Pakistan: Hyderabad Diocese Secures Land for St. Carlo Acutis Church After 25-Year Wait

The Diocese of Hyderabad in southern Pakistan blessed and consecrated a 1,375-square-yard plot of land on October 2, 2026, for the construction of St. Carlo Acutis Catholic Church in Salamti Co-operative Housing Society, Hyderabad, ending a 25-year struggle by the local Catholic community to recover land lost to illegal encroachment.

The church will be named after St. Carlo Acutis, the Italian teenager canonized in 2025 and widely known as the first millennial saint.

The plot was purchased with financial support from Caritas Pakistan Hyderabad, with the borrowed amount subsequently repaid in full.

Salamti Co-operative Housing Society is a Christian-led residential development intended to provide secure housing, land ownership, and long-term socioeconomic opportunities for Christian families in Hyderabad, a major city in Sindh province in southern Pakistan.

The site currently serves as a substation of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Hyderabad. The diocese plans to establish an independent parish there to serve the pastoral needs of the growing Christian population in the surrounding area.

The ceremony began with a reception for Bishop Samson Shukardin of Hyderabad. The welcome featured fireworks, flower garlands, and the presentation of the traditional Sindhi Ajrak and cap. Church and community leaders also released white pigeons as symbols of peace, hope, and freedom.

During the liturgical rite, Bishop Shukardin walked around the property and sprinkled it with holy water, blessing the land for its future use as a place of worship. More than 150 people, including diocesan priests, religious sisters, and local parishioners, attended the ceremony.

The bishop also unveiled a commemorative plaque marking the site of the future St. Carlo Acutis Catholic Church.

Addressing the gathering, Shukardin highlighted the spiritual significance of the young saint, describing him as a symbol of hope and perseverance for Catholic youth. He encouraged young people to follow Acutis' example by integrating faith, innovation, and service into their daily lives.

The bishop also commended the community for its patience during the 25-year struggle to recover the land. He said securing homes and land for worship was an important step toward strengthening the dignity and socioeconomic well-being of Christians in the region.

Iqbal Gill, joint secretary of the housing society and the event's main organizer, thanked Church leaders and other stakeholders who contributed to the initiative. He said recovering the land and securing space for both housing and worship represented a significant achievement for the community, creating opportunities for safer and more sustainable settlements for Christian families.

Emmanuel Javaid, chairman of the Salamti Co-operative Housing Society, said secure land ownership and a dedicated place of worship were essential to empowering marginalized families and providing a dignified future for the next generation.

Canice D'Souza, president of the housing society, also thanked the bishop, Caritas Pakistan Hyderabad, the organizing team, and the local community for their cooperation and efforts.

With the land blessed and consecrated, Church leaders expressed hope that construction of St. Carlo Acutis Catholic Church would begin with a groundbreaking ceremony in 2027, fulfilling a long-standing aspiration of Catholics in the Diocese of Hyderabad.