St.James Catholic Church Okara Pakistan 3.53

History:
After many attempts the Diocese finally succeeded in buying a plot of land in Okara in a very suitable place for the establishment of a Mission Station on 28th March, 1964. The total land purchased was eight acres at Rs. 256,287.00. The land was negotiated by Fr. Reginald Caesari. He also built a compound wall for Rs. 256,287.00. This being agricultural land it took many years to transfer it to building land. In 1973, the Church succeeded in getting the land changed into building land, on modest terms, through the efforts of Union of St Catherine of Siena Missionaries of the Schools OP Sisters.

It was only after that the Church could be build; the Church and Parish House came up almost simultaneously. St James Church, Okara was build in 1978. Fr Yusaf Allahrakha and Fr Giles did pioneering work in establishing the parish and then Fr Aldino Amato OP built Convent High School and also the hostel for the blind in the premises of the Church compound. Some land for housing was bought and Catholic families are residing not far from the Church premises in the city itself.