Fr. James Channan OP Director Peace Center Lahore paid a meeting to Nunciature Counselor Reverend Msgr. Germano Penemote and presented flowers to with His Excellency, Msgr. Germano Penemote, as appointed, Apostolic Nuncio / Ambassador of the Holy See in Pakistan with his staff Mr. Asher Nazir Executive Secretary Peace Center and Ms. Neelam Nisair Program Manager Peace Center.

Fr. James Channan OP warmly welcomed His Excellency, Msgr. Germano Penemote, Apostolic Nuncio / Ambassador of the Holy See in Pakistan and with a detail he briefed to His Excellency Msgr, Germano Penemote about the activities and programs of Peace Center for the promotion of Interfaith Harmony and Peace among the people of different religions in Pakistan. He shared the update and in present situations of Pakistan how the Peace Center is promoting and playing an effective and important role to create peace, unity, love and tolerance among the people of different religions in Pakistan.

Fr. James Channan OP said that in the result of our peace and dialogue work now many people from different religions like Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs are working with us a promoter of Peace and Interfaith harmony and in many issues and conflicts they are with us and together we raise our voices for justice and equal rights for minorities in Pakistan on different forums. Here I want to share about Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad he is Grand Imam and Khateeb Badshahi Mosque Lahore he is my best friend and from many years I am working with him and together as Christian and Muslim we are working among the religions for the promotion of peace and interfaith harmony. But in Pakistan as Christian, we are facing many problems and issues regarding motivated religious violence, discrimination, and injustice. Inequality, fanaticism, and equal opportunities for minorities in Pakistan. Recently the incident that happened in District Faisalabad's Tehsil Jaranwala, where 25 Churches and more than 100 houses have been burnt, and robbed in Christian resident colonies and villages by a Muslim mob attack, for a false case of blasphemy against two Christian men. Catholic bishops in Pakistan have taken tough action against whoever set 25 churches on fire and 100 vandalized Christian homes over an alleged blasphemy claim in eastern Punjab province.  In one day, 25 churches and 100 houses were badly burned. We do not see other examples of history like this incident in the World. Interfaith religious leaders are with us and they are working with us for peace, interfaith harmony, justice and equality.  We are working and we have to face many challenges. We are promoters of love, peace and interfaith harmony and through our actions and different activities on the platform of Peace Center Lahore we are playing a role of connector not divider among the religions.

We are promter of love, peace and interfaith harmony and through our actions and differetn activites on the platform of  Peace Center  Lahore we are playing a role of connector not divider among the religions.

His Excellency, Msgr. Germano Penemote said that Pope Francis appointed to me as apostolic nuncio in Pakistan, His Excellency, Msgr. Penemote said that I was born in Ondobe, Angola (a southern African nation), on October 24, 1969. He shared that I was ordained a priest on December 6, 1998, and incardinated in the diocese of Ondijiva. He entered the Holy See Diplomatic Service on July 1, 2003, and has served in the apostolic nunciature in Benin, Uruguay, Slovakia, Thailand, Hungary, Peru, and Romania.

His Excellency, Msgr. Germano Penemote, highly appreciated to Fr. James Channan OP director Peace Center, for his wonderful promotion of Interfaith Harmony and Peace among the people of different religions Muslims, Christians, Hindus and Sikhs in Pakistan. He said that I am very much impressed with the work of Peace Center Lahore and I will visit the Peace Center Lahore in March, 2024 and I will be happy to meet with interfaith leaders.
Reported by:
Asher Nazir