This is a photo of the St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Karachi, Pakistan where I was baptized as a Catholic. The photo is part of a report on the National Catholic Reporter (August 14, 2024).
The
white monument had two sections, once upon a time.One depicted Heaven and the
other Hell. The room which depicted Hell was scary. One day it caught on fire and was burnt down.
On
the monument is a list of those who contributed to its building. The name of my
grandfather M.X Andrades, an architect and consultant is also there.
We
lived near the cathedral and I would go to school nearby. It was St.Patrick’s
school also built by the Irish missionaries. Later St.Patricks’ college was
also built nearby where I studied.
Cookie was found as a diabled child on the streets in one of the poor areas of Karachi. Her family was Muslim and her father did not want the baby. Sister Gertrude Lemmens picked her up and took her to Dar ul Sukum.
Cookie became Sr. Gertrude's favourite,When ever I would go to Darul Sukun I would see Cookie on the lap of the sister or nearby.
Cookie remained handicapped even after her visit to Medugorje. She received medical treatment abroad from prominent specialist.
Now she seems like a lady.
Lemmens House is named after Sr. Gertrude Lemmens, the Dutch founder of Dar-ul-Sukun, also known as the "Mother Teresa of Pakistan" and the "Angel of Karachi." In 1989, Lemmens received the Sitara-i-Quaid-i-Azam (Star of the Great Leader), one of the highest honors given to foreign nationals, from the president of Pakistan.
On July 20, the congregation observed the fourth anniversary of the death of Sr. Ruth Lewis, nicknamed "Mother of Pakistan's Forgotten Ones," who co-founded the Dar-ul-Sukun home in 1969 with Lemmens. The municipal and provincial governments had given her numerous prizes including Sitara-e-Imtiaz for her 50 years of serving people with disabilities in Karachi. She was also the recipient of two other notable regional awards, the Pride of Karachi award in 2014 and Hakeem Muhammad Saeed award in 2018.
Our
pilgrimage to Medugorje was organized by Rudy Fernandez and his wife Martha,
residents of St. Anthony’s parish. They were active with the Catholic
Charismatic community in Karachi.
I
have lost touch with Karachi over these 20 years, living a eremitical life in
Rome. I have never been back.I did not know what was happening there. Since I was away from the newspapers, radio and TV. No posting letters and no phone calls.
I have been saying all these years, that if there was one thing I miss in Karachi, it is that cathedral. Nothing else. -Lionel Andrades
https://www.globalsistersreport.org/news/pakistani-nuns-ministry-includes-aiding-celebration-muslims?site_redirect=1
https://www.ncronline.org/
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