Islamabad-Rawalpindi (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Joseph Arshad, Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Name Changed: 1 June 1979
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Lahore
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Pakistan
Square Kilometers: 178,341 (68,884 Square Miles)
Mailing Address: Bishop's House, Tameezuddin Church Rd., Lalkurthi, Rawalpindi Cannt. 46000, Pakistan
Telephone: (051)558.16.16

Historical Details

Prefecture Apostolic of Kafiristan e Kashmir
- Latin Name: Kafiristanae et Kashmirensi
- Erected: 6 July 1887
- Country: Pakistan
Diocese of Rawalpindi
- Latin Name: Ravalpindensis
- Elevated: 10 July 1947
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Lahore
- Country: Pakistan

Past and Present Ordinaries

Ignatius Brouwer, M.H.M. † ( 1887 Appointed - 1894 Resigned)
Dominic Wagenaar, M.H.M. † ( 1901 Appointed - 1914 Resigned)
Robert J. Winkley, M.H.M. † (24 Oct 1916 Appointed - 1 Nov 1930 Died)
Joseph Patrick O’Donohoe, M.H.M. † (26 Jan 1934 Appointed - 1944 Resigned)
Nicholas Hettinga, M.H.M. † (10 Jul 1947 Appointed - 17 Dec 1973 Resigned)
Simeon Anthony Pereira † (17 Dec 1973 Appointed - 22 Mar 1993 Appointed, Coadjutor Archbishop of Karachi)
Anthony Theodore Lobo † (28 May 1993 Appointed - 18 Feb 2010 Resigned)
Rufin Anthony † (18 Feb 2010 Succeeded - 17 Oct 2016 Died)
Joseph Arshad (8 Dec 2017 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Prefecture Apostolic of Kafiristan e Kashmir
6 July 1887	Erected	Diocese of Lahore	Prefecture Apostolic of Kafiristan e Kashmir (erected)
22 May 1913	Metropolitan Changed		Prefecture Apostolic of Kafiristan e Kashmir (to Simla)
13 December 1938	Territory Added	Diocese of Lahore (Shahpur and Gujrat along with Pind-Dadan-Khan)	Prefecture Apostolic of Kafiristan e Kashmir
Diocese of Rawalpindi
10 July 1947	Elevated	Prefecture Apostolic of Kafiristan e Kashmir	Diocese of Rawalpindi
15 July 1950	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Rawalpindi (from Delhi and Simla)
17 January 1952	Territory Lost	Diocese of Lahore (Jammu) Diocese of Rawalpindi (Kashmir)	Prefecture Apostolic of Kashmir and Jammu (erected)
8 May 1955	Territory Added	Diocese of Ajmer (Multan)	Diocese of Rawalpindi
8 May 1955	Territory Added	Diocese of Multan (Dera Ismail and Bhakkar)	Diocese of Rawalpindi
Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi
1 June 1979	Name Changed	Diocese of Rawalpindi	Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi
26 March 1994	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi (from Karachi)

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Diocese of Rawalpindi

1950 12,821 12,000,000 .1% 1 36 37 346 103 16 ap1951

1970 37,344 14,000,000 .3% 3 39 42 889 48 124 20 ap1971

Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi

1980 75,145 24,520,000 .3% 12 25 37 2,030 33 96 ap1981

1990 105,681 36,047,000 .3% 13 20 33 3,202 26 103 ap1991

1999 135,328 35,000,000 .4% 17 9 26 5,204 18 113 21 ap2000

2000 171,800 35,000,000 .5% 18 9 27 6,362 16 99 19 ap2001

2001 248,190 35,000,000 .7% 20 9 29 8,558 15 104 18 ap2002

2002 248,696 35,000,000 .7% 22 9 31 8,022 14 104 18 ap2003

2003 276,776 35,000,000 .8% 26 2 28 9,884 7 103 18 ap2004

2004 168,135 35,000,000 .5% 14 2 16 10,508 6 109 18 ap2005

2006 174,208 36,522,000 .5% 14 6 20 8,710 15 118 18 ap2007

2013 195,000 35,995,000 .5% 31 5 36 5,416 24 104 20 ap2014

2016 182,273 38,236,000 .5% 31 4 35 5,207 19 112 21 ap2017

2019 189,600 39,785,000 .5% 29 6 35 5,417 17 102 22 ap2020

2021 216,500 41,311,365 .5% 33 7 40 5,412 16 95 24 ap2022

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Diocese of Rawalpindi
1950	12,821	12,000,000	.1%	1	36	37	346		103	16	ap1951
1970	37,344	14,000,000	.3%	3	39	42	889	48	124	20	ap1971
Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi
1980	75,145	24,520,000	.3%	12	25	37	2,030	33	96		ap1981
1990	105,681	36,047,000	.3%	13	20	33	3,202	26	103		ap1991
1999	135,328	35,000,000	.4%	17	9	26	5,204	18	113	21	ap2000
2000	171,800	35,000,000	.5%	18	9	27	6,362	16	99	19	ap2001
2001	248,190	35,000,000	.7%	20	9	29	8,558	15	104	18	ap2002
2002	248,696	35,000,000	.7%	22	9	31	8,022	14	104	18	ap2003
2003	276,776	35,000,000	.8%	26	2	28	9,884	7	103	18	ap2004
2004	168,135	35,000,000	.5%	14	2	16	10,508	6	109	18	ap2005
2006	174,208	36,522,000	.5%	14	6	20	8,710	15	118	18	ap2007
2013	195,000	35,995,000	.5%	31	5	36	5,416	24	104	20	ap2014
2016	182,273	38,236,000	.5%	31	4	35	5,207	19	112	21	ap2017
2019	189,600	39,785,000	.5%	29	6	35	5,417	17	102	22	ap2020
2021	216,500	41,311,365	.5%	33	7	40	5,412	16	95	24	ap2022

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Rufin Anthony † (Coadjutor Bishop: 4 Aug 2009; Bishop: 18 Feb 2010 to 17 Oct 2016)
Ignatius Brouwer, M.H.M. † (Prefect: 1887 to 1894)
Nicholas Hettinga, M.H.M. † (Bishop: 10 Jul 1947 to 17 Dec 1973)
Anthony Theodore Lobo † (Bishop: 28 May 1993 to 18 Feb 2010)
Joseph Patrick O’Donohoe, M.H.M. † (Apostolic Administrator: 1930; Prefect: 26 Jan 1934 to 1944)
Simeon Anthony Pereira † (Auxiliary Bishop: 3 Jul 1971; Bishop: 17 Dec 1973 to 22 Mar 1993)
Dominic Wagenaar, M.H.M. † (Prefect: 1901 to 1914)
Robert J. Winkley, M.H.M. † (Prefect: 24 Oct 1916 to 1 Nov 1930)

Source(s)

Prefecture Apostolic of Kafiristan e Kashmir
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 5, Page 266, and Page 267
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 31, Page 171, and Page 172
Diocese of Rawalpindi
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 43, Page 66, to Page 69
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 43, Page 612, to Page 614
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 47, Page 696
Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 71, Page 954, and Page 955
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 86, Page 633, and Page 634

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Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi

Dioecesis Islamabadensis-Ravalpindensis