Presented by

Irsa Farouqi
Harris Gul Memon
Hazique Gul Memon
Anum Jamil
Ali Nawaz
CATHOLICS IN PAKISTAN
Introduction

 There are over one million Catholics in

Pakistan, which represents less than
2% of the total population.
 90% of Pakistani Christians live in
Punjab with 50% living in rural
villages. “Less than 2% of Pakistanis
are Christians,” says a 2008 CNS –
Catholic News Service report
Statistics
Customs

 Good Friday
Good Friday is the day that Christians
around the world celebrate the death
of Jesus Christ
 Easter Trivia
The decoration of easter eggs with
traditional feast of ham.
Customs

 Halloween
Many of the customs of Halloween have to
do with fear of the dead. Part of belief
was that one could live safely through
the night by dressing up as a ghost,
witch, etc., or bribing the evil spirits with
treats.
 Feast of All Saints
The Feast of All Saints is the celebration of
our relationship with those in the
triumphant church - those who have
preceded us in entry to heaven.
Rituals

1. I am the Lord your God, you shall have no

other gods before me.
2. You shall not take the Lord your God's
name in vain
3. Keep Holy the Sabbath day.
4. Thou shall not kill
5. Honor your father and mother
6. Though shall not steal
7. Though shall not commit adultery
8. Thou shall not bare false witness
9. Thou shall not covet thy neighbors
wife/husband
10.Thou shall not covet thy neighbors goods
Traditions

 Communion is receiving the Body and

Blood of Christ, God's Son Jesus.
 They also have Reconciliation. This is
where they confess their sins to a
priest.
 Baptism is when a child, baby, or
adult enters the Catholic faith.
 Fasting is to be observed on Ash
Wednesday by all Catholics who are
18 years of age but not yet 59. Those
who are bound by this may take only
Traditions

•Christmas
•Annual Christian holiday commemorating the birth of
Jesus Christ.
Cuisine

 The cuisine of Pakistani Catholics is

not any different from other Muslim
Pakistani’s. Since they have adapted
the culture, they have even built a
taste for Pakistani food. The only
exceptional product that they
consume is the pork meat which is
not available in Pakistan.
 Wheat and other flour products are
the mainstay of the diet, one familiar
form being chapati, an unleavened
bread akin to a Mexican tortilla.
Lifestyle

 Pakistani society is largely

hierarchical. Urban families have
grown into a nuclear family system
because of the socio-economic
constraints imposed by the traditional
joint family system.
 Talking about their dressing patterns,
the culture has influenced the
Catholics with women & men both
wearing shalwar-kamez as their
traditional dresses.
Education

 Catholics who which to study

Christian educational system can now
join in the catholic schools like St.
Patrick or St. Joseph. These education
centre’s are highly recognized now so
Christians who wish to study in this
system are allowed to do so.
Consumer Habits of Catholics in
Pakistan
 More or less the same as Pakistani’s.
Eg – shalwar kameez.
 Food & drink interest – Pork and Wine
( but are not freely available in
Pakistan)
 Purchases during different occations
such as Christmas and Easter.
Occupation and Vocations

 They are under the poverty line or at

the working class.
 Occupations include – plumbers,
carpenters, Hair dressers, mechanics,
electricians etc.
 Only few belong in the middle and
upper class which work in consulates
and Airlines.
 Very few of them are formally
educated and work as teachers, pilots
5 cultural Dimensions

 Low vs High Power Distance

Catholics in Pakistan are high in power
distance which means that the less
powerful accept power relations that are
more autocratic. Subordinates
acknowledge the power of others simply
based on where they are situated in
certain formal, hierarchical positions.
 Individualism vs Collectivism
Catholics fall in the collectivist category
since it follows the Pakistani culture
which emphasizes on joint family
5 Dimensions (contd.)

 Masculinity vs Feminity
Catholics or Pakistani culture in general are
considered to be a masculine in nature as
they possess wealth and believe in
domination through power and rigidity, but
at the same time they do reflect a feminine
culture as they don’t strive for better but
rather just work to earn money.
 Uncertainty Avoidance
They try to avoid uncertainty on the
philosophical and religious level by a belief
in absolute Truth; 'there can only be one
Truth and we have it'.
Contd.

 Long vs short-term orientation

Catholics in Pakistan value social
responsibility and therefore live by
traditions and rituals that have been
followed since their ancestors. Their
lifestyle is ‘laid back’ and they do not
accept the change that easily.