Help to build a parish church in Compang The island nation of Indonesia, with its population of 272 million, is the most populous Muslim nation in the world. Other religious affiliations include Christianity, professed by at least 12% of the population. Of these, 3% are Catholic (10 million people), mainly living on the island of …
Author archives: mariobard
Venezuela – Bishops encourage citizens to vote in upcoming elections
“The Venezuelan people know that the future is in their hands.” In a joint statement, the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference (Conferencia Episcopal Venezolana – CEV) highlights the crucial role of the people in defining the country’s future in the elections scheduled for July 28. Venezuela is preparing for presidential elections in 2024 and legislative elections in …
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Thanks to your donations, youth can recharge!
Summer camps and days of renewal As you know, a vacation is often an opportunity to get away from the daily grind and to finally slow down and take a deep breath. In the best of cases, it’s even a chance to recharge one’s batteries. (Cover photo: In Syria, young people need more than ever …
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Jerusalem: “When the wounds are still bleeding it is not the time to speak of politics,” says Latin Patriarch
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, met on Wednesday, 17 July, with a delegation from Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) in Jerusalem and expressed his gratitude for the help received. (Cover photo: Cardinal Pizzaballa blessing the Holy City of Jerusalem on April 2nd, 2023, part of the Palms Sunday liturgies). The …
Pakistan: Church leaders applaud change to minimum marriage age
An amendment to the Christian Marriage Act means that girls and boys cannot marry below the age of 18. Though only a first step, this could make it easier to curb cases of abduction and forced marriage of Christian girls in the country. The Catholic Church in Pakistan has applauded the signing into law of …
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Project of the Week – Colombia
Three motorized rickshaws for pastoral work in Mitú The Vicariate Apostolic of Mitú lies in the Amazon region of eastern Colombia in an area covering over 54,000 km². Roughly a third of its population of 45,000 people live in the town of Mitú itself. The remainder live scattered throughout this jungle-clad region and most of them …
Egypt: “We’ve seen real progress”
His Beatitude Ibrahim Sidrak, the Coptic Catholic patriarch of Alexandria, heads the small Coptic Catholic Church, which has around 300,000 faithful. In an interview with the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), he shared his concerns and joys over his country, which has become a refuge for many Christians from other countries. …
India: The elections and their consequences for Christians
On June 4, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), one of the major political parties in India, won its third election, extending Narendra Damodardas Modi’s tenure as leader of the country. What are the consequences of these results for the Christian community? In this interview, Father Pradeep, a Jesuit from the state of Jharkhand, shares his …
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ACN Success Story – Zambia
Help for the training of 12 Spiritan seminarians The Holy Ghost Fathers (Congregation of the Holy Spirit, CSSp.) – also known as the Spiritans – were founded in 1703 in France. Today, its members are present in over 60 countries, evangelizing and ministering to the poor and to those on the margins of society, especially …
Jesuits open first novitiate in Bangladesh with help from ACN
Thirty years after returning to Bangladesh, the Jesuits are opening a new novitiate on July 16 in the South Asian country, where Christians are a small minority. By allowing the novices to have their initial formation in their own culture and language, the Jesuits hope to promote vocations. (Photo: from the beginning, the construction process …
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