Bishop Indrias Rehmat has chosen Father Abid Tanvir, former vicar general of the diocese, as parish priest. Together with him, he appointed two catechists. The temple, which was inaugurated last year and is named after Saint Anthony, is also admired and visited by Muslims. The bishop invited us to “make this beautiful church stronger in spirituality.”
Okara () – The new Catholic church of Saint Anthony, in the district of Okara, southeast of Lahore, which was inaugurated in June last year with a day of celebration, now has a new parish priest and a dedicated work group to the pastoral care of the community. Bishop Indrias Rehmat elected Fr. Abid Tanvir, former vicar general of the diocese of Faisalabad, to replace Fr. Tahir Aziz, who in these 10 months launched the new place of worship and began the first works for the 500 Catholic families in the village of Antoniabad. The temple has already attracted the attention not only of Christians, but even of Muslims who live in the surrounding area and visit it to admire its beauty.
Together with the parish priest, the bishop has appointed two catechists: Babu Palous Boota and Babu Gulfam Nawab, called to strengthen the pastoral mission and nourish faith and community spirit. Hundreds of faithful received the appointments with joy and assured their full collaboration to the new parish priest and the two catechists. Upon their arrival, accompanied by Bishop Rehmat, they were received with garlands of flowers, gifts and songs of joy.
The new parish priest, Father Abid Tanvir, told his parishioners that he felt “immense happiness” for “the opportunity I have been given to serve in a Catholic village. In the diocese of Faisalabad there are four Catholic villages (Francisabad, Khushpur, Chak #6 Okara and Chak #10 Okara) and being parish priest of one of them – he continued – is a great responsibility. The priest spoke about the “devotion” of the inhabitants of Anthoniabad and added that it will be “my priority” to contribute to the bond between the Church and the faithful, increase their number and “strengthen” them in the faith with the sacraments. He then praised the role “of women,” whose presence is “vital” for the progress of the Church and, therefore, they must be helped to be “stronger and more spiritual.” “I assure you – he concluded – my total availability, and I ask you for your collaboration so that this Church continues to grow.”
Monsignor Rehmat, bishop of Faisalabad, invited the faithful to support the mission of the new parish priest and his collaborators, called to “make this beautiful Church stronger in spirituality“The church is a building – he recalled – and you have to make it the house of God. I have known Father Abid Tanvir for a long time and I have witnessed his loyalty and dedication” as vicar general of the diocese, he continued saying the prelate. That is why “I entrusted him with the mission” of being “the new parish priest of this church, to help his people – he concluded – to be more faithful and rich in spirituality.”
The church of Saint Anthony was inaugurated in June 2023, but the laying of the first stone took place in 2007 thanks to the commitment of the then bishop of Faisalabad, Bishop Joseph Coutts, and the parish priest Father Santiago Arcángel. The construction took 16 years, with the contribution of both the local community and the diocese of Faisalabad, in addition to a donation of more than 101 thousand euros from the Papal Foundation, an organization based in the United States that finances projects related to the Church. Catholic throughout the world.
