Former Seminarian Gives Up Life in U.S. to Return to Priesthood After 20-Year Journey

A former seminarian who spent a decade working as a teacher and faced the prospect of a comfortable life in the United States has returned to the priesthood after a 20-year journey, saying he could not ignore what he believed was his true calling.

Fr. Shafaqat John, 40, was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Khalid Rehmat on August 11, 2026, at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Lahore. He celebrated his first Holy Mass on August 14 at his native parish, St. Joseph’s Church in Lahore Cantt, marking the culmination of two decades of waiting and discernment.

Born Dec. 8, 1986, in Bhando Gujjar village near Lahore, Fr. John grew up in a deeply religious family. His late parents, John Masih and Nargas, were devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary and dedicated their lives to the Church. His father served for nearly 50 years as a volunteer lay minister at a local church.

The youngest of five siblings, Shafaqat entered St. Mary’s Minor Seminary in Lahore in 2006. He later studied philosophy at St. Francis Xavier Seminary in 2009 and theology at Christ the King Seminary in Karachi in 2012.

After facing difficulties during his formation, he left the seminary in 2014. For the next 10 years, he lived as a layperson, working as a music instructor at several educational institutions, including St. Anthony’s High School in Lahore, while continuing to serve in church choirs.

While teaching at St. Anthony’s, Archbishop Sebastian Francis Shaw invited him to resume priestly formation. The decision forced him to choose between the security of a regular salary, family responsibilities and a marriage proposal that could have taken him to the United States, or returning to the seminary.

After three days of prayer and reflection, he declined the proposal, resigned from his teaching position and returned to formation in 2024.

“Priesthood is my real calling,” Fr. John said. “Just as God guided Jonah, He guided me back.”

He said his years outside the seminary were not wasted, but helped him understand the struggles of ordinary people and deepened his desire to serve the poor and marginalized.

On his ordination day, however, he felt the absence of his parents. His mother, Nargas, died five years ago, while his father died three years before his ordination.

“I am the fruit of my parents’ prayerful life,” he said. “I dedicate this priesthood to my parents and thank them for bringing me closer to Jesus and Mother Mary.”

Fr. Asif Sardar, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Lahore and a close friend, described the ordination as the fulfillment of a long and difficult journey.

“Seeing Shafaqat finally kissing the altar after an agonizing 20-year wait brings tears to my eyes,” he said, describing his decade as a layperson as a period marked by “daily life, family responsibilities and unseen heartbreaks.”

Following his ordination, Fr. John began active pastoral ministry in the Archdiocese of Lahore and was assigned to oversee the day-to-day operations of Caritas Lahore.