Karachi (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Benny Mario Travas, Archbishop
Joseph Coutts, Cardinal, Archbishop Emeritus
Evarist Pinto, Archbishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 15 July 1950
Metropolitan See
Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelization
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Pakistan
Square Kilometers: 1,460 (563 Square Miles)
Description: The city of Karachi with its five districts, namely, Karachi Central, South, West, East and Malir.
Official Web Site: https://archdioceseofkarachi.com
Mailing Address: St. Patrick's Cathedral, Saddar, Karachi 74400, Pakistan
Telephone: (021)3278.15.33

Historical Details

Diocese of Karachi
- Latin Name: Karachiensis
- Erected: 20 May 1948
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Bombay
- Country: Pakistan

Past and Present Ordinaries

James Cornelius van Miltenburg, O.F.M. † (20 May 1948 Appointed - 7 May 1958 Appointed, Archbishop (Personal Title) of Hyderabad in Pakistan)
Joseph Marie Anthony Cordeiro † (7 May 1958 Appointed - 11 Feb 1994 Died)
Simeon Anthony Pereira † (11 Feb 1994 Succeeded - 20 Nov 2002 Retired)
Evarist Pinto (5 Jan 2004 Appointed - 25 Jan 2012 Retired)
Joseph Coutts (25 Jan 2012 Appointed - 11 Feb 2021 Retired)
Benny Mario Travas (11 Feb 2021 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Karachi
20 May 1948	Erected	Archdiocese of Bombay (Sind and Baluchistan)	Diocese of Karachi (erected)
Archdiocese of Karachi
15 July 1950	Elevated	Diocese of Karachi	Archdiocese of Karachi
28 April 1958	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Karachi (Hyderabad, Dadu, Jamshoro, Matiari, Tando Allahyar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Badin, Sanghar, Mirpur Khas, Tharparkar, Thatta, Umerkot, and Sujawal (Hyderabad Division). Jacobabad, Kashmore, Larkana, Qambar Shahdadkot, and Shikarpur (Larkana Division). ...)	Diocese of Hyderabad in Pakistan (erected)
9 November 2001	Territory Lost	Diocese of Hyderabad in Pakistan Archdiocese of Karachi	Prefecture Apostolic of Quetta (erected) (Balochistan)
9 November 2001	Territory Added		Diocese of Hyderabad in Pakistan (Civil Province of Sindh) Archdiocese of Karachi (Karachi with Central, South, West, East, and Malier)

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

Archdiocese of Karachi

1950 22,906 7,500,000 .3% 15 44 59 388 16 98 16 ap1951

1970 40,200 5,000,000 .8% 44 23 67 600 31 157 13 ap1971

1980 60,000 6,294,000 1.0% 41 18 59 1,016 1 38 155 16 ap1981

1990 75,000 6,400,000 1.2% 50 15 65 1,153 1 31 175 17 ap1991

1999 141,307 1,000,000 14.1% 39 14 53 2,666 38 188 18 ap2000

2000 152,749 11,500,000 1.3% 39 14 53 2,882 25 181 18 ap2001

2001 149,350 11,000,000 1.4% 38 25 63 2,370 53 165 19 ap2002

2002 150,263 11,000,000 1.4% 37 26 63 2,385 36 152 18 ap2003

2003 142,000 13,000,000 1.1% 34 15 49 2,897 58 157 15 ap2004

2004 145,000 14,000,000 1.0% 34 14 48 3,020 53 157 15 ap2005

2006 151,000 14,608,000 1.0% 32 11 43 3,511 50 157 15 ap2007

2011 166,000 15,802,000 1.1% 26 11 37 4,486 35 165 15 ap2012

2013 182,500 18,371,000 1.0% 34 22 56 3,258 64 163 15 ap2014

2016 186,600 19,379,000 1.0% 31 21 52 3,588 55 202 16 ap2017

2019 197,700 20,530,000 1.0% 35 16 51 3,876 86 161 15 ap2020

2021 170,365 22,418,000 .8% 33 23 56 3,042 41 119 16 ap2022

2023 192,293 22,534,690 .9% 41 23 64 3,004 62 103 16 ap2024

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Archdiocese of Karachi
1950	22,906	7,500,000	.3%	15	44	59	388		16	98	16	ap1951
1970	40,200	5,000,000	.8%	44	23	67	600		31	157	13	ap1971
1980	60,000	6,294,000	1.0%	41	18	59	1,016	1	38	155	16	ap1981
1990	75,000	6,400,000	1.2%	50	15	65	1,153	1	31	175	17	ap1991
1999	141,307	1,000,000	14.1%	39	14	53	2,666		38	188	18	ap2000
2000	152,749	11,500,000	1.3%	39	14	53	2,882		25	181	18	ap2001
2001	149,350	11,000,000	1.4%	38	25	63	2,370		53	165	19	ap2002
2002	150,263	11,000,000	1.4%	37	26	63	2,385		36	152	18	ap2003
2003	142,000	13,000,000	1.1%	34	15	49	2,897		58	157	15	ap2004
2004	145,000	14,000,000	1.0%	34	14	48	3,020		53	157	15	ap2005
2006	151,000	14,608,000	1.0%	32	11	43	3,511		50	157	15	ap2007
2011	166,000	15,802,000	1.1%	26	11	37	4,486		35	165	15	ap2012
2013	182,500	18,371,000	1.0%	34	22	56	3,258		64	163	15	ap2014
2016	186,600	19,379,000	1.0%	31	21	52	3,588		55	202	16	ap2017
2019	197,700	20,530,000	1.0%	35	16	51	3,876		86	161	15	ap2020
2021	170,365	22,418,000	.8%	33	23	56	3,042		41	119	16	ap2022
2023	192,293	22,534,690	.9%	41	23	64	3,004		62	103	16	ap2024

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

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Joseph Coutts (Archbishop: 25 Jan 2012 to 11 Feb 2021; Apostolic Administrator: 11 Feb 2021 to 11 Apr 2021)
Evarist Pinto (Priest: 6 Jan 1968; Auxiliary Bishop: 17 Feb 2000; Apostolic Administrator: 20 Nov 2002; Archbishop: 5 Jan 2004 to 25 Jan 2012)
Benny Mario Travas (Priest: 7 Dec 1990 to 13 Jun 2014; Archbishop: 11 Feb 2021 - )

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Joseph Marie Anthony Cordeiro † (Priest: 24 Aug 1946; Archbishop: 7 May 1958 to 11 Feb 1994)
Anthony Theodore Lobo † (Priest: 8 Jan 1961; Auxiliary Bishop: 8 Jun 1982 to 28 May 1993)
Simeon Anthony Pereira † (Priest: 24 Aug 1951 to 3 Jul 1971; Coadjutor Archbishop: 22 Mar 1993; Archbishop: 11 Feb 1994 to 20 Nov 2002)
James Cornelius van Miltenburg, O.F.M. † (Bishop: 20 May 1948; Archbishop: 15 Jul 1950 to 7 May 1958)

Source(s)

Diocese of Karachi
- Acta Apostolicæ Sedis, Volume 41, Page 62, to Page 64
Archdiocese of Karachi
- Acta Apostolicæ Sedis, Volume 43, Page 66, to Page 69

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Archdiocese of Karachi

Archidioecesis Karachiensis