:Francis Nadeem
{{Short description|Pakistani priest (1955–2020)}}
{{Infobox adult biography
| honorific_prefix = The Reverend
| name = Francis Nadeem
| honorific_suffix = OFM Cap.
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| birth_date = {{birth date|1955|10|27}}
| birth_place = Gujranwala
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| death_date = {{death date and age|2020|7|3|1955|10|27}}
| death_place = Lahore
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| nationality = Pakistani
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| alma_mater = St. Mary's Minor Seminary, Lahore
| occupation = Catholic priest
| years_active = 1986-2020
| employer = Archdiocese of Lahore
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| known_for = Chief editor of Catholic Naqib
| notable_works = Books on the contribution of Christians to Pakistan
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| boards = National Council for Interfaith Dialogue, Lahore
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| awards = Tamgha-e-Imtiaz
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Francis Nadeem, OFM Cap. (October 27, 1955 – July 3, 2020) was a Capuchin Franciscan priest who worked in the Archdiocese of Lahore in Pakistan.{{Cite web |title=Pakistan: Muslim and Christian leaders praise Franciscan peacemaker |url=https://www.heraldmalaysia.com/news/pakistan-muslim-and-christian-leaders-praise-franciscan-peacemaker/54391/1 |access-date=2024-10-24 |website=Herald Malaysia Online}}
Early life
He was born in Gujranwala on October 27, 1955. In 1970, he joined the St. Mary's Minor Seminary, Lahore. He was ordained a priest on September 14, 1986.{{Cite web |last=Bangash |first=Yaqoob Khan |date=2020-07-05 |title=Obituary: Fearless champion of interfaith dialogue |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1567094/obituary-fearless-champion-of-interfaith-dialogue |access-date=2024-10-24 |website=DAWN.COM |language=en}}
Career
He was chief editor of Catholic Naqib, the Urdu language Catholic journal, in 1989.{{cite web |title = Pakistan Reporters Told Christian Journalists Must Focus On Ordinary People| url= http://www.ucanews.com/1989/01/25/reporters-told-christian-journalists-must-focus-on-ordinary-people/}}
He was the Parish Priest of St. Mary's Church, Gulberg from 2000 to 2002.{{cite web |title =St. Mary's Church| url=http://www.archdioceselahore.org/sm.html}}
Fr. Nadeem was nominated for an Independence Day Award on August 15, 2000 for outstanding service to the country. He published books on the contribution of Christians to Pakistan.{{cite web |title =UCANews.com August 15, 2000
| url= http://www.ucanews.com/2000/08/15/three-christian-pakistanis-nominated-for-independence-day-awards/?key=faisalabad}}
In 2004, he led Christian and Muslim representatives as they marched together along the India-Pakistan border in Kasur, 55 kilometres south of Lahore, to affirm their desire for peace in Kashmir and to support dialogue in both countries.{{cite web |title = Zenit 2004-01-16|url=http://www.zenit.org/article-9150?l=english}}
He was critical of the Ethics textbook for grade nine, approved and published by the Punjab Textbook Board, which lacks a chapter on Christianity and Jesus Christ, which he called open discrimination against Christians in Pakistan.{{cite web |title =Daily Times July 27, 2006|url= http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006%5C07%5C27%5Cstory_27-7-2006_pg13_8}} Such efforts are marginalising minorities and making them feel like strangers in their country. He claimed that the extremism prevalent during the past few decades shows that forces are working to eliminate minorities from Pakistan.{{cite news |title = The threat of Pakistan's revisionist texts|url= https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2009/may/18/pakistan-textbooks-religious-extremism | work=The Guardian | location=London | date=2009-05-18 | accessdate=2010-05-02 | first=Afnan | last=Khan}}
President, General Pervez Musharraf, announced 150 Pakistan Civil Awards on 14 August 2006, including Tamgha-e-Imtiaz to Father Francis Nadeem for Public Service.{{cite web |title =Pakistan Civil Awards|url=http://www.pakistan.gov.pk/cabinet-test/news/current/PressReleaseMarch2007.pdf}}
Father Nadeem, who headed the National Council for Interfaith Dialogue in Lahore, criticized the government for being "unclear" and "very silent" on extending dialogue with India. The priest said he had stopped participating in or organizing Kashmir rallies since the present government came to power in 2014.{{cite web |title = Priests speak up for Kashmir peace and freedom UCANews.com 13 February 2009| url= http://www.ucanews.com/2009/02/13/priests-speak-up-for-kashmir-peace-and-freedom/?key=pakistan+priest}}
Five Franciscan Capuchin brothers received their Solemn Profession at St. Francis Church, Kot Lakhpat, Lahore, on September 22, 2015. Custos of Mariam Siddeeqa Custody Pakistan Francis Nadeem administered the Solemn Profession while Morris Jalal and Fr. John Joseph OFM Cap were the concelebrants.[http://www.pakistanchristianpost.com/detail.php?hnewsid=5613#sthash.0IpQMeep.dpuf Pakistan Christian Post September 23, 2015]
In 2015, Nadeem became the provincial of the Capuchin friars in Pakistan.[http://www.fides.org/en/news/58646#.WKDwSdJ97ow Agenzia Fides 26 October 2015]
Death
Nadeem died of a heart attack on July 3, 2020. More than 2,000 people attended his funeral at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Lahore concelebrated by three bishops and 100 priests.[https://www.ucanews.com/news/pakistani-priest-hailed-a-hero-of-interfaith-harmony/88668 UCANews July 6, 2020]
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
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Category:20th-century Pakistani Roman Catholic priests
Category:Pakistani Christian pacifists
Category:Recipients of Tamgha-e-Imtiaz