| Rufin Anthony | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi | |
| Church | Roman Catholic |
| See | Roman Catholic Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi |
| In Office | 2009 – |
| Predecessor | Anthony Theodore Lobo |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 29 June 1969 |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
February 12, 1940 |
| Previous post | Rector, Christ the King Seminary (Pakistan) |
Rufin Anthony (born 12 February 1940 in Khushpur) is a Pakistani Roman Catholic Bishop. He completed his primary and secondary school in Khushpur. He received his religious training at the St. Pius X Minor Seminary in Quetta and the Christ the King Major Seminary, Karachi and was ordained a priest of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Faisalabad on 29 June 1969. He also studied at the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome, where he obtained a Licentiate in Spirituality.[2]
The former vicar general of Faisalabad diocese was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi by Pope Benedict XVI on August 4, 2009.[3] The Bishop-elect had served as formator and spiritual director at St. Pius X Minor Seminary in Quetta and as a professor at the Major Seminary in Karachi. He also had served as national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies and later as rector of St. Thomas the Apostle Minor Seminary in Faisalabad and the major seminary in Karachi from 23 April 2004.[4] He again became vicar general of Faisalabad diocese in 2005 and was parish priest of Khushpur until the announcement of his new appointment.[5]
His other appointments have been: Parish Priest in Chak, Okara, 1974–1976; Vicar General of Faisalabad and Parish Priest of the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul, 1979–1990; Parish Priest of Khushpur, 1990–1994; Parish Priest of Chak, 1994-1995.[6]
On 21 September 2009, Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana, apostolic nuncio to Pakistan, presided at the ordination in St. Joseph's Cathedral, Rawalpindi of Bishop Anthony. More than 1,500 people attended the event.[7]
On 26 September 2009, hundreds of people gathered in the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, Faisalabad, to greet Bishop Anthony, a native of Faisalabad, who on 21 September 2009 took possession of the Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi.[8]
On Thursday, February 18, 2010, Bishop Anthony automatically succeeded Bishop Lobo as Bishop of Islamabad-Rawalpindi upon the latter's resignation.
St. Thomas’ Church, Wah Cantt was attacked by a group of armed men on 28 March 2011 which resulted in damages. It is believed that the incident was related to the recent episode of the burning of the Quran by Pastor Terry Jones in the U.S. Bishop Anthony visited the scene shortly after the incident. He met the police and asked for more protection for churches.[9]