Lahore welcomes Archbishop Rehmat: A call to unity

Two weeks after his appointment, the installation ceremony was held for the Capuchin prelate, formerly Apostolic Vicar of Quetta. “I stand before you with humility and gratitude, ready to be guided by God.” This was the warning from Archbishop Travas, who has served as apostolic administrator of this Church for the past two years: “Beware of those who use you for their own interests and agendas.”

Lahore (AsiaNews) – On 28 March, the Archdiocese of Lahore in Pakistan celebrated a joyous and significant day in its history with the installation of the new Metropolitan Archbishop Khalid Rehmat, a 57-year-old Capuchin friar and former Apostolic Vicar of Quetta, appointed by Pope Leo XIV to lead the archdiocese following a troubled period and an unusual exchange of the episcopal see with his predecessor, Archbishop Sebastian Francis Shaw, who had led this local Church since 2013.

Hundreds of faithful, together with the clergy and in the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio, Monsignor Germano Penemote, welcomed the new archbishop to the beat of drums, expressing their affection with flowers, rose petals, hymns and special prayers.

In his homily, the new Archbishop Rehmat declared that our vocation and our lives are guided by God’s plans and providence, and not by our personal positions: “I stand before you with humility and gratitude,” he said. “I thank Pope Leo XIV for entrusting me with this mission, and I entrust myself to your faith, your prayers and your cooperation. I feel strongly that this is not merely a ceremonial occasion, but an ecclesial moment of grace and responsibility”.

Before him, it was Bishop Benny Mario Travas, Archbishop of Karachi and Apostolic Administrator of Lahore since the “suspension” of Bishop Shaw on 18 August 2024, who presented Archbishop Khalid to the diocesan community as a precious gift.

“I have received many instructions from Rome,” commented Travas, “but the central one was to promote unity and fraternity among the clergy.”

This responsibility, he continued, has become “an opportunity to experience the vibrant missionary spirit and commitment of the clergy, men and women religious, and the laity of the Archdiocese of Lahore”. But he also urged the priests to guard against divisions fuelled by “those among you who use you for their own interests and agendas”.

For his part, Cardinal Joseph Coutts, Archbishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Karachi, recalled the historical importance of Lahore for the way in which the Catholic Church has developed in Pakistan. He invited everyone to pray for the new archbishop, that God “may carry him on eagle’s wings and be with him in all that he does”.

He also added that there is still much to be done in the field of ecumenism, since the final wish and prayer of Jesus Christ was “that they may all be one”.

Fr Almas Salas, a priest of the Archdiocese of Lahore, told AsiaNews that the appointment of a Capuchin friar as archbishop will be a source of blessing for this local Church. Kashif Anthony, secretary of the Catholic Commission for Interreligious Dialogue and Ecumenism of the Archdiocese of Karachi, noted for his part that the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin has a long history and has played a significant role in the development of the Catholic Church in Pakistan, particularly in pastoral care, education and missionary work.

A key milestone came in 2021 with the appointment of Khalid Rehmat as Apostolic Vicar of Quetta, making him the first Pakistani Capuchin bishop. “Archbishop Khalid Rehmat,” concludes Kashif Anthony, “has extensive experience in serving remote and marginalised communities, promoting peace and interfaith dialogue, managing schools and social programmes, and supporting small Catholic communities in challenging regions.”