On Monday 5^th October at about 8.00 a.m, Bishop Karikassery and I visited St. Anthony’s High School, Lahore, where over   1000 senior students welcomed both of us with great enthusiasm.  In his inspiring talk, Bishop Karikassery encouraged the students to work for and to pray for peace. He explained to the students that ‘Peace’ begins with ‘smile’. His ‘smiling’ exhortation was well received by the students and teachers of St. Anthony’s School. Three representatives of the students gave us ‘Peace Letters’ packed in well decorated, beautiful containers made of bamboos.  Bishop expressed his great appreciation for and gratitude to the Principal of the school,  Mr. Ambrose Moghul , who arranged such an impressive programme and he encouraged the whole school to  enhance  the efforts  to promote  peace and harmony in the society. Without spending much time to interact with the teachers and students, however much the Bishop would have liked to do it,  we had to hasten  to meet  Archbishop Sebastian Francis Shaw OFM, the Archbishop of Lahore,  who was waiting for us: the meeting was scheduled for 10.00 a.m. With apology for being late, Bishop Joseph Karikkassery honoured the Archbishop Sebastian with a shawl and a plaque. The Archbishop received us very cordially and  expressed his enthusiasm  to start in his Archdiocese, the ‘Association of People Praying for Peace’ (APPP) which Bishop Karikassery had initiated in his Kottapuram Diocese. It was another moment of ‘grace’  and an opportunity  for uniting  the Archdiocese of Lahore with the diocese of Kottapuram. Archbishop Sebastian Shaw emphasized the need of ‘Peace’  and the power of prayer to obtain and to promote peace.  After a short visit to ‘St. Paul’s Book Centre’ run by Sisters of the Society of St. Paul, we rushed to ‘Joseph Colony’ where 178 Christian houses were burned by the fundamentalists in march,  2012.  After spending some time, listening to the people of the colony, Bishop Joseph Karikkassery enjoyed a simple Pakistani lunch  served  by the family of Mr. Chirag Hamid who is a Seventh Day Adventist. Mr.Chirag is a small scale industrialist who lost more than a million  rupees  in cash as well as a motorcycle and other valuables  in the burning of his house in 2012. After  expressing his prayerful condolences to Mr. Chirag, upon losing  his beloved wife few months ago, he blessed the whole family and went to  the ‘Seventh Day Adventists’ church where a small group of people were waiting for the Bishop. After participating in the  short prayer service arranged in the Church, the Bishop gave his blessings to the  people who had gathered in the Church. Our next stop was at the women’s empowerment centre known as ‘WAKE’ (Women And Kids Education) in Youhannabad which is run by Sr. Sabina Rifat. Sabina Rifat is a niece of  late Bishop Joseph John who was shot dead some fifteen years ago, in a court premises in Faizalabad,  where  he had gone  to defend a Christian who was falsely accused of blasphemy.  WAKE  conducts non-formal education  and job oriented programmes for women and formal  education for kids from the lower strata of the society belonging to different communities, including Muslims, Christians and others, thus, bridging the gap between the different groups, both social as well as religious. This seems to be one of the best and effective means to face different kinds of fundamentalism. Bishop Karikassery expressed his wish that more and more people like Sr. Sabina Rifat come forward to organize such effective programmes.

Meanwhile we received a call from the Rector of the Cathedral Fr.Joseph Shahzad, that people were waiting for Bishop Karikassery  who was to inaugurate the ‘Association of People Praying for Peace’  (APPP) in Lahore Cathedral parish.  More than seventy fervent Catholics under the leadership of Fr. Joseph, the Rector of the Cathedral, were very happy to give a warm welcome to Bishop Karikassery who, launching out  the Association of People Praying for Peace (APPP) in Lahore Archdiocese, explained to the people the importance of having and promoting peace and importance of prayer in the life of a Christian. The enthusiastic people very generously accepted the inspiring exhortation of  Bishop Karikassery who impressed upon the people about  the ‘power of prayer’ especially to obtain and to promote peace. He also mentioned that Christians all over the world are known as ‘peace-loving people. He emphasized on the very important role ‘Christian Community’ of today is expected to play to promote ‘peace and harmony’ in the society, in the whole of Pakistan. Thus the seeds of hope of ‘Peace’ were sworn in Lahore Archdiocese, meanwhile the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary (SCJM) sent the urgent message that they  were all patiently waiting in their  convent for Holy Mass to be offered by the Bishop.  Thanks to the ‘patience’ of 12 Sisters  along with their provincial and over 100 hostel girls for waiting for us.  After the Mass, dinner and a short meeting with the Sisters, we got back to Loyola Hall by 9.30 p.m. rather exhausted, but with a deep sense of fulfillment and joy: “Blessed are the peace makers, for they shall be  recognized as children of God!” (Mt.5:9)

