A historic moment for the Catholic Church in Pakistan unfolded in Lahore as 29-year-old Fr. Faraz Darshan, SDB, became the first local priest from Chaman, a frontier town on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Balochistan. He is also the fourth Pakistani priest ordained for the Salesians of Don Bosco. On September 21, he celebrated his first Thanksgiving Mass at the Don Bosco Technical and Youth Center in Lahore, surrounded by clergy, young people, and members of the community.
A HISTORIC PRIESTLY VOCATION FROM PAKISTAN’S BORDER REGION
Two days earlier, on September 19, Fr. Faraz was ordained at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Lahore by Archbishop Khalid Rehmat. Around 300 faithful, including his family and relatives, attended the celebration, with more than a dozen priests concelebrating.
His vocation carries special meaning for Chaman, a region marked by strict security, geopolitical tensions, and a small and isolated Christian presence.
FROM DON BOSCO’S SPIRITUALITY TO A MISSION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
As a former student of Don Bosco School, Fr. Faraz was inspired by the spirituality of St. John Bosco and the Salesian mission to young people.During his ordination, Archbishop Rehmat urged him to keep Christ at the centre of his priestly service and bring the Church into people’s everyday lives. Fr. Faraz, remembering his late mother with tears, thanked God for leading him from a remote border town to the altar. He pledged to accompany and serve young people through education, faith formation, and spiritual guidance — a reminder that even in distant frontiers, faith can take root, grow, and bear fruit for the Church.
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