Oblates Building College In Pakistan

The Missionary Oblate Delegation of Pakistan took a historic step for the youth of Youhanabad, Lahore by laying the foundation of Mazenod College on June 30, 2020. The college will be named for St. Eugene De Mazenod, founder of the Missionary Oblates.

Youhanabad is the largest Christian settlement in Pakistan with a population of about 200,000 residents, a majority of whom are Catholic. Although it is situated on the outskirts of the main city of Lahore, the network of roads around the settlement has made it an important and attractive residential and commercial location.

But residents of Youhanabad still lack basic health facilities, schools, road infrastructure and institutions of higher learning. Due to the lack of education, a large portion of men work as laborers and women as domestic help in houses where some face physical and sexual abuse. For this reason, the Oblates felt a need to establish an institute of higher learning in order to uplift the young people of Youhanabad.

The location of Mazenod College is strategic. It is at a crossroads of Youhanabad and Nishtar colony (predominately Muslim). Mazenod College will educate not only the Christian community of Youhanabad but also a portion of Muslim youth of Nishtar colony. This way an environment of co-existence and interfaith harmony will be promoted and nurtured.

At the laying of the foundation stone ceremony, all of the Oblates from the Lahore region gathered along with Fr. Khan Paulus, Superior of the Delegation of Pakistan. The construction work is currently in full swing under the watchful supervision of Fr. Baharat Exupear, O.M.I.

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