Veteran priest Fr. Bonnie Mendes of the Diocese of Faisalabad celebrated his 90th birthday on August 20, with Church leaders, religious and parishioners honoring more than six decades of his priestly ministry and service to human development and social justice.
Born in Karachi on August 19, 1936, Fr. Mendes was ordained a priest on January 7, 1962. He is now the third-longest-serving living priest in Pakistan, after Fr. Louis Mascarenhas, OFM, 93, and Archbishop Emeritus Evarist Pinto of Karachi, 92.
For more than six decades, Fr. Mendes has contributed to pastoral ministry, human development, peacebuilding and social justice in Pakistan and across Asia.
The birthday celebration began with a Thanksgiving Mass at Faisalabad Cathedral, presided over by Bishop Indrias Rehmat. In his homily, Bishop Rehmat described Fr. Mendes as a gift to the Church and expressed gratitude for his pastoral service, spiritual guidance and commitment to the people of the diocese.
A reception followed at the Bishop’s House, where Church leaders, religious, catechists and parishioners paid tribute to the veteran priest. Fr. Mendes was welcomed with bouquets and rose petals, while local youth presented performances. Church leaders also honored him with a traditional turban symbolizing dignity and respect.
Cardinal Joseph Coutts joined the celebration and praised Fr. Mendes’ humility, discipline and lifelong commitment to the Church, noting that his ministry has inspired generations of Catholics in Pakistan.
Fr. Khalid Rasheed Asi, director of the Commission for Justice and Peace in Faisalabad, delivered a Sipās-nāma, an address of appreciation recognizing Fr. Mendes’ contribution to the Christian community.
Fr. Simon Khurshid, chairperson of the Society for Human Development, highlighted Fr. Mendes’ work in education, women’s empowerment and youth development. He said Fr. Mendes had helped establish eight housing societies for Christian families. A new housing project, Bonnie Abad (Bonnie Town), is also being developed in his honor.
Sr. Magdaline Ishaq, delegate superior of the Daughters of St. Paul in Lahore, told Radio Veritas Asia that Fr. Mendes’ life has been marked by spiritual guidance, compassionate service and enduring pastoral commitment.
His ministry has also extended beyond Pakistan. Fr. Mendes served two terms as secretary of the FABC Office of Human Development and was twice elected Asian coordinator of Caritas Asia, contributing to the Church’s social mission across the region.
Despite reaching 90, Fr. Mendes is already looking ahead to another milestone: his 65th anniversary of priestly ordination in January 2027.
The celebration concluded with Cardinal Coutts, Bishop Rehmat and other clergy joining Fr. Mendes for a ceremonial cake-cutting, accompanied by prayers and hymns of thanksgiving
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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