Metropolitan Archdiocese of Karachi, Pakistan

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Karachi / Karachien(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Hyderabad

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1948.05.20: Established as Diocese of Karachi / Karachien(sis) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Bombay and became suffragan of Bombay)
1950.07.15: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Karachi / Karachien(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi)
1958.04.28: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Hyderabad and gained suffragan see Hyderabad
1960.04.13: Gained suffragan see Lyallpur
1994.04.23: Lost suffragan sees Faisalabad, Islamabad–Rawalpindi, Lahore and Multan
2001.11.09: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Quetta

Contact Info

Address: St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Saddar, Karacchi 74400, Pakistan

Phone: (021) 3278.15.33

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1981.02)

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2021.02.11 – ...):

Archbishop Benny Mario Travas (57)

Apostolic Administrator sede plena of Lahore (Pakistan)

Vice-President of Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Karachi (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Benny Mario Travas (57)
(2021.02.11 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Karachi (Pakistan)
Apostolic Administrator sede plena of Lahore (Pakistan)
Vice-President of Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference

Love, hope, faith

Born:	1966.11.21 (Karachi, Pakistan)
Ordained Priest:	1990.12.07
Consecrated Bishop:	2015.08.15

Priest of Karachi (Pakistan) (1990.12.07 – 2015.05.29)

Apostolic Administrator of Multan (Pakistan) (2014.06.13 – 2015.05.29)

Bishop of Multan (Pakistan) (2015.05.29 – 2021.02.11)

Vice-President of Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (2017.11.10 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Karachi (Pakistan) (2021.02.11 – ...)

Apostolic Administrator sede plena of Lahore (Pakistan) (2024.08.15 – ...)

Cardinal Joseph Coutts (79)
(2012.01.25 – 2021.02.11)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Bonaventura da Bagnoregio
Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Karachi (Pakistan)

Harmony

Born:	1945.07.21 (Amritsar, Pakistan)
Ordained Priest:	1971.01.09
Consecrated Bishop:	1988.09.16
Created Cardinal:	2018.06.28

Priest of Lahore (Pakistan) (1971.01.09 – 1988.05.05)

Coadjutor Bishop of Hyderabad (Pakistan) (1988.05.05 – 1990.09.01)

Bishop of Hyderabad (Pakistan) (1990.09.01 – 1998.06.27)

Bishop of Faisalabad (Pakistan) (1998.06.27 – 2012.01.25)

President of Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (2011.03 – 2017.11.10)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Karachi (Pakistan) (2012.01.25 – 2021.02.11)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Bonaventura da Bagnoregio (2018.06.28 [2018.09.29] – ...)

Archbishop Evarist Pinto (90)
(2004.01.05 – 2012.01.25)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Karachi (Pakistan)

Preach the good news to the poor

Born:	1933.12.31 (Goa, India)
Ordained Priest:	1968.01.06
Consecrated Bishop:	2000.04.25

Priest of Karachi (Pakistan) (1968.01.06 – 2000.02.17)

Titular Bishop of Castra severiana (2000.02.17 – 2004.01.05)

Auxiliary Bishop of Karachi (Pakistan) (2000.02.17 – 2004.01.05)

Apostolic Administrator of Karachi (Pakistan) (2002.11.20 – 2004.01.05)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Karachi (Pakistan) (2004.01.05 – 2012.01.25)

Bishop Evarist Pinto (90) (later Archbishop)
(Apostolic Administrator 2002.11.20 – 2004.01.05)

Archbishop Simeon Anthony Pereira
(1994.02.11 – 2002.11.20)

Born:	1927.10.19 (Pakistan)
Ordained Priest:	1951.08.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1971.10.07
Died:	2006.08.22 († 78)

Auxiliary Bishop of Rawalpindi (Pakistan) (1971.07.03 – 1973.12.17)

Titular Bishop of Badiæ (1971.07.03 – 1993.03.22)

Bishop of Rawalpindi (Pakistan) (1973.12.17 – 1979.06.01)

Bishop of Islamabad–Rawalpindi (Pakistan) (1979.06.01 – 1993.03.22)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Karachi (Pakistan) (1993.03.22 – 1994.02.11)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Karachi (Pakistan) (1994.02.11 – 2002.11.20)

President of Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (2000 – 2002)

Cardinal Joseph Marie Anthony Cordeiro
(1958.05.07 – 1994.02.11)

Omnia omnibus

Born:	1918.01.19 (Bombay, India)
Ordained Priest:	1946.08.26
Consecrated Bishop:	1958.08.24
Created Cardinal:	1973.03.05
Died:	1994.02.11 (Karachi, Pakistan † 76)

Priest of Karachi (Pakistan) (1946.08.26 – 1958.05.07)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Karachi (Pakistan) (1958.05.07 – 1994.02.11)

President of Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (1970 – 1971)

President of Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (1973 – 1994)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Andrea delle Fratte (1973.03.05 – 1994.02.11)

Archbishop James Cornelius van Miltenburg, O.F.M.
(1950.07.15 – 1958.04.28)

Born:	1909.09.14 (Netherlands)
Ordained Priest:	1935.03.31
Consecrated Bishop:	1948.10.03
Died:	1966.03.10 († 56)

Bishop of Karachi (Pakistan) (1948.05.20 – 1950.07.15)

Apostolic Delegate to West and East Pakistan (1950.07.15 – 1951)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Karachi (Pakistan) (1950.07.15 – 1958.04.28)

Archbishop-Bishop of Hyderabad (Pakistan) (1958.04.28 – 1966.03.10)

Bishops of Karachi (Roman Rite)

Bishop James Cornelius van Miltenburg, O.F.M. (later Archbishop)
(1948.05.20 – 1950.07.15)

(see above)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Archbishop: Archbishop Simeon Anthony Pereira (1993.03.22 – 1994.02.11)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Evarist Pinto (90) (later Archbishop) (2000.02.17 – 2004.01.05)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Anthony Theodore Lobo (1982.06.08 – 1993.05.28)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathedral of St. Patrick, Karachi, Sind

Quetta (↑), Hyderabad (→)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 1,460 km²

Population: 192,293 Catholics (0.9% of 22,534,690 total)

Pastoral Centres: 16 parishes, 1 mission

Personnel: 64 priests (41 diocesan, 23 religious), 165 religious (62 brothers, 103 sisters), 33 seminarians