | 23,000,000 | 2.2% | 30 | 31 | 61 | 8,380 | 90 | 214 | 25 | ap2001 | |
| 2001 | 514,226 | 23,500,000 | 2.2% | 29 | 43 | 72 | 7,142 | 102 | 223 | 25 | ap2002 | |
| 2002 | 550,000 | 23,030,000 | 2.4% | 32 | 37 | 69 | 7,971 | 1 | 52 | 203 | 26 | ap2003 |
| 2003 | 560,463 | 24,000,000 | 2.3% | 32 | 15 | 47 | 11,924 | 1 | 29 | 197 | 25 | ap2004 |
| 2004 | 570,000 | 25,000,000 | 2.3% | 30 | 42 | 72 | 7,916 | 58 | 215 | 24 | ap2005 | |
| 2013 | 412,000 | 27,582,000 | 1.5% | 31 | 39 | 70 | 5,885 | 69 | 561 | 27 | ap2014 | |
| 2016 | 389,000 | 29,328,000 | 1.3% | 31 | 42 | 73 | 5,328 | 141 | 558 | 27 | ap2017 | |
| 2019 | 581,100 | 31,101,400 | 1.9% | 42 | 57 | 99 | 5,869 | 130 | 490 | 29 | ap2020 | |
| 2021 | 581,000 | 32,294,485 | 1.8% | 36 | 50 | 86 | 6,755 | 96 | 453 | 30 | ap2022 | |
| 2023 | 582,900 | 33,533,250 | 1.7% | 37 | 51 | 88 | 6,623 | 85 | 404 | 30 | ap2024 | |
Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.
Affiliated Bishops, Living
- Joseph Arshad (Priest: 1 Nov 1991 to 3 Jul 2013)
- Joseph Coutts (Priest: 9 Jan 1971 to 5 May 1988)
- Lawrence John Saldanha (Priest: 16 Jan 1960; Archbishop: 24 Apr 2001 to 7 Apr 2011)
- Sebastian Francis Shaw, O.F.M. (Auxiliary Bishop: 14 Feb 2009; Archbishop: 14 Nov 2013)
- Benny Mario Travas (Apostolic Administrator: 15 Aug 2024)
Affiliated Bishops, Deceased
- Marcel Roger Buyse, O.F.M. Cap. † (Bishop: 12 Jun 1947 to 12 Mar 1967)
- Hector Catry, O.F.M. Cap. † (Bishop: 28 Mar 1928 to 4 Jul 1946)
- Fabien Antoine Eestermans, O.F.M. Cap. † (Bishop: 11 Apr 1905 to 17 Dec 1925)
- Symphorien Charles-Jacques Mouard (Monard), O.F.M. Cap. † (Bishop: 10 Aug 1888 to 14 Jul 1890)
- Godefroid Pelckmans, O.F.M. Cap. † (Bishop: 2 Jun 1893 to 3 Aug 1904)
- Felicissimus Alphonse Raeymaeckers, O.F.M. Cap. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 5 Aug 1963; Coadjutor Bishop: 29 Sep 1966; Bishop: 12 Mar 1967 to 10 Jul 1975)
- Armando Trindade † (Auxiliary Bishop: 5 Jul 1973; Bishop: 10 Jul 1975; Archbishop: 23 Apr 1994 to 31 Jul 2000)
- Emmanuel Alfonso van den Bosch, O.F.M. Cap. † (Bishop: 21 Nov 1890 to 2 May 1892)