St. Thomas the Apostle Minor Seminary
Encyclopedia
St. Thomas the Apostle Minor Seminary is the preparatory seminary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Faisalabad
in Pakistan
.
It was started in 1981 at the initiative of Bishop Paul Andreotti OP in a rented property at Nalka Kohala on Sargodha Road in Faisalabad
. Father Bashir Francis was the first Rector. The late Father Giles Amarasekera became the second Rector in 1983.
In 1983, land was purchased for the construction of a new seminary. The dedication of the seminary occurred in 1985 under the leadership of the late Bishop John Joseph
. The building being completed in December 1994.
The seminary also plays host to other important events like the ongoing formation program for young priests attended by thirty young priests from various Religious congregations and dioceses from January 21-26, 1990.
Bishop Rufin Anthony
, the new bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi
was its third Rector.
Father Simon Felix was the fourth Rector. Unfortunate circumstances led to the closing of the seminary in 1999, but it was reopened in 2003.
Father Samuel George was the Rector in 2010-11. The seminary had 18 students at the time. The cost of running the seminary was US$ 1,800 per month.
Roman Catholic Diocese of Faisalabad
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Faisalabad is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Pakistan.Erected in 1960, as the Diocese of Lyallpur, the diocese was created from the Diocese of Multan...
in 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...
.
It was started in 1981 at the initiative of Bishop Paul Andreotti OP in a rented property at Nalka Kohala on Sargodha Road 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...
. Father Bashir Francis was the first Rector. The late Father Giles Amarasekera became the second Rector in 1983.
In 1983, land was purchased for the construction of a new seminary. The dedication of the seminary occurred in 1985 under the leadership of the late Bishop John Joseph
John Joseph
John Joseph may refer to:* John Joseph , United States educator and Middle East historian; taught at Franklin & Marshall College * John Joseph , Catholic bishop of Faisalabad, Pakistan...
. The building being completed in December 1994.
The seminary also plays host to other important events like the ongoing formation program for young priests attended by thirty young priests from various Religious congregations and dioceses from January 21-26, 1990.
Bishop Rufin Anthony
Rufin Anthony
Rufin Anthony is a Pakistani Roman Catholic Bishop. He completed his primary and secondary school in Khushpur. He received his religious training at the St. Pius X Minor Seminary in Quetta and the Christ the King Major Seminary, Karachi and was ordained a priest of the Roman Catholic Diocese of...
, the new bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi
Roman Catholic Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Pakistan....
was its third Rector.
Father Simon Felix was the fourth Rector. Unfortunate circumstances led to the closing of the seminary in 1999, but it was reopened in 2003.
Father Samuel George was the Rector in 2010-11. The seminary had 18 students at the time. The cost of running the seminary was US$ 1,800 per month.