Karachi's Mehran Town gets a new church

A few days ago, Archbishop Travas presided over the consecration of the parish dedicated to St. Andrew. A sign of hope for the Catholic community in an area of the city marked by serious problems.

Karachi (AsiaNews) - A new Catholic church in a particularly significant area of the city. Just on the eve of the beginning of Lent, the Archdiocese of Karachi had the joy in recent weeks of celebrating the consecration of the parish of St Andrew, in the Mehran Town area.

Archbishop Benny Mario Travas presided over the solemn rite on Friday 21 February, which was attended by the clergy, nuns, catechists and a large number of the faithful.

The prelate was warmly welcomed with a garland, while the crowd processed to the church singing hymns. During the ceremony, Archbishop Benny blessed the keys and handed them over to Fr Afzal Gulfam, the priest who ministers to this community.

During his homily, Archbishop Travas emphasised the significance of the church as a sacred place where the sacraments are celebrated and the faithful receive the Body and Blood of Christ.

He invited the congregation not to focus solely on the walls of the building, reminding them that the true temple is Jesus. For his part, Fr Gulfam expressed his gratitude to Archbishop Benny, the priests, nuns, catechists and faithful for their support.

The consecration of the Catholic Church of St Andrew marks a milestone for the Catholic community of Karachi, and it is expected to become a vibrant centre for worship, witness of faith and service to the community.

Mehran Town is an area that was developed in the seventies as a new part of the city, but that has experienced many problems due to its disorderly growth: it suffers from a lack of infrastructure and the presence of local mafias.

The local Christians themselves have repeatedly denounced attempts to seize their property. This is another reason why the church of Sant'Andrea is an important sign of hope for the local Catholic community.

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