Simeon Anthony Pereira
Encyclopedia
Simeon Anthony Pereira (19 October 1927, Sukkur
, British India - 22 August 2006, Karachi
) was a former Archbishop
of Karachi
.
He received his religious training at the Papal Seminary, Kandy, Sri Lanka and was ordained a priest on 24 August 1951. He first worked as secretary to Franciscan
Archbishop James Cornelius van Miltenburg
of Karachi, and Chaplain to the Sisters and flock at Manora.
His next posting was Father-in charge of the Don Bosco Boarding for boys in Karachi. In 1952, he proceeded to Quetta as assistant rector of St. Pius X Minor Seminary
. A few years later, he was appointed Parish Priest of Saint Francis of Assisi Church
, Old Haji Camp. His next appointment was as Parish Priest of Saint John's Church, Drigh Road, Karachi.
Following the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council
, he worked with Father Liberius
, a scholar and linguist, to introduce Urdu
into the liturgy.
On 3 July 1971 Pope Paul VI
appointed him Auxiliary Bishop of Rawalpindi, Pakistan. On 17 December 1973 he was appointed Bishop
of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi
. He was bishop of Rawalpindi for nearly 20 years. On 22 Mar 1993 he was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi. He succeeded Cardinal Joseph Cordeiro as Archbishop of Karachi on 11 Feb 1994 and retired from that office on 20 November 2002.
He celebrated the silver jubilee of his episcopal ordination on October 4, 1996, with a bilingual Mass concelebrated with retired Franciscan Bishop Bonaventure Patrick Paul
.
After retiring in November 2002, he served as pastor of St. Thomas Church in Malir and as chaplain of the Dominican nuns at the Monastery of the Angels
in Landhi.
He has also been president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Pakistan.
Archbishop Simeon Pereira died on August 22, 2006.
Sukkur
Sukkur, or Sakharu , formerly Aror and Bakar, is the third largest city of Sindh province, situated on the west bank of Indus River in Pakistan in Sukkur District. However, the word Sakharu in Sindhi means "superior", which the spelling of the city's name in Sindhi suggests is the origin of the...
, British India - 22 August 2006, 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...
) was a former Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of 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...
.
He received his religious training at the Papal Seminary, Kandy, Sri Lanka and was ordained a priest on 24 August 1951. He first worked as secretary to Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
Archbishop James Cornelius van Miltenburg
James Cornelius van Miltenburg
James Cornelius van Miltenburg O.F.M. was the first Archbishop of Karachi, Pakistan from 1950 to 1958. He was also the Holy See's representative to the Pakistani government during this period....
of Karachi, and Chaplain to the Sisters and flock at Manora.
His next posting was Father-in charge of the Don Bosco Boarding for boys in Karachi. In 1952, he proceeded to Quetta as assistant rector of St. Pius X Minor Seminary
St. Pius X Minor Seminary
St. Pius X Minor Seminary is the preparatory seminary in the Archdiocese of Karachi, Pakistan. It had 25 seminarians in January 2010. Father Benjamin Shehzad is the seminary’s rector....
. A few years later, he was appointed Parish Priest of Saint Francis of Assisi Church
Saint Francis of Assisi Parish, Karachi
Saint Francis of Assisi Parish is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi in Pakistan.It is located on Siddiq Wahab Road in an area known as Old Haji Camp....
, Old Haji Camp. His next appointment was as Parish Priest of Saint John's Church, Drigh Road, Karachi.
Following the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
, he worked with Father Liberius
Liberius Pieterse
Liberius Pieterse was a Franciscan priest working initially in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi in Pakistan.-Early Life:He was born in Wageningen, Holland on 12 February 1905. He did his schooling in Rotterdam, Schiedam and Utrecht. He studied at the Conservatorium of Music in Rotterdam....
, a scholar and linguist, to introduce 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...
into the liturgy.
On 3 July 1971 Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
appointed him Auxiliary Bishop of Rawalpindi, Pakistan. On 17 December 1973 he was appointed 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 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....
. He was bishop of Rawalpindi for nearly 20 years. On 22 Mar 1993 he was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi. He succeeded Cardinal Joseph Cordeiro as Archbishop of Karachi on 11 Feb 1994 and retired from that office on 20 November 2002.
He celebrated the silver jubilee of his episcopal ordination on October 4, 1996, with a bilingual Mass concelebrated with retired Franciscan Bishop Bonaventure Patrick Paul
Bonaventure Patrick Paul
Bonaventure Patrick Paul was born in Karachi, Pakistan on 26 March 1929. He received his early education at St Patrick's High School, Karachi. He received his religious training under the Order of Friars Minor at the Portiuncula Friary in Karachi, and was ordained a priest in Karachi on 1 March...
.
After retiring in November 2002, he served as pastor of St. Thomas Church in Malir and as chaplain of the Dominican nuns at the Monastery of the Angels
Monastery of the Angels
The Monastery of the Angels is the cloistered convent of a Roman Catholic religious order for women in Karachi, Pakistan. The community is made up of nine Dominican sisters. They dedicate their lives to constant prayer with one of them always present in the chapel...
in Landhi.
He has also been president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Pakistan.
Archbishop Simeon Pereira died on August 22, 2006.