Joseph Coutts

Who is Joseph Coutts?

Joseph Coutts is a Pakistani Roman Catholic archbishop. He was born in Amritsar, British India on 21 July 1945. Coutts received his religious training at the Christ the King seminary in Karachi and was ordained a priest in Lahore, Pakistan on 9 January 1971.

After ordination, he completed ecclesiastical studies in Rome and then became professor of philosophy at Christ the King Regional Seminary, Karachi, rector of St. Mary's Minor Seminary, Lahore and later diocesan vicar general.

On 5 May 1988 he was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Hyderabad in Pakistan by Pope John Paul II. On 27 June 1998 he was appointed Bishop of Faisalabad. Bishop Coutts is also Caritas Pakistan Chairman.

The Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt in Germany awarded Bishop Coutts the 2007 Shalom Prize for his commitment to interfaith dialogue in Pakistan. During the last 25 years, the award has been given to people and projects working for human rights.

On 25 January 2012, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Bishop Coutts as Archbishop of Karachi. He succeeds Archbishop Evarist Pinto who resigned after reaching the age of 75.

Coutts was to travel to St.