Worldpriest recently received an account of the highly impressive participation in the Worldpriest Annual Global Rosary Relay for the Sanctification of Priests, held all around the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The account was sent to us by the Worldpriest representative for Pakistan, Naveed Anjum and Rev Fr Nazar Nawab, Parish Priest of St. Paul’s Parish of Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi. It was a truly astonishing contribution from a country where Christianity is very much a minority religion in that huge, predominantly Islamic state.
No less than forty-seven prayer locations joined in prayer – twenty-four from the Archdiocese of Karachi, one from the Archdiocese of Lahore, five from the Diocese of Faisalabad, six from the Diocese of Hyderabad and eleven from the Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi. There was also a significant, planned participation from the Way of the Sacred Heart, a lay organisation, led by Mr Christopher Zahid.
This year Catholic Christians in metropolitan, cantonment, urban and desert areas of Pakistan participated in this unique worldwide prayer meeting with the help of our local parish priests and social media. Good News Web TV, Catholic TV and many more Facebook live broadcasting arrangements were made on that day. The Urdu newspaper Agahi News of the archdiocese of Karachi also published a comprehensive report of this unique prayer event.
A special prelude evening of prayer the night before the Rosary Relay began was held on Thursday, 27 June in the church of St John Marie Vianney in Karachi, at which the prayer by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI (written specially for the Worldpriest Annual Global Rosary Relay) was recited, following a special ribbon-cutting ceremony. The Luminous Mysteries were prayed at this prelude to the Rosary Relay and a Mass was then celebrated, by Rev Fr Nazar Nawab, with the prayer intention being for a great and successful Rosary Relay in Pakistan on Global Rosary Relay Day.
In total over half a million Catholics took part around the country, representing a huge proportion of the total Catholic population of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
The incredible success and the level of enthusiasm with which the people of Pakistan embraced the relay on its tenth anniversary, is an example to all of us, showing us that where there is determination and superb organisation, truly outstanding results can be achieved. This is a great challenge now being presented to all current and future participating prayer locations. It can be done. Let us all rise up prayerfully for 19 June 2020 and go all out in prayer for Our Lady and her Rosary Relay for all her priests.
We congratulate all those people who made Pakistan such a shining beacon of faith through this exceptional effort, along with all the clergy and Bishop of the Diocese of Hyderabad. HE Samson Shukardin, Rev Fr Nasir William of the Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi, and Rev Fr Bonie Mended of the Diocese of Faisalabad. This well-deserved award is being given in a heartfelt tribute to all those wonderful people who assisted in bringing about this resounding success. The award presentation date with Holy Mass celebration details will be announced shortly.
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