St. Pius X Minor Seminary is the preparatory seminary in the Archdiocese of Karachi, Pakistan. It had 25 seminarians in January 2010. Father Benjamin Shehzad is the seminary’s rector.[1]
Due to congestion and other problems a new, larger seminary building is to be constructed on ground adjacent to St. Jude's Church in Karachi. Archbishop Evarist Pinto performed the groundbreaking on the 2,044 square meter site. Construction of the seminary will begin in October 2008, with completion targeted for October 2009. [2] St. Pius X Minor Seminary opened in 1958 in what is now the Apostolic Prefecture of Quetta in Baluchistan Province. It was shifted to Catholic Colony in Karachi in 1973.
St. Pius X Minor Seminary is one of four minor seminaries educating 92 seminarians in Faisalabad, Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi. Major seminary studies are split between St. Francis Xavier Seminary in Lahore, where 41 seminarians are studying philosophy, and Christ the King Seminary in Karachi, where 23 seminarians who have finished their study of philosophy are studying theology. [3]
In May 2011, Archbishop Evarist Pinto cut the ribbon and opened the much-needed newly constructed seminary. The archdiocese faced a vocation crisis for three decades as many applicants had to be turned away due to lack of space. The 12 minor seminarians are to move into the new block very soon. Spanning 6,070 square meters, the facility can accommodate more 50 candidates and has a chapel, library and computer room. In 2011 there are 88 minor and 94 major seminarians in the four minor and two major seminaries in the country.
The seminary received financial assistance for the construction of its new facilities from the Curé of Ars Parish in Leawood, Kansas, USA.[4]
In August 2011 St Pius became the first seminary in the country to provide internet access to its students.[5]