Tributes paid to late Bishop Rufin

Rawalpindi

Glowing tributes were paid to late Bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi Rufin Anthony at his funeral service at St Joseph's Cathedral in Lalkurti on Wednesday.

Bishop Rufin Anthony, who was 76 years old, died on October 17 and was laid to rest at the cathedral's premises. The funeral service, attended by a large number of people from all walks of life, was led by Bishop of Faisalabad Joseph Arshad.

Apostolic Nuncio to Pakistan Archbishop Ghaleb Moussa Abdalla Bader, Bishop of Multan Benny Mario Travas, Bishop of Hyderabad Samson Shukardin, Vicar General Father Sohail Patrick plus more than 200 hundred priests were also present for the funeral service.

Bishop Rufin was remembered as a loving personality and someone who committed wholeheartedly to his priesthood.

Archbishop Ghaleb Moussa Abdalla Bader described him as a person who was an ideal example to follow while Bishop Joseph and others talked about Bishop Rufin's mild nature and his will to do good for the people.

Bishop Rufin was born on February 12, 1940 in Khushpur, in Samundari Tehsil of Faisalabad district. He had completed his primary and secondary education in his hometown and received his religious training at the St Pius X Minor Seminary in Quetta and the Christ the King Major Seminary in Karachi.

He was ordained a priest of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Faisalabad on June 29, 1969. He also studied at the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome, where he obtained a Licentiate in Spirituality. A former vicar general of the Faisalabad diocese, he was appointed coadjutor bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi by Pope Benedict XVI on August 4, 2009.

He also served as spiritual director at St Pius X Minor Seminary in Quetta and as a professor at the Major Seminary in Karachi. He was also the national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies and rector of St Thomas the Apostle Minor Seminary in Faisalabad and the Major Seminary in Karachi.

He again became vicar general of the Faisalabad diocese in 2005 and was parish priest of Khushpur until the announcement of his appointment as bishop.

Bishop Rufin's other appointments included parish priest in Chak, Okara (1974-1976), vicar general of Faisalabad and parish priest of the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul (1979-1990), parish priest of Khushpur (1990-1994) and parish priest of Chak (1994-1995). On September 21, 2009, Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana, the then apostolic nuncio to Pakistan, presided at the ordination of Bishop Rufin at St Joseph's Cathedral, Rawalpindi.

On February 18, 2010, Bishop Rufin Anthony automatically succeeded Bishop Anthony Lobo as bishop of Islamabad-Rawalpindi upon the latter's resignation. Bishop Rufin's memorial service will be held at St Joseph's Cathedral on October 27 at 4:00pm.