I missed his blessing two years earlier, in July 2024, when His Eminence Joseph Coutts made a pastoral visit to his Pakistani people in Long Island, New York, because I did not know about his visit. My grievance was duly noted by my parish priest, Rev. Father Nasir Gulfam. I told Father that it happened because I was on my sick bed. So this time, when His Eminence Cardinal Joseph Coutts was heading a Bishops’ Delegation to the Papal Conference with Pakistani Bishops, the Cardinal was earnestly requested that, since Your Eminence had already travelled halfway to Rome, if he would kindly visit a little further to New York, many would quench their thirst for the blessing of his presence in New York. So he was very kind to extend his journey. On 28th June 2026, he landed at JFK Airport. He strictly asked that he did not want any dramatic welcome at the airport, and his few greeters quietly lodged him at St. Bernard’s, Levittown, NY.
On 30th June 2024, he visited a sick man, who had been sick since 2013, at Mastic City, Long Island. He met him after 55 years. His presence was such a blessing that the man got up from his wheelchair and greeted the Cardinal in his house, and the aroma of blessing was felt throughout the house. He said to the Cardinal, “Your Eminence, I attended your first Holy Mass at St. Mary’s Seminary in Lahore, and I have been thinking of you ever since, until seeing you again today.” He then said that after his ordination, when he was standing with his family, his father, who was a good friend of the Cardinal’s father, said in a loud voice, “Now it is not Joseph Kadero, but our Cardinal will be Joseph Coutts,” and everybody laughed. And when the late Pope Francis appointed him Cardinal, he wrote him a letter in Karachi saying that his father’s, Mr. Yousuf Jalal’s, words and prayers had been heard by our Holy God and Jesus Christ. He also told the Cardinal that he was a blessing, because that very day, after 18 years of his retirement, his office had started his pension.
Coutts is a real man of God; Jesus lives in him and works through him. Nobody had to ask him for a healing prayer, but, like the apostles in Acts 5:15-16, everyone present around him was carefully healed and blessed according to their needs. So what can be said of others? When the Cardinal entered his house, he stood up from his chair and greeted him, and everyone in the house was blessed. After a period of 55 years, the Cardinal remembered his name, his father’s name, and his brother’s name. No doubt, memories of those 55 years came flooding back, beginning with the Cardinal’s father and his own father, the Legion of Mary Lahore, Lord Bishop Marshal Roger, and A. R. Cornelius, Chief Justice of Pakistan and the only Christianever to serve as Acting President of Pakistan, for four days, when President Ayub Khan was outside Pakistan. He especially remembered his seminary companion, the late Major Joseph Sheriff, and paid special respect to the martyred Major Sermices Rauf, recalling his visit to the basilica when he was Bishop of Hyderabad.
As I write all this, I will also mention how much the Cardinal loves his country, Pakistan. He once met his cousin in Rome, before 1971. His cousin claimed that India had captured Lahore in 1965. The Cardinal furiously replied that he himself was in Lahore, and that this is an Indian lie, like many others. He said, “If India had captured Lahore, then India must have killed me first, but that is a lie, because I am alive today.”
When the conclave was taking place at the Vatican, I told my son, Ben Jesus, that if our Cardinal became Pope, we would offer him his weight in silver. My son was worried, because we had pictures of Pope John XXIII and Pope Francis hanging in our house, and it would take quite a large amount of silver. But then he called me and said, “Father, we can do this,” because our Cardinal, Coutts, is very wise. I came to know why: when he was blessing dinner at my house, he took only two spoonfuls of rice, a little bit of vegetables, and a small piece of meat. Then I understood why he is so wise — a true monk of the Lord Jesus eats little, because his strength comes from the Holy God.
During the conclave, we were praying and fasting so that our Cardinal would become Pope, and God heard and accepted it. Pope Leo XIV was elected. While we were praying, we had made a mistake: since most of those praying were American citizens, as we prayed to God for our Cardinal to become Pope, Holy God instead made an American Cardinal Pope — the first American Pope in Roman Catholic history.
Dr. Suzzanna Kevin Gora was also present. She told the Cardinal, when she greeted him and kissed his ring, that she felt a realm of blessing, and that she had received an email message informing her that she had been promoted to professor at her university. In her testimony, she said: “I had the privilege of meeting the Cardinal of Pakistan, Joseph Coutts, who had participated in the papal conclave. It was a truly special and humbling experience. The moment brought back a cherished memory of my paternal grandfather. After I once met Bishop Larry Saldana, he lovingly asked me, ‘Did you kiss his ring?’ In Roman Catholic tradition, kissing a bishop’s ring is a sign of respect for the office and the apostolic ministry he represents. That conversation has stayed with me over the years. Meeting the Cardinal today made me miss Dada Jaan (grandfather) even more. I know he would have been so proud. Moments like these remind me how faith, family, and tradition become intertwined in the memories we carry with us throughout our lives.” As Cardinal Coutts blessed her, a message popped up on her email that she had been promoted to professor at her university. He is a real blessing.
It was past 9:30 pm. Other people were also urging that the Cardinal should bless their homes as well. One lady, Michelle Alexander, who was in severe leg pain and could not walk, also requested Fr. Naser Gulfam to kindly bring the Cardinal to her home for a blessing. So the Cardinal left our house to pray for and bless other families. The next day, at sunrise, the Cardinal flew to California. On the 7th of July, the Cardinal came back to his host, Fr. Naser Gulfam.
On 12th July 2026, Cardinal Joseph Coutts of Pakistan held a Solemn Holy Mass at St. Bernard’s Church, Hempstead Turnpike, Levittown, New York. His Grace made the presence of Jesus Christ felt in the worship, and his homily on the Sower also nourished the people’s faith. During the worship, he served the believers with Holy Eucharist, and afterward, people offered His Eminence gifts and flowers. The host, Fr. Naser Gulfam, and Fr. Johnny provided a healthy and delicious meal for the participants. There were more than 250 participants in the worship. There were also people who could not be present in the worship with His Eminence, in the hope of his coming again. My Holy Father, kindly bless our Holy See, His Majesty our Lord Jesus Christ, King of Kings, and our priests and believers, that they may always glorify You forever and ever.