06/03/2019 Pakistan (International Christian Concern) – A Catholic priest in Pakistan was honored last week for his leadership on interfaith harmony. Father James Channan, a Dominican priest, has promoted interfaith harmony and peacebuilding in both Pakistan and across the world for many years.

According to UCA News, Father Channan received an award at the Interfaith Conference 2019 held in Lahore on May 17. Noor-ul-Haq Qadri, Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, presented the award.

“I am actively serving in this mission to build bridges between Christians and the people of other religions, especially with our Muslim brethren,” Father Channan told the conference. “But, I still see there is an urgent need for interfaith dialogue.”

Across Pakistan, the country’s tiny Christian minority faces high levels of persecution and intolerance. False blasphemy accusations, forced conversions to Islam, and widespread discrimination are only a few of the issues faced by Pakistani Christians on a daily basis.

“Looking at discrimination in society, I decided that I would work to break these walls of hatred and to promote acceptance and brotherhood among people bellowing to various religions, cultures, and ethnic background,” Father Channan concluded.

It is hoped that the work of Father Channan, and other religious leaders in Pakistan, will bear fruit and reverse growing levels of religious intolerance.

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