Abid Saleem is a priest of the Oblate Missionaries of Mary Immaculate congregation studying at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome. Christians in Pakistan, often discriminated against and persecuted, have hope "for a better future," he says in his testimony.
"I am Abid Saleem, son of Saleem Masih and Mukhtaran Bibi. I was born in Toba Tek Singh, Pakistan, on June 26, 1979, in a Catholic family of eleven siblings (eight males and three females). I am the youngest of all. My parents are already in heavenly life (may their souls rest in peace).
When I reflect on my vocationI remember all the events that helped me to discern about it. First of all, I feel it was a desire since my childhood. I used to go to church very often and I used to be an altar boy. In school, whenever I was asked what I would like to be, my answer was only one: to be a priest.
Once I finished my compulsory education, in 1996 I was planning to enroll in university. It was the month of July. Then, something happened that marked my life: I met a novice Oblate of Mary Immaculate who shared with me and explained the charism of his congregation.
He told me that they were going to organize a vocational program The retreat lasted three days and I, without even thinking about it, said yes, I wanted to participate in it. Along with me, four others attended the retreat. We all enjoyed the program and loved the Oblate spirituality as well as their way "to evangelize the poor".
After the program, we returned home and after a few days, four of us received a letter of invitation to join the seminary. A friend and I joined the seminary, but after a year of discernment, my friend discovered that it was not his vocation and I stayed. Formation was a wonderful journey and I had many different and beautiful experiences.
During the first year of seminary formation, among some of the activities we did, one was especially interesting. We went to Derekabad, an Oblate mission station. It is a desert area where the Oblates have built a beautiful grotto there.. The work of these brothers in the grotto was inspiring to me.
Another event that touched me was to participate in a priestly ordination of a brother in the congregation, the first ordination I had ever attended. This celebration really strengthened my vocation as well.
In 1998, I was able to start studying philosophy and then I was sent to Sri Lanka for my pre-novitiate and novitiate, another beautiful experience of internationality.
I made my first vows in 2003. After returning to Pakistan, I completed my theological studies at the National Catholic Institute of Theology. I made my final vows on August 22, 2008 and was ordained a priest on August 22, 2008. deacon the next day.
And finally, on February 17, 2009, I was ordained a priest at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Lahore. My formation period was excellent. I thank the Lord for all those formators and teachers who formed me to be the true servant of God.
After my ordination, my bishop sent me to work in different parishes first as an assistant and then as a pastor. I have worked with youth and many other groups. I have also collaborated in the Catechetical Commission of my diocese. I started the office of the catechetical commission in the Vicariate of Quetta.
Another of the tasks I performed was to manage a small religious articles store in the same office. On the other hand, I organized many programs for religion teachers and for the people of the country. and worked as a liturgist in the Vicariate. I have been the Master of Ceremonies at the liturgy of many priestly ordinations, deaconates and candidacies.
In 2016, I passed my B.A (Bachelor of Arts) from Punjab University, Lahore. I also worked as the Rector of the Oblate Juniorate for the last three years. This was another enriching experience, though difficult, but I tried my best to accompany the students in their spiritual journey to discern about their vocation.
As you can see, there is much work to be done in our country, since God's flock continues to grow, but there are few workers to take care of it.
As you can see, there is much work to be done in our country, since God's flock continues to grow, but there are few workers to take care of it.
Abid Saleem was born in Toba Tek Singh (Pakistan) on June 26, 1979, into a Catholic family of eleven siblings. When he was about to enroll in the University, he made a vocational retreat with the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate whose charism is "to evangelize the poor". The congregation was founded by St. Eugene de Mazenod in 1816 and approved on February 17, 1826 by Pope Leo XII. On February 17, 2009, he was ordained a priest of this religious institution at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Lahore. "Christ invites us to follow him and share his mission through word and work," he says.
Pakistan is the ninth largest country in Asia. It shares a border with the Arabian Sea, China, Afghanistan, Iran and India. Mohammad Ali Jinnah is the founder of Pakistan which gained its independence on August 14, 1947.
The country covers a total area of 881,913 square km and is divided into four provinces, namely Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The national language of the country is Urdu and English is the official language. Pakistan has a population of approximately 211,819,886 citizens.
Muslims are in the majority with 95% of the population. But Christians are one of the largest religious minorities in Pakistan with 2% of the population, approximately half are Catholic and half are Protestant.
The Christianity has a long history in South Asia, although many of Pakistan's Christians are descendants of low-caste Hindus who converted under British colonial rule to escape caste discrimination.
Christians in Pakistan are, for the most part, very poorThey have also been involved in menial jobs such as cleaners, laborers and harvesters. Despite this, they have made significant contributions to the development of the country's social sector, especially in the construction of educational institutions, hospitals and health centers throughout Pakistan.
However, like other religious minorities, Christians have faced discrimination and persecution throughout history.The Christian communities are still suffering from selective violence and other abuses, including land grabbing in rural areas, kidnappings and forced conversion, and vandalism of homes and churches. Today, they continue to suffer targeted violence and other abuses, including land grabbing in rural areas, kidnappings and forced conversion, and vandalism of homes and churches.
Despite all this, Christians in Pakistan are hopeful for a better future. We pray that Almighty God will bring peace and harmony to this country and that people will be able to enjoy the fullness of life.
"Christians in Pakistan today continue to suffer targeted violence and other abuses."
Muslims are the majority in Pakistan with 95% of the population. But Christians are one of the largest religious minorities in the country, with 2% of the population, about half are Catholic and half Protestant. Christians in Pakistan are, for the most part, very poor, working in menial occupations such as cleaners, laborers and harvesters. Like other religious minorities, Christians have faced discrimination and persecution throughout history, for example, in the nationalization of Christian properties and institutions. Today, they continue to suffer targeted violence and other abuses. "Despite all this, Christians in Pakistan are hopeful for a better future," Abid Saleem confides.
The official name of our congregation is Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate and its motto is "Evangelizing the poor". It was founded by St. Eugene de Mazenod in 1816 and approved on February 17, 1826 by Pope Leo XII.
The founder of the OMI mission in Pakistan is a German priest, the Reverend Father Lucian Smith, who was then the Provincial of the Province of Colombo, Sri Lanka. It was he who sent three Oblates to Pakistan in 1971. There were many Oblate missionaries from all over the world, but basically from Sri Lanka.
They worked in parishes and distinguished themselves by setting up the Basic Christian Communities. Later, they also thought of starting the formation program. Now we have three main formation houses: juniorate, philosophate and scholasticate.
We work mainly in eight poor parishes in five dioceses. Christ invites us to follow him and to share his mission through word and work. Our main objective is education in schools, with young people, and especially reaching out to people who are far from God.
Now my superior is sending me to Rome for further studies in Liturgy. My future goal is to work as a missionary.
For the great opportunity to be trained in this field. University of the Holy Cross, I cannot but thank the benefactors of CARF: may God bless them for all they do for the Universal Church, but also for us, the little ones, who are seeds in the hand of the Lord, in countries where the mere fact of calling oneself a Christian can cause death.
Gerardo Ferrara
BA in History and Political Science, specializing in the Middle East.
Responsible for the student body
University of the Holy Cross in Rome
Gerardo Ferrara
BA in History and Political Science, specializing in the Middle East.
Responsible for the student body
University of the Holy Cross in Rome
