DIOCESE OF MULTAN
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Multan is a Latin Church diocese in Pakistan, located in the southern Punjab, covering an area of 100,705 square kilometers and encompassing the Multan Division and parts of Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan Divisions. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Multan is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Pakistan.The diocese is located in the southern Punjab in a central part of Pakistan. The total population of the diocese is about 7.5 million, out of which Christians are about 200,000.The diocese of Multan covers an area of 100,705 km² and comprises the following civil boundaries.In the Multan Division, the districts of Multan, Vehari, Khanewal and Lodhran.In the Bahawalpur Division, the districts of Bahawalnagar, Bahawalnagar and Rahim Yar Khan. In the Dera Ghazi Khan Division the districts of Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh, Layyah and Rajanpur.The diocese is also home to the Pastoral Institute of Multan.The diocese has special institutions like Umeed Gah (Day Care Centre for Mentally Handicapped Children), Caritas Pakistan Multan, Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace, and Catholic Board of Education.The diocese's mission is to share and proclaim Christ through spiritual and physical means in Southern Punjab, almost in the central part of Pakistan.The Holy Redeemer Cathedral, about 1,000 Catholics gathered to watch the official inauguration of the Padre Pio Health Centre on the cathedral grounds.Besides the usual liturgical events, the cathedral hosts national and international events. On 6 June 2008, about 120 priests, nuns, youth leaders and other laypeople from Multan diocese's 18 parishes attended the local Catholic Church's first Diocesan Mission Congress (DMC).Pastoral Institute of Multan established in 1971 as a catechetical-pastoral training body, the institute has since developed into a multifunctional center. The staff includes two foreign Dominicans and three lay people, two of them women.The institute has a 12-member board of directors: the Catholic Bishop of Multan, director of the Pastoral Institute; the Bishop of the Church of Pakistan in Multan; four representatives of other Christian institutions involved in lay formation; two members appointed by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Multan; a nominee of the Dominican vice provincial and two members co-opted by the chairperson.Although a diocesan institution, the pastoral institute serves the church more at the national level than at the local level.
There are 3 Major Catholic Mission sites in Diocese of Multan.
The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) in the Catholic Diocese of Multan, Pakistan, is a human rights body established by the Pakistan Catholic Bishops Conference in 1985, focusing on the rights of marginalized groups, particularly religious minorities, women, and children, through advocacy and awareness campaigns.The CCJP works to promote human rights, justice, and peace, particularly for marginalized communities within the Diocese of Multan.The Catholic (National) Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) is a Tji-Hak-Soon (Tulip) Foundation and Pax Christi Peace Awarded human rights body, established by the Pakistan Catholic Bishops Conference in 1985 advocating rights of the marginalized groups, especially of religious minorities, women and children in Pakistan that involves interventions regarding awareness, opinion building about law and policy reforms in seven regional/diocesans.
Padre Pio Health Centre recently opened in the Multan Diocese. The inauguration was presided by the Catholic Bishop of Multan, Bishop Andrew Francis. Executive secretary of Caritas Pakistan Multan, Samuel Clement, said the Centre will be open six days a week with male and female doctors on duty on alternate days.The Holy Redeemer Cathedral, about 1,000 Catholics gathered to watch the official inauguration of the Padre Pio Health Centre on the cathedral grounds.Caritas in Pakistan in 2007 opened the Multan Padre Pio Medical Centre to provide basic medical care to the underprivileged. The inauguration was performed by the Catholic Bishop of Multan, Bishop Andrew Francis. The centre will be open six days a week with male and female doctors on duty on alternate days.In September 2015, hundreds of Pakistani Catholics gathered for a Mass of thanksgiving in Lahore, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the foundation of Caritas Pakistan.
The Catholic Diocese of Multan in Pakistan has a Pastoral Institute of Multan, a multifunctional center that offers a nine-month training course for religion teachers, aiming to aid the local church in its mission and witness.Pastoral Institute of Multan, Established in 1971 as a catechetical-pastoral training body, it has since developed into a multifunctional center. It runs a nine-month training course for religion teachers.The Pastoral Institute of Multan, Pakistan, is aimed at aiding the local church grow into a church of witness and mission.The objective is to aid the lay person to witness to Gospel values, be formative in the faith and an agent of change.Established in 1971 as a catechetical-pastoral training body, the institute has since developed into a multifunctional center. The staff includes two foreign Dominicans and three lay people, two of them women is meant to aid catechists, religion teachers and other part-time church workers.