:Arnold Heredia

Arnold Heredia was born in Karachi, Pakistan in 1940. He attended the Christ the King Seminary (Pakistan) and was ordained a priest of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi in 1965. Among his pastoral work he served tribal people in the interior of Sindh province.

Biography

In 1969 Father Heredia founded the Pakistan Christian Industrial Service in collaboration with Lee Lybarger and others.{{citation needed|date= October 2022}}

Inspired by the collaboration within the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA), he helped establish Idara-e-Amn-o-Insaf (justice and peace commission) in 1972. While at St. Francis Parish, Karachi, he launched a program on adult education and social development. He also published a monthly Urdu-language pamphlet, "Sawera" (dawn) which, later on, developed into "Jafakash," the Idara's magazine for workers.{{citation needed|date= October 2022}}

In recognition of his commitment to the cause of human rights in Pakistan, Father Heredia has been elected a member of the Central Committee of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan in 1988.{{citation needed|date= October 2022}}

Father Heredia has also served as Rector of the Christ the King Seminary.{{cite web |title =Priest among 16 arrested in interreligious protest against blasphemy laws | date=12 January 2001 | publisher=UCANews.com | url=http://www.ucanews.com/story-archive/?post_name=/2001/01/12/priest-among-16-arrested-in-interreligious-protest-against-blasphemy-laws&post_id=17572 | accessdate=24 August 2014}}

A book written by Father Heredia, "Lok Tanzeem Sazi" (organizing people) was published in 2000.{{cite web|title = Pakistanis Celebrate Priest's Service To Marginalized People|url = http://www.ucanews.com/2000/03/07/pakistanis-celebrate-priests-service-to-marginalized-people/?key=christ+the+king+seminary+pakistan|access-date = 18 July 2009|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180402101823/https://www.ucanews.com/2000/03/07/pakistanis-celebrate-priests-service-to-marginalized-people/?key=christ+the+king+seminary+pakistan|archive-date = 2 April 2018|url-status = dead}}

Fr. Heredia, was among 17 protestors arrested and detained in Karachi on 10 January 2001. He was taking part in an anti-"Blasphemy Laws" protest held under the auspices of the All Faith Spiritual Movement in Karachi. He was released on 17 January 2001.{{cite web |title = Pakistan Christians Acquitted of Blasphemy| url=http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=14795}}

Since 2005 he has been serving as the Parish Priest of Saint Peter's Church, Epping, Australia.{{cite web|title=Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time Vigil Mass |url=http://www.cam.org.au/archbishops-homilies-2003/twenty-first-sunday-in-ordinary-time-vigil-mass-at-st.-peters-epping.html |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706124704/http://www.cam.org.au/archbishops-homilies-2003/twenty-first-sunday-in-ordinary-time-vigil-mass-at-st.-peters-epping.html |archivedate=6 July 2011 }}

In 2016, he set up an organisation LinCoN (Links & Consolidation Network) to help refugees from Pakistan resettle in safer environments.[https://melbournecatholic.org/news/a-voice-of-the-voiceless-fr-arnold-heredia-on-christians-in-pakistan Melbourne Catholic Retrieved 22 February 2021]

References

Category:St. Patrick's High School, Karachi alumni

Category:20th-century Pakistani Roman Catholic priests

Category:Pakistani emigrants to Australia

Category:Living people

Category:1940 births

Category:Date of birth missing (living people)

Category:Place of birth missing (living people)

Category:Pakistani people of Goan descent

Category:21st-century Australian Roman Catholic priests