Diocese of Faisalabad

Diocese of Faisalabad was erected in 1960, as the Diocese of Lyallpur, the diocese was created from the Diocese of Multan. The new diocese comprised the civil districts of Faisalabad (formerly Lyallpur), Sahiwal and Jhang.

In 1977, the name of the diocese was changed to the Diocese of Faisalabad. The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Lahore. The Diocese of Faisalabad now comprises the following civil boundaries: the whole of the Faisalabad Division with the districts of Faisalahad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh and Chiniot. In the Multan Division, the districts of Sahiwal, Pakpattan and Okara. The Diocese of Faisalabad covers a 35,300 km2.

The Focolare Movement was introduced into Pakistan in 1968 via the Faisalabad diocese by Father Juliano Ricchiardi, an Italian priest serving at the National Catechists’ Training Centre in Khushpur. As of 2008, according to local sources, the movement in Pakistan counted 18 Focolarinas, 11 Focolarinos and about 400 other affiliated members including lay people, nuns and priests. Focolare is a Catholic lay movement whose name means “family hearth” present in more than 180 countries and involving more than 2 million people. The movement was recognized by the Catholic Church under the official name “Work of Mary.”

The St. Thomas the Apostle Minor Seminary is the preparatory seminary of the diocese.

The biggest Catholic village in Pakistan, Khushpur, is also located in the diocese.

Ordinaries:

• Francesco Benedetto Cialeo, O.P. † (13 Apr 1960 Appointed – 8 Sep 1976 Retired)
• Paolo Vieri Andreotti, O.P. † (8 Sep 1976 Appointed – 9 Jan 1984 Resigned)
• John Joseph † (9 Jan 1984 Appointed – 6 May 1998 Died)
• Joseph Coutts (27 June 1998 Appointed – 25 January 2012)
• Rufin Anthony (Diocesan Administrator) (26 January 2012 – 2 July 2013)
• Joseph Arshad (3 July 2013 – 8 December 2017); transferred to Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi)
• Indriyas Rehmat (29 June 2019 to date)