“Many people are fleeing their villages,” says missionary Fr. Marcelo Oliveira accuses neighbouring countries of instigating the violence taking place in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where rebel groups did not even respect a Christmas truce. (Cover photo: in 2017, victims of M23 set camp in Goma outskirts). Christmas was a difficult …
Author archives: mariobard
Nigeria: Memorial Mass for massacred Christians
Just over a year after extremists murdered more than 300 people in coordinated attacks targeting Christian villages in Plateau State, Nigeria, the faithful gathered for a special Mass to remember the victims last Sunday (January 5). Cover photo: December 2023, one of the many funerals service for the victims of the massacre. Bishop Michael Gobal …
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Nigeria: prayers requests for two abducted sisters in Anambra
ATTENTION, update: the two religious sisters were released on January 13. Thank you for your prayers, and please continue to pray for those oppressed by kidnapping. Two religious sisters, Vincentia Nwankwo and Grace Okoli, were abducted this past Tuesday, January 7 in Anambra State in southeastern Nigeria. They belong to the congregation of the Sisters …
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Murder of Suleman Masih: Christian Community in Gujranwala, Pakistan shaken
The tragic death of Suleman Masih, a 24-year-old Christian, has shocked the local community and once again highlighted the challenges faced by Christians and other religious minorities in Pakistan. Suleman was attacked on December 29, 2024, in Kot Saadullah, Rahawali, Gujranwala, and succumbed to his injuries on January 1, 2025. According to information provided to …
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ACN Project of the Week – Chad
Supporting the seminarians of the Apostolic Vicariate of Mongo Chad is a landlocked country in Central Africa, on the southern edge of the Sahara. Its surface area is almost 1.3 million square kilometres (by comparison, Quebec is 1.7 million km²), but with just over 16 million inhabitants, the country is relatively sparsely populated. The majority …
In Haiti, “it’s about surviving,” says Bishop Quesnel of Fort-Liberté
Gang violence, forced migration, and poverty continue to plague Haiti. In an interview with Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), the Bishop of Fort-Liberté, Quesnel Alphonse, speaks of looting by gangs, the growