Victor Gnanapragasam
Encyclopedia
Father Victor Gnanapragasam OMI (born 21-11-1940) is the first prefect of the Roman Catholic Apostolic Prefecture of Quetta
, Balochistan
, Pakistan
.
, Sri Lanka
to Sri Lankan Tamil family. He completed his novitiate with the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in Kaluthara (1959), then the studies of philosophy and theology at Our Lady of Sri Lanka Seminary in Kandy (1960–1966).
.
He has been a parish priest in Gojra
, Diocese of Faisalabad
, from 1976-77. He attended a training course in Youth Ministry in Manila, Philippines from 1977-1979. He was parish priest in Toba Tek Singh
, Diocese of Faisalabad from 1978-1980. He was parish priest at Khanewal
, Diocese of Multan
, from 1979–1985; Superior of the OMI Delegation in Pakistan, 1980–1982 and again parish priest in Gojra from 1982-1986. He was once again parish priest in Toba Tek Singh from 1987–1989; undertook studies in Psychology and Spirituality at St. Anselm Institute in Kent, England and then later courses in Spirituality at the Angelicum, Rome
, 1989-1992. He was parish priest in Gojra for a third time from 1992–1993; Assistant in the formation house of the Oblates in Karachi, 1993–1997 and First Counselor of the OMI Delegation in Pakistan from 1997-2001.
He was appointed to the post of Apostolic Prefect Of Quetta in December 2001.
Fr. Victor was also at the Vatican for the Ad limina Apostolorum visit of the Pakistani Bishops in June 2008.
On 29 April 2010 Pope Benedict XVI
elevated the apostolic prefecture of Quetta, to the rank of Apostolic vicariate
, with the same name and territorial configuration as before. He appointed Fr. Victor as apostolic vicar of the new ecclesiastical circumscription and the titular bishop of Timida.
on 16 July 2010 by the apostolic nuncio to Pakistan Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana
. The Principal Co-Consecrators were Archbishop Evarist Pinto
of Karachi and Bishop Max John Rodrigues
of Hyderabad.
Apostolic Prefecture of Quetta
The Apostolic Prefecture of Quetta was established on November 9, 2001 from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Hyderabad and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi...
, Balochistan
Balochistan
Balochistan or Baluchistan is a region which covers parts of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan. It can also refer to one of several modern and historical territories within that region:...
, 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...
.
Early life and education
He was born in JaffnaJaffna
Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
to Sri Lankan Tamil family. He completed his novitiate with the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in Kaluthara (1959), then the studies of philosophy and theology at Our Lady of Sri Lanka Seminary in Kandy (1960–1966).
Priesthood
He took his final vows and was ordained a priest on December 21, 1966. He has served in Pakistan as a priest since 1973 and is a member of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, PakistanOblates of Mary Immaculate, Pakistan
The Oblates of Mary Immaculate are a Roman Catholic religious order for men. The order was founded on January 25, 1816 by Father Eugene de Mazenod to preach missions in Provencal, France....
.
He has been a parish priest in Gojra
Gojra
Gojra , the capital of Gojra Tehsil, is a city of Toba Tek Singh District in the Punjab province of Pakistan, it is located at 31°9'N 72°41'E and is located 30 miles from Faisalabad, 125 km from Burewala, 157 km from Vehari and north of Toba Tek Singh...
, Diocese of Faisalabad
Faisalabad District
Faisalabad District is one of the districts of Punjab province, Pakistan. According to the 1998 census of Pakistan it had a population of 5,429,547 of which almost 42% were in Faisalabad City....
, from 1976-77. He attended a training course in Youth Ministry in Manila, Philippines from 1977-1979. He was parish priest in Toba Tek Singh
Toba Tek Singh
Toba Tek Singh District is a district in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is located between 30°33' to 31°2' Degree north latitudes and 72°08' to 72°48' Degree longitudes.-Origins of Name:...
, Diocese of Faisalabad from 1978-1980. He was parish priest at Khanewal
Khanewal
Khanewal is the capital city of Khanewal District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is notable for being the host city to the second largest train station in Pakistan. Khanewal is located at 30°18'0N 71°56'0E with an altitude of 128 metres and is named after the earliest settlers here who...
, Diocese of Multan
Multan District
Multan District is a district in the Punjab province of Pakistan. According to the 1998 census of Pakistan it had a population of 3,116,851 of which 41.64% were urban. Its capital is the city of Multan....
, from 1979–1985; Superior of the OMI Delegation in Pakistan, 1980–1982 and again parish priest in Gojra from 1982-1986. He was once again parish priest in Toba Tek Singh from 1987–1989; undertook studies in Psychology and Spirituality at St. Anselm Institute in Kent, England and then later courses in Spirituality at the Angelicum, Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, 1989-1992. He was parish priest in Gojra for a third time from 1992–1993; Assistant in the formation house of the Oblates in Karachi, 1993–1997 and First Counselor of the OMI Delegation in Pakistan from 1997-2001.
He was appointed to the post of Apostolic Prefect Of Quetta in December 2001.
Fr. Victor was also at the Vatican for the Ad limina Apostolorum visit of the Pakistani Bishops in June 2008.
On 29 April 2010 Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
elevated the apostolic prefecture of Quetta, to the rank of Apostolic vicariate
Apostolic vicariate
An apostolic vicariate is a form of territorial jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church established in missionary regions and countries that do not have a diocese. It is essentially provisional, though it may last for a century or more...
, with the same name and territorial configuration as before. He appointed Fr. Victor as apostolic vicar of the new ecclesiastical circumscription and the titular bishop of Timida.
Consecration
He was consecrated Bishop at Saint Patrick's Cathedral, KarachiSaint Patrick's Cathedral, Karachi
St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi, is situated on Shahrah-e-Iraq, formerly known as Clarke Street, located near the Empress Market in Karachi, Pakistan....
on 16 July 2010 by the apostolic nuncio to Pakistan Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana
Adolfo Tito Yllana
Adolfo Tito Yllana was born on 6 February 1948 in Naga City, Philippines. He is a Roman Catholic archbishop, and is presently the Apostolic Nuncio to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He undertook religious studies from the Holy Rosary Seminary also in the same city. On 19 March 1972 he was...
. The Principal Co-Consecrators were Archbishop Evarist Pinto
Evarist Pinto
Evarist Pinto is the current Archbishop of Karachi, Pakistan.-Education:He received his religious training at the Christ the King seminary in Karachi, where he was ordained a priest on 6 January 1968. He also had a doctorate in theology...
of Karachi and Bishop Max John Rodrigues
Max John Rodrigues
Max John Rodrigues was born in Karachi, Pakistan on 29 May 1938. He entered the seminary in 1957 and spent seven years of his priestly formation at the Pontifical Urban University in Rome. He was ordained a priest by Pope Paul VI at St. Peter's Basilica on 6 January 1966...
of Hyderabad.