Portiuncula Friary

The Franciscan Portiuncula Friary is the oldest friary in Pakistan, founded in 1940. It is located in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi, adjacent to the Christ the King Seminary.

It was named after the chapel Portiuncula (meaning little portion in Italian) dedicated to St Mary of the Angels near Assisi in Italy. It was here that Saint Francis of Assisi first heard the call to rebuild the Church.

Bishop Hector Catry, O.F.M. Cap. of Lahore travelled to Karachi to bless the friary on March 31, 1940.

The Friars Minor arrived in Karachi from the Netherlands on January 13, 1934. They officially took over the mission from the Society of Jesus on June 22, 1935.

Father Valens Wienk became the first provincial superior of the mission. In November 1936, Father Salesius Lemmens became the ecclesiastical superior of the Karachi mission. The Friary was designed by the prolific Franciscan architect Brother Hilary Lardenoye OFM.

The Second World War also caused a disruption in the supply of fresh vegetables in the city. The Friary grew vegetables for their own use. They then turned to supplying St. Patrick’s and St. Lawrence’s Parishes with fresh produce at competitive prices. They had a cabin in the St. Lawrence’s Church compound which was patronised by parishioners who would go there after Mass.

Fr. Liberius Pieterse OFM was one of the first to join the teaching staff of the Friary. He taught philosophy, Greek, Hebrew and music.

The friars and diocesan priests worked in the mission of Sindh and Baluchistan administering parishes in Karachi, Kotri, Hyderabad, Sukkur and Quetta. The friars eventually began to visit prisoners and work among drug addicts and the handicapped.

In 1951, 25 Catholic families living across the Lyari River from the Friary formed the beginning of St. Jude's Parish. The Friars were asked to take responsibility for the new parish. Fr. Edouald OFM was the first parish priest.

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