Pakistan’s 1st Catholic Weekly goes online Pakistan: KARACHI, Pakistan (UCAN) – The first Urdu Catholic Facts and Figures weekly in Pakistan, launched two years ago in Karachi archdiocese, now has an online edition. About 15,000 Full name: Islamic Republic of Pakistan Catholics including priest and nuns joined the launch of Population: 161.1 million (UN, 2005) the Agahi website on March 20, 2008 after Holy Capital: Islamabad Thursday Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Karachi. Largest city: Karachi Agahi means insight, knowledge or information in Urdu, Area: 796,095 sq km (307,374 sq miles), excluding Pakistan’s national language. Pakistani-administered Kashmir (83,716 sq km/32,323 sq miles) All clapped when Archbishop Evarist Pinto of Karachi Major languages: English, Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, Balochi inaugurated and browsed the site, www.agahinews.com. Major religion: Islam The online edition offers the full contents of the tabloid- Life expectancy: 63 years (men), 63 years (women) (UN) size archdiocesan weekly, to be posted on the Internet Monetary unit: 1 Pakistani Rupee = 100 paisa every Monday. It also provides access to back issues and Main exports: Textile products, rice, cotton, leather goods allows users to search for individual news items, features GNI per capita: US $690 (World Bank, 2006) and reviews. Taken from Asia Focus April 4, 2008 Pakistani church urges constitutional amendments to end discrimination VATICAN – Pope Benedict XVI LAHORE, Pakistan (CNS) – The Catholic Church in tells Pakistan’s Bishops: “...you Pakistan has urged the country’s new government exercise a special mission as to end religious discrimination and establish the preachers of the Gospel and as equality of all citizens under the law through proposed agents of love and peace in the constitutional amendments. “In order to make the Church and in society.” constitution more democratic, the multireligious and multicultural aspect of Pakistani society should be Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – “The seeds of the recognized,” the Pakistani bishops’ National Gospel, sown in your region by zealous missionaries Commission for Justice and Peace said June 1. in the sixteenth century, continue to grow despite Archbishop Lawrence Saldanha of Lahore and Peter conditions that sometimes hinder their capacity to take Jacob, commission chairman and executive secretary, root,” the Holy Father Benedict XVI told the Bishops of respectively, signed the statement, reported the Asian Pakistan in an audience held on June 19, during their church news agency UCA News. The church statement Ad Limina Apostolorum visit. came in response to a proposed constitutional The Pope encouraged the Bishops to strive “to create reform package introduced May 24 by the Pakistan a climate of affection and trust with your clergy,” as People’s Party-led federal coalition, sworn in they are “your principal and irreplaceable co-workers” following February’s general election. The proposed and emphasized that: “by looking upon you as a amendments contain provisions that would ensure father and brother and hearing your words of a parliamentary democracy, do away with some encouragement for their pastoral initiatives, they presidential powers, and ensure at least a minimum will be inspired to unite their will to yours and dedicate representation of minority religious communities in themselves more completely to the spiritual good of the Senate. About 95 percent of Pakistan’s 160 million God’s people.” people are Muslim. Less than 2 percent are Christian. PONTIFICAL MISSION SOCIETIES The four Pontifical Mission Societies bring to the Catholic world that spirit of universality and service to the Church’s mission without which there is no genuine sharing effort. (Redemptoris Missio para 84) Society for the Propagation of Society of St. Peter the Apostle Holy Childhood Association, Pontifical Missionary Union the Faith assists each and everyone (SPA) assists by prayer and Children helping Children™, (PMU) through publications such as of the Catholic Church’s 1,069 finance the Bishops, in developing encourages in children of elementary- Omnis Terra and Mission Outlook mission dioceses and territories to and missionary countries, to provide school age a mutual concern for stimulates a serious interest in mission provide pastoral care and preach and educate their own priests, religious children all over the world by prayer, among priests, religious and other the Gospel effectively. Crucial to brothers and sisters. learning activities and fundraising. animators in the Church. this is the educating of catechists. September/October 2008 MISSIONS TODAY 9.