Benny Mario Travas is a Pakistani prelate of the Catholic Church and Archbishop of Karachi, Pakistan. He served as Bishop of Multan from 2015 to 2021.
Biography
Travas was born in Karachi, Pakistan, on 21 November 1966. He received his early education from St. Patrick's High School, Karachi from where he graduated in 1983.[1] He graduated from the Christ the King seminary and was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Karachi on 7 December 1990 and then spent seven years in pastoral work.[2]
On 13 June 2014, Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Bishop Andrew Francis of Multan and appointed Travas as Apostolic Administrator.[5] On 29 May 2015, Pope Francis appointed Travas Bishop of Multan.[2] He received his episcopal consecration on 15 August 2015 from Archbishop Ghaleb Moussa Abdalla Bader, Apostolic Nuncio to Pakistan.[6]
In 2016 he was appointed Chair of Caritas Pakistan.[7] In December 2016, at a meeting of Asian bishops, he described the principal challenges facing the Catholic Church in Pakistan as charges brought under the blasphemy laws and mob violence, as well as poverty, drug addiction, and the shortage of priests.[8]
On 13 June 2020, he inaugurated St. Peter's CSS Academy in Multan. The Academy encourages and facilitates Catholics to appear for the Central Superior Services (CSS) exams that lead to federal public service jobs. This is the first time a concerted effort has been made to promote Catholics into the public service.[11]
In 2020 Travas went into isolation after he tested positive for Covid-19.[12]
On 11 February 2021, Pope Francis appointed Travas to succeed Joseph Coutts as Archbishop of Karachi.[13] Travas was installed as Archbishop of Karachi at the St Patrick's Cathedral on 11 April 2021.[14]