Joseph Coutts HI | |
|---|---|
| Cardinal,Archbishop emeritus of Karachi | |
.jpg) Coutts in 2016 | |
| Church | Catholic Church |
| Archdiocese | Karachi |
| Appointed | 25 January 2012 |
| Term ended | 11 April 2021 |
| Predecessor | Evarist Pinto |
| Successor | Benny Mario Travas |
| Other post | Cardinal Priest of San Bonaventura da Bagnoregio (2018–present) |
| Previous posts |
|
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 9 January 1971 by Felicissimus Alphonse Raeymaeckers |
| Consecration | 16 September 1988 by Bonaventure Patrick Paul |
| Created cardinal | 28 June 2018 byPope Francis |
| Rank | Cardinal priest |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1945-07-21)21 July 1945 (age 80) |
| Nationality | Pakistani |
| Parents | Pedro Jose Couto |
| Alma mater | St. Anthony High School, Lahore |
| Motto | Harmony |
| Signature |  |
| Styles of Joseph Coutts | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Religious style | Cardinal |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
| See | Karachi |
Ordination history of Joseph Coutts | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Joseph Coutts (born 21 July 1945) is a Pakistaniprelate of theCatholic Church, who served asArchbishop of Karachi from 2012 to 2021. He served asBishop of Faisalabad from 1998 to 2012.
Pope Francis made Coutts acardinal on 28 June 2018.
Coutts was born inAmritsar, British India, on 21 July 1945 in aGoan family. His father Pedro Jose Couto was fromAldona, a village inNorth Goa, and the family's home was atUcassaim.Anil Joseph Thomas Couto,Archbishop of Delhi, is his first cousin. Coutts can speak several languages including English, Italian, German, French, Urdu, Punjabi and Sindhi.[1][2] He received his religious training at theChrist the King seminary inKarachi and was ordained apriest inLahore,Pakistan, on 9 January 1971.[3]
After ordination, he completed ecclesiastical studies inRome from 1973 to 1976 and then became professor of philosophy and sociology at Christ the King Regional Seminary, Karachi, rector ofSt. Mary's Minor Seminary, Lahore, and diocesan vicar general from 1986 to 1988.[3]
On 5 May 1988 he was appointedCoadjutor Bishop ofHyderabad in Pakistan byPope John Paul II and consecrated a bishop on 16 September. He chose as his episcopal motto the wordHarmony.[4] He became Bishop of Hyderabad on 1 September 1990.[1] On 27 June 1998 he was appointed Bishop ofFaisalabad.
Coutts is the longtime Chairman ofCaritas Pakistan and directed its earthquake relief efforts in 2005.[5]
In Faisalabad he developed ties with Muslim scholars and clerics.[3] TheCatholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt,Germany, awarded Bishop Coutts the 2007Shalom Prize for his commitment to interfaith dialogue in Pakistan. For 25 years, the award has been given to people and projects working for human rights.[6]
On 25 January 2012, PopeBenedict XVI appointed Bishop Coutts as Archbishop of Karachi to succeed ArchbishopEvarist Pinto.[7][8] Anticipating his return to the city where he had studied and taught, he stressed the challenges posed by the city's refugee-driven population explosion and the "sporadic bursts of violence and terrorism" that had become a feature of life in Karachi.[3]
In both Faisalabad and Karachi, he has campaigned against Pakistan's blasphemy law, which he believes is too easily manipulated for personal attacks or to target religious minorities for insubstantial or pretended offenses.[9][10] In Karachi he has established multiple connections for inter-religious dialog between Muslims and Catholics, aiming at both acceptance by the general population and increased understanding on the part of political and religious leaders.[4]
Coutts was hospitalized withpneumonia and unable to travel to Rome to receive hispallium, the symbol of his status as a metropolitan archbishop, from Pope Benedict in June 2012.[5]
He was president of thePakistan Catholic Bishops' Conference from 2011 to 2017.[1][11]Pope Francis created Coutts acardinal priest in theconsistory of 28 June 2018, assigning him the titular church ofSan Bonaventura da Bagnoregio. He became the country's second cardinal afterJoseph Cordeiro (1918–1994) who was also of Goan origin.[12][13]
He is a member of thePontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.[14]
On 9 January 2021, he celebrated 50 years of his priestly ordination by celebrating Mass at St Patrick's Cathedral.[15] His resignation as Archbishop of Karachi was accepted on 11 February 2021.[16]
On 14 August 2024, the President of Pakistan awarded Coutts theHilal-i-Imtiaz.[17]
He participated as acardinal elector in the2025 papal conclave that electedPope Leo XIV.[18]
| Catholic Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Bishop of Hyderabad 1 September 1990 – 27 June 1998 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Bishop of Faisalabad 27 June 1998 – 25 January 2012 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Archbishop of Karachi 25 January 2012 – 11 April 2021 | Succeeded by |
| New title | Cardinal-Priest of San Bonaventura da Bagnoregio 28 June 2018 – present | Succeeded by Incumbent |
