Anjou Soares
Anjou Soares was born in Karachi, Pakistan, in 1942. He graduated from Karachi University before entering the Christ the King seminary. He was ordained a priest of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi in 1969.
He was the director of the Catechetical Centre, Karachi till 1992.[1]
In 1989 he was elected chairperson of the South Asia Catholic Press Association.[2]
He is also president of the Pakistan Catholic Press Association.[3]
Father Anjou Soares was chosen on September 30, 1998, as administrator of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Hyderabad following the transfer of its former ordinary Bishop Joseph Coutts as bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Faisalabad. In accordance with canon law, the diocesan priest consultors elected Father Soares to administer the diocese until Pope John Paul II appointed a new ordinary for the diocese in the province of Sindh.
He has been in Hyderabad diocese since 1992 and has been appointed to the bishop’s council twice, in 1994 and 1997.[4]
In 1993 the Joty Educational and Cultural Centre for education and intereligious dialogue was established, which aims to build good relations with Muslims, marginalise all forms of integralism and violence and promote social harmony. It was initially opened in a small apartment in Hyderabad. In 2005 it has its own building with classrooms, a hall for prayer and meditation and a refectory. The Centre is directed by Fr. Anjou Soares.[5]
He has been a member of the National Catechetical Commission for the past 25 years.[6]
In 2008, he gave a keynote address entitled “Pakistan - Islam and Values for Dialogue and Peaceful Coexistence “ at the Meeting of Asian Catholic Cultural Centres held from 29 April - 3 May, in Kathmandu, Nepal.[7]