Bishop John Joseph
Encyclopedia
John Joseph was the Roman Catholic Bishop
of Faisalabad
from 1984–1998 and was best known for committing suicide to protest the cruel treatment of Christians by Pakistani Muslims.
John Joseph was born in Khushpur, Pakistan
.
He received his religious education at the Christ the King Seminary
in Karachi
and was ordained in Faisalabad
on 18 January 1960. After completing a doctorate he went on to serve on the faculty of the Christ the King Seminary. On 24 October 1980 he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
of Faisalabad and ordained Bishop on 9 January 1981. On 9 January 1984 he became Bishop of Faisalabad. He committed suicide by shooting himself on 6 May 1998, in protest of the execution of a Christian man on trumped up blasphemy
charges by Muslims in Pakistan.
Three new publications on Bishop John Joseph have been published since the bishop's death. "A Peaceful Struggle" is a compilation of the bishop's writings on matters related to justice and peace. The 197-page book was compiled by the Faisalabad diocesan human rights office, led by Father Khalid Rashid Asi. A translation of the English-language book into Urdu
has also been published.
The third book, "Sermons in Blood," is a 110-page book written by labor activist Gulzar Wafa Chaudhry. Chaudhry attempts to keep alive the revolutionary spirit that Bishop Joseph tried to initiate in protest at the situation of Christians and other religious minority communities in Pakistan.
A film showing Bishop John Joseph's struggles for minority rights was screened at the South Asian film festival in Kathmandu October 4–7, 2001. The 45-minute documentary "A Sun Sets in" was produced by Waseem Anthony and showed the life of the late Bishop, the first Punjabi bishop, and his struggle for Pakistani Catholics.
The Bishop John Joseph Memorial Hall in Darulaloom Jamia Rehmania madrassa in Faisalabad, was inaugurated on March 31, 2007. Bishop Joseph Coutts was present during the opening. No other Islamic seminary in the country has a building named after a Catholic priest.
On Bishop John Joseph's advice Mr. Aftab Alexander Mughal and Mr. Peter Jacob wrote a book, “Section 295 C, Pakistan Penal Code – Study of the History, Effects and Cases under Blasphemy Laws in Pakistan,” which was published in 1995.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Faisalabad
Faisalabad
Faisalabad , formerly known as Lyallpur, is the third largest metropolis in Pakistan, the second largest in the province of Punjab after Lahore, and a major industrial center in the heart of Pakistan. Before the foundation of the city in 1880, the area was very thinly populated. The population has...
from 1984–1998 and was best known for committing suicide to protest the cruel treatment of Christians by Pakistani Muslims.
John Joseph was born in Khushpur, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
He received his religious education at the Christ the King Seminary
Christ the King Seminary (Pakistan)
Christ the King Seminary is a Roman Catholic seminary in Karachi. It is located adjacent to the Portiuncula Friary. In its early years most of the faculty were provided by the Franciscans....
in Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
and was ordained in Faisalabad
Faisalabad
Faisalabad , formerly known as Lyallpur, is the third largest metropolis in Pakistan, the second largest in the province of Punjab after Lahore, and a major industrial center in the heart of Pakistan. Before the foundation of the city in 1880, the area was very thinly populated. The population has...
on 18 January 1960. After completing a doctorate he went on to serve on the faculty of the Christ the King Seminary. On 24 October 1980 he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Faisalabad and ordained Bishop on 9 January 1981. On 9 January 1984 he became Bishop of Faisalabad. He committed suicide by shooting himself on 6 May 1998, in protest of the execution of a Christian man on trumped up blasphemy
Blasphemy
Blasphemy is irreverence towards religious or holy persons or things. Some countries have laws to punish blasphemy, while others have laws to give recourse to those who are offended by blasphemy...
charges by Muslims in Pakistan.
Three new publications on Bishop John Joseph have been published since the bishop's death. "A Peaceful Struggle" is a compilation of the bishop's writings on matters related to justice and peace. The 197-page book was compiled by the Faisalabad diocesan human rights office, led by Father Khalid Rashid Asi. A translation of the English-language book into Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
has also been published.
The third book, "Sermons in Blood," is a 110-page book written by labor activist Gulzar Wafa Chaudhry. Chaudhry attempts to keep alive the revolutionary spirit that Bishop Joseph tried to initiate in protest at the situation of Christians and other religious minority communities in Pakistan.
A film showing Bishop John Joseph's struggles for minority rights was screened at the South Asian film festival in Kathmandu October 4–7, 2001. The 45-minute documentary "A Sun Sets in" was produced by Waseem Anthony and showed the life of the late Bishop, the first Punjabi bishop, and his struggle for Pakistani Catholics.
The Bishop John Joseph Memorial Hall in Darulaloom Jamia Rehmania madrassa in Faisalabad, was inaugurated on March 31, 2007. Bishop Joseph Coutts was present during the opening. No other Islamic seminary in the country has a building named after a Catholic priest.
External links
On Bishop John Joseph's advice Mr. Aftab Alexander Mughal and Mr. Peter Jacob wrote a book, “Section 295 C, Pakistan Penal Code – Study of the History, Effects and Cases under Blasphemy Laws in Pakistan,” which was published in 1995.