‘Small flock challenged to be Leaven and Salt’
LAHORE, Pakistan (UCAN) — The head of the Catholic Church in Pakistan says the local Church exercises prudence in its mission work, focusing primarily on service in the predominantly Muslim country.
Archbishop Lawrence J. Saldanha of Lahore, president of the Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference, recently attended the Asian Mission Congress, held Oct. 18-22 in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The congress was organized by the FABC and centered on the theme “The Story of Jesus in Asia: A Celebration of Faith and Life.” The Pakistani delegation of 14 also included Bishop Max John Rodrigues of Hyderabad and priest representatives from all dioceses.
Archbishop Saldanha spoke to UCA News on what mission means in Pakistan. He also commented on his experience in the congress. The interview follows:
What is mission work like in Pakistan?
ARCHBISHOP LAWRENCE J. SALDANHA: In Sindh province the Church is working among tribal people through direct evangelization among various Hindu castes like Kohlis, Bheels, Marvaris, etc. In big cities like Lahore and Karachi, we bear our witness to Christ through indirect work in schools, hospitals and social work.
Radio Veritas Asia is a very good means to promote Gospel values and the message of Christ. Non-Muslims listen to its programs and discover important points of faith. Thus it is a direct evangelization, not to mention our only source, since the policies of our country do not permit the direct use of television for evangelization. While other countries can use television and radio, we live in a different situation — and have to be very careful at the moment.
How can the Church in Pakistan share Christ with Muslims?
We can witness our Christian values of love, honesty, truth and forgiveness by mixing with Muslims in our daily life.
In the case of Sangla Hill, Muslims greatly admired our Christian patience when the peace treaty was signed on Jan. 5, 2006, between Christian and Muslim parties after the Nov. 12, 2005, incident when a mob attacked the Presbyterian and Catholic churches, two chapels, a convent, a dispensary, two parish houses, a girl’s school and four Christian homes (in and near the town of Sangla Hill).
Thus we can share living witness in times of trouble by not taking revenge and showing mercy.
The Christian community in Pakistan is going through a time of trial and testing. They form a tiny minority, a “little flock.” Far from withdrawing into a ghetto in the face of persecutions and oppositions, they are challenged to be leaven and salt in society.
What do you appreciate about Muslims in Pakistan?
The majority of Muslims are moderate individuals, very gentle and polite. However, there are some fanatics who consider Christians as low caste and do not eat from the same plate. Militant groups like Jamaat-e-Islami and Lashkar- e-Taiba have an exaggerated idea of Islam. These extremists and fundamentalists do not listen to others and are difficult to deal with. The same groups produce suicide bombers and bring a bad name to Islam and Pakistan.
Does the concept of jihad encourage this?
Jihad means to struggle for an Islamic way of life. The noble principal is, however, now taken to an extreme level. Actually it comes against ignorance, social evils, disease, drugs, AIDS, pollution, etc.
What practices or traditions in Pakistani culture can be used to express the Gospel?
Our music is rich and is the best part of the culture. Our folk music and qawwali (Sufi devotional singing that involves skillful repetition of a verse to the accompaniment of hand clapping and small drums) are the best means to present the Gospel. Muslims also have a deep interest in calligraphy, but they do not like dance or painting.
How does the Catholic Church in Pakistan promote mission work?
Missiology is taught in Christ the King Seminary in Karachi. We have some priests who are scholars in Islam. From the practical point of view, interreligious dialogue is an important source through which we can find important points about our faith and life.
How relevant is an event like the Asian Mission Congress to the local Church?
It was the largest gathering of Asian Catholics ever. The sharing of faith stories from different countries was most moving and inspiring. It was nice to see their representatives celebrating the Christian faith in a common Asian context.
The gathering of the best minds and experiences from Asia encouraged us to see how each Church sees its mission as they (local Catholics) find ways, in different situations, to build a local Asian Church. It was a unique and unforgettable occasion to celebrate our faith. The inspiration has given us a new zeal to carry our mission of Christ in the local Church of a Muslim- dominated country.
What did Pakistani delegates contribute at the AMC?
Our theme was the same — to tell the story of Jesus in Asia, how the Christians and missions have done it through centuries and where we are going. Our members participated actively in the workshops, telling about the Church contribution in a Muslim-dominated country through hospitals and schools.
We displayed maps of our dioceses that indicated all churches as well as a population census of both Christian and Muslims. Also there were posters, albums and reports of diocesan programs such as Mission Sunday, Holy Childhood Day, pamphlets of the Pontifical Mission Societies, etc. Personally, I brought some CDs, audio and video, produced by WAVE (Workshop on Audio-Visual Education) studio, the Church’s national audiovisual center.
What do you see as the future of mission in Pakistan?
The Church in Pakistan will perform its duty to tell the story of Jesus and wake up people to their responsibilities to witness and share Christ with others. It will always continue its service through education, health and social work, no matter how dangerous the situation is. The majority of Christians here are poor and the least educated, yet they are strong in faith.
Discussion
No comments for “Pakistan”