Joseph Coutts

Joseph Coutts is a Pakistani prelate of the Catholic Church who served as the Archbishop of Karachi from 2012 to 2021. He held the position of Bishop of Faisalabad between 1998 and 2012.

Early life and education

Coutts was born in Amritsar, British India, on 21 July 1945. He belongs to a Goan family. His father, Pedro Jose Couto, originated from the village of Aldona in North Goa. The family maintained a home at Ucassaim.

He received his initial religious training at the Christ the King seminary in Karachi. Following this period, he was ordained a priest in Lahore on 9 January 1971. He later moved to Rome to complete ecclesiastical studies between 1973 and 1976.

Career

After his studies, Coutts served as a professor of sociology and philosophy at the Christ the King Regional Seminary in Karachi. He also held the role of rector at St. Mary's Minor Seminary in Lahore. From 1986 to 1988, he acted as the diocesan vicar general.

Pope John Paul II appointed him as the Coadjutor Bishop of Hyderabad on 5 May 1988. He received his consecration as a bishop on 16 September. His episcopal motto was the word Harmony. He eventually became the Bishop of Hyderabad on 1 September 1990.

On 27 June 1998, he transitioned to the role of Bishop of Faisalabad. During his time in Faisalabad, he built connections with Muslim clerics and scholars. He also served as the longtime Chairman of Caritas Pakistan. In 2005, he directed the relief efforts following an earthquake.

Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Archbishop of Karachi on 25 January 2012 to succeed Evarist Pinto. He addressed the challenges of a growing refugee population and sporadic violence in the city. While serving in Karachi, he campaigned against Pakistan's blasphemy law. He believed these laws were frequently manipulated to target religious minorities.

Coutts served as the president of the Pakistan Catholic Bishops' Conference from 2011 to 2017. Pope Francis created him a cardinal priest on 28 June 2018. This appointment made him the second cardinal in the country. He participated as a cardinal elector in the 2025 papal conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV.

Personal life

Coutts is a multilingual individual. He speaks English, Italian, German, French, Urdu, Punjabi and Sindhi. His first cousin is Anil Joseph Thomas Couto, who serves as the Archbishop of Delhi.

He celebrated 50 years of priestly ordination on 9 January 2021. This milestone was marked by a Mass at St Patrick's Cathedral. His resignation as Archbishop of Karachi was accepted on 11 February 2021.

Awards and recognition

The Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt in Germany awarded him the 2007 Shalom Prize. This honor recognized his commitment to interfaith dialogue in Pakistan. The award is presented to individuals or projects working for human rights.

On 14 August 2024, the President of Pakistan awarded him the Hilal-i-Imtiaz. He remains a member of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.