This website is about the GOAN Christian Community of Pakistan. Every Goan has ancestral roots in Goa, India, formerly a Portuguese colony. All Goans of Pakistan are predominantly Catholic. Although the 'Christian Community of Pakistan' has contributed immensely to nation-building; this endeavor is solely dedicated to researching, highlighting and archiving the GOAN community's historical background, cultural heritage, significant achievements and contribution to Pakistan, before and after independence.

 
ANTHONY SALES
GOAN PHILATELIST FROM KARACHI, PAKISTAN
By Menin Rodrigues

  1. Started collecting stamps during school days. Joined the Stamp Society of Pakistan as a junior member. Later helped in the running of the Junior Section of the Society and organizing stamp exhibitions and stamp collecting workshop in various schools in Karachi.
     

  2. Participated and attended the RCD Stamp Exhibition held in Istanbul in 1975 and was awarded a special trophy for the best exhibit from Pakistan. (Regional Co-operation for Development included Pakistan, Turkey and Iran). Collectors from member countries display their exhibits in the competitive class. This was the very first time that Pakistani collectors had participated in an overseas stamp exhibition.
     

  3. Assisted the Pakistan Post Office during period 1974-1978 to prepare and mount official stamp exhibits for various International stamp exhibitions.
     

  4. Held post of General Secretary of the Stamp Society of Pakistan during period 1985-1995
     

  5. I was solely responsible for the issuance of the two postage stamps and a First Day Cover by the Pakistan Post Office in 1978 for the Centenary of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Karachi. It was my idea, initiative and contact with the Pakistan Post office that started the process, which resulted in the issuance of two beautiful stamps depicting the Cathedral and a stain glass window (the window on top of the main alter of the Cathedral). These were the very first stamps on a Christian theme issued by the Pakistan Post Office. Many could not believe this was possible, but it did come about. Since then a number of stamps on Christian themes have been issued by the Pakistan Post Office (see attachment for picture of the two stamps)
     

  6. Organized a Stamp Exhibition on Christian Themes as part of the St. Patrick's Cathedral Centenary celebrations in 1978 and 60 % of the material exhibited came from my personal collection and the balance were exhibits on Christian themes received from overseas Bishops and post offices. The late Cardinal Cordeiro was extremely pleased with the Stamp Exhibition and the Postage Stamps and indicated that this was the best event of the Centenary celebration.
     

  7. Attended various Asian and International Stamp Exhibition and maintained contact with the Officials two Philatelic bodies, which resulted in the acceptance of membership of the Stamp Society of Pakistan to the Federation of Asian Philately (FIAP) at the Asian Federation Conference held in Kuala Lumpur in 1992 which I represented as General Secretary of the Stamp Society of Pakistan along with another member.
     

  8. After becoming member of the Federation of Asian Philately, Pakistani stamp collectors were allowed to participate in Asian stamp exhibitions. For the first time Pakistan participated in the INDOPEX'93 6th Asian International Philatelic Exhibition held in Surabaya, Indonesia. Two exhibits were sent to this exhibition including my exhibit on Christmas and both won Bronze medals
     

  9. Represented Pakistan as the National Commissioner to the following World and Asian Philatelic Exhibitions. (National Commissioners represent their country and are responsible to collect entry forms on a national level, evaluate each exhibit to ensure they comply with certain exhibition standards, safely carry the exhibits to the exhibition and ensure they are properly displayed, deal with enquires if any from the judges on an exhibit, make sure exhibit are properly dismounted and take possession and ensure that the exhibits are safely taken back and returned to the owners. The commissioner also receives the medals on behalf of the participants.)
     

