Almost 30 Christians were killed or kidnapped in different incidents in three different countries over the past few days. Fifteen Christians were killed and two wounded in an attack on Catholics in Essakane, in the Diocese of Dori, Burkina Faso. The attack, which took place on Sunday, 25 February, was carried out by terrorists who …
Author archives: mariobard
West Bank and Jerusalem – Unemployment and discrimination among the biggest challenges faced by Christians
Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) is providing emergency medical and humanitarian aid to the affected families. According to recent information received by the international charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Christians residing in the West Bank and Jerusalem are facing an increasingly dire situation as the war in Gaza and escalating …
Project of the Week – Democratic Republic of the Congo
Two motorcycles for the pre-seminary in Kasongo The propaedeutic, or pre-seminary, in the Diocese of Kasongo, lies in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the population—unlike in other parts of the country—has a Muslim majority. The seminary was founded in 1936 and soon afterwards began to take in candidates from …
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Argentinian Patagonia: mission country
The Church in Patagonia faces unique challenges marked by vast distances, great diversity, and a lack of resources. One of the bishops in charge of overseeing the development of the Church in this vast territory of Argentina is Msgr. Roberto Álvarez, who sat down with Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) to share his …
War trauma affecting the heart of Ukrainian society, says head of Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
Ukraine – Ten years after the beginning of the war in Ukraine, ACN will dedicate its 2024 Lent to standing by the suffering Church in the country and helping it bring God’s healing love. Speaking during a conference organized by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) to mark the anniversary of the beginning of …
Mozambique – Communities and churches attacked as insurgency intensifies in Cabo Delgado
Missionaries, priests, and religious sisters have been forced to flee from remote towns and villages to Pemba and other large cities, which are overwhelmed with displaced people. According to information provided to Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) by missionaries on the ground, several new and simultaneous attacks by armed insurgents continue to shake …
Project of the Week – Ecuador
Supporting the prison apostolate in the Archdiocese of Guayaquil Overall, violence is growing alarmingly in Latin America. Ecuador is the sixth worst among the countries affected by this problem. In the years 2021 to 2022 alone, the number of killings increased by over 80%. In the port city of Guayaquil, which has close to three …
Venezuela marks 140 years of the first Lourdes pilgrimage in the Americas
The pilgrimage was instituted in 1884 by Fr. Machado, the Venezuelan priest in the Diocese of La Guaira, after returning from a trip to the famous shrine to Our Lady of Lourdes in France. Tony Pereira, a lay member of the current organizing committee, spoke to Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) about the …
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Thirty Christians have died to date as humanitarian situation worsens
Holy Land – Gaza Strip According to sources contacted by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), the humanitarian situation and living conditions for the small Christian community which remains in the Gaza Strip has deteriorated in recent months. In the four months since the beginning of the conflict, 30 Christians have died in Gaza. …
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José Si Esono, the catechist who gave his life for the faith
Central Africa – Equatorial Guinea During a visit to the head office of Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Bishop Miguel Angel Nguema Bee, from the Diocese of Ebebiyin, recounted the moving story of the first catechist to be martyred in Equatorial Guinea. His name was José Si Esono and the local …
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