Tuesday, 6^th October was reserved for Gujjranwala.  After saying Mass early in the morning we were scheduled to leave for Gujjranwala at 7.a.m.- about two hours’ drive from Lahore. As we started the journey, the car developed a snag which delayed us for more than an hour. Our first programme was scheduled to be at 9.00 a.m. in St. Francis High School, Francisabad, Gujjranwala. Francisabad is predominantly a ‘Christian’ colony. Apostolic Carmel Sisters run St. Francis High School, educating students from middle and lower middle-class families. Gujjranwala is about two hours’ drive from Lahore. Thanks to the Principal, Sr. Maureen A.C., who adjusted the school schedule to accommodate the delay caused by the snag which the car developed.  Over 400 senior students were anxiously waiting for us when we reached a little after 10.a.m. With an apology, Bishop Karikassery appreciated the patience of the students and the staff. The greater majority of the students and the staff are Christians. A ‘Two hour long meaningful programme was concluded with Bishop Karikassery’s inspiring talk, summing up with his Blessing. The students were informed that  the letters from India, were given to the Principal which they could take later and that they could write replies to the letters  which could be given to me the following month when I  plan to visit them. However, the impatient zeal and enthusiasm of the students did not allow them to wait for a month.  To my pleasant surprise, the students wrote forty-eight very inspiring letters within 15 minutes and gave them to me. I admired the spontaneous creativity of the students.  I showed Bishop Karikassery, the way they drew pictures in black and white and the way they made envelops with simple plain papers, putting the simple letters in the envelopes along with Pakistani currency notes and coins, was amazing! It also shows how much those students long for peace! A Very moving gesture! Though getting late, I just could not resist but continue to be there, joyfully and gratefully accepting all the letters spontaneously written in their simplicity; it was a great experience of learning from the students!

After having a short meeting with the SCJM Sisters, we reached the Gujjranwala Parish at about 2.00 in the afternoon. Fr. Jahanzeb and the catechists were eagerly waiting for us. After having a short meeting with them who provided a heavy lunch, we went to the Sessions Court of Gujjranwala where over 15 Lawyers gathered for a meeting of the ‘Lawyers for Peace’ which was scheduled for 3.00 p.m.  It was great pleasant surprise for Bishop Karikassery to see so many Lawyers interested in the ‘Peace Movement’. Cleverly answering the questions — some of them double edged! —  Bishop exhorted the Lawyers saying that Peace can be built on Justice and the Lawyers therefore have a great role in establishing peace and upholding justice at any cost.  The Lawyers appreciated the work of the ‘Peace Mission’ and promised their full support to it.  After the meeting of an hour and a half we proceeded to a school where the members of ‘Civil Society’ and ‘Academia’ of Gujjranwala had planned a meeting with us at 5.00p.m. Over 25 people of different age group participated in a very lively meeting when almost all of them expressed their opinions that every effort should be made to establish and to promote lasting ‘Peace and Friendship’ between India and Pakistan and that hostility and fight will only ruin both the countries. It was also a moment of renewing one’s commitment to the cause of peace.  It turned to be a great opportunity for us to know the mind of the people of Pakistan and how anxious they are to promote peace. Though the meeting was planned from 5.00 to 6.00 p.m, we had to forcibly conclude the meeting by 7.15 p.m., since Archbishop Sebastian Shaw had invited us for dinner which was scheduled to be at 8.00 p.m.

It was very gracious of His Grace, Archbishop Sebastian Shaw, to wait for us till we reached at about 8.45 p.m. Fr. Joseph Shahzad, the Rector of the Cathedral and Mr. Anthony Richards, the  Chief Information Officer of Formman Christian College of Lahore and the Secretary to the Archbishop joined us for the dinner. During the dinner Archbishop Sebastian and Bishop Karikassery had shared lot of useful information and ideas about the Church in Pakistan and the Church in India. Archbishop expressed his great appreciation for Bishop Karikassery especially for his visit. He also expressed his wish to visit India and especially Kottapuram Diocese which is the cradle of Christianity in India. Bishop Karikassery promised to invite the Archbishop and also to facilitate to obtain a visa for the Archbishop. It turned out to be a ‘working dinner’ on ‘Building Peace’.

Though the visit of Bishop Karikassery to Pakistan was very short –  just five short, but eventful days  – with a very busy schedule of visiting many important people, places, institutions and groups,   imparting to them the important message of establishing and promoting peace. Next morning, Wednesday, 7^th of October, the feast of Holy Rosary, the Bishop and I offered Holy Mass at 5.30 a.m. and by seven, we were ready to leave Loyola Hall and Pakistan for India; Advocate Nadeem Anthony was ready to take us to Waga Border.  We had not met the Superior of the Jesuit Community after the first day. To our surprise, in spite of being sick, Fr. Renato was there to meet us at 6.00 a.m. when Bishop Karikassery gratefully honoured him with a shawl and a very special memento thanking him for making all the arrangements for such a  wonderful programme  which was very successful as well as eventful.  Thanks to Advocate Nadeem Anthony who arranged all our programme so well in consultation with Fr. Renato, the Superior of the Jesuit Community of Pakistan. Being with us all through all our journeys and programmes, from the moment Bishop Karikassery put his feet in Pakistan till he left, Advocate Nadeem Anthony saw that everything went well, as per the plans. The five days were memorable with lot of enriching experiences which will last long. The first visit of Bishop Joseph Karikassery to Pakistan was so full of rich experiences that he fervently looks forward to his next. It was said that ‘All is well that ends well’.   His first visit came to an end more than ‘well’. It was a very small, but  significant and a successful beginning of ‘UNIFICATION’ of two Apostolic Churches: The APOSTOLIC  CHURCH of Pakistan initiated by St. Thomas the Apostle in 40 A.D  with the APOSTOLIC  CHURCH of India initiated by the same Apostle in 52 A.D.