    1. BANGKOK WORLD PHILATELIC EXHIBITION held in Bangkok, Thailand in August 1993

    2. PHILAKOREA 1994 WORLD STAMP EXHIBITION held in Seoul, South Korea in August 1994.

    3. JAKARTA'95 - 8TH ASIAN INTERNATIONAL PHILATELIC EXHIBITION held in Jakarta, Indonesia in August 1995
       

  10. Participated and received awards at the following International & Asian Philatelic Exhibitions
     

WORLD PHILATELIC EXHIBITION:
 

  1. PHILAKOREA 1994 WORLD STAMP EXHIBITION
    held in Seoul, South Korea in August 1994 - Silver Medal
     

  2. SINGAPORE 1995 - WORLD STAMP EXHIBITION
    held in Singapore September 1995 - Silver Medal.
     


ASIAN PHILATELIC EXHIBITIONS:
 

  1. INDOPEX'93 - 6TH ASIAN INTERNATIONAL PHILATELIC EXHIBITION
    held in Surabaya, Indonesia - May/Jun 1993 - Bronze Medal.
     

  2. SINGPEX'94 - 7TH ASIAN INTERNATIONAL PHILATELIC EXHIBITION
    held in Singapore - Aug/Sep 1994 - Silver Medal
     

  3. JAKARTA'95 - 8TH ASIAN INTERNATIAL PHILATELIC EXHIBITION
    held in Jakarta, Indonesia Aug 1995 - Silver Medal
     

  4. CHINA'96 - 9TH ASIAN INTERNATIONAL PHILATELIC EXHIBITION
    held in Beijing, China - May 1996 - Silver Medal
     

RCD/ECO PHILATELIC EXHIBITIONS:
 

  1. RCD PHILATELIC EXHIBITION
    held in Karachi, Pakistan - Jul 1976 - Silver Medal
     

  2. RCD " ISTANBUL '77"
    held in Istanbul. Turkey - Jul 1997 - Special award "Best Exhibit from Pakistan"
     

  3. ECO PHILEX86 PHILATELIC EXHIBITION
    held in Islamabad - Dec 1986 - Gold Medal

NATIONAL PHILATELIC EXHIBITIONS
 

  1. "PAK PHILEX-83" NATIONAL STAMP EXHIBITION
    held in Lahore, Pakistan - Nov 1983 - Silver Medal
     

  2. b. KARAPEX'87 STAMP EXHITION
    held in Karachi, Pakistan - Oct 1987 - Gold Medal
     

  1. After moving to Vancouver, Canada in 1996, became a member of the British Columbia Stamp Society and participated in various Canadian National Stamp Exhibitions in Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary and received gold, vermeil, silver and bronze medals for my exhibits on Christmas, Concorde and Pope John Paul II at these National Exhibitions.
     

  2. 12. Exhibited a five-frame display on Pope John Paul II at a National Exhibition held in Edmonton, Alberta Canada from April 01 to 03, 2005. When I was forwarding my exhibit to the organizing committed two weeks prior to the exhibition, the Pope John Paul II's health was rapidly deteriorating and I thought to my self what a tribute this would be to this Great Man. On April 02, 2005 our beloved John Paul II passed away, and my display became an instant attraction at the exhibition. The local TV and newspaper gave it prominence.
     

  3. In May 2007 the Knight of Columbus were celebrating they 125th Anniversary and requested me to organize a stamp exhibition on Pope John Paul II. I have been collection stamps on Pope John Paul II since 1979. This exhibition was held at St. Paul's Parish Hall, in Richmond BC and consisting of 160 frames (16 pages to a frame - total of 2560 pages) which took me over 6 months to prepare & covered the entire papacy of Pope John Paul II. This was my personal collection and was a "One Man Show"; it was the largest Philatelic Exhibition displaying the collection of just one collector on one particular theme. The Canadian Post Office issued two Picture Postage stamps depicting Pope John Paul II. (Write up in the B.C. Catholic newspaper enclosed). I was awarded "Knight of the Year in 2007" by the Knights of Columbus, Archbishop Duke Council 6855, Richmond BC on account of this exhibition.
     

  4. There is a strong possibility that Pope John Paul II will be beatified in October this year and the Knights of Columbus in Ottawa have requested me to display this collection in Ottawa in October 2010. There is also a possibility this exhibit may be displayed at the Pope John Paul Museum in Washington DC, USA.

     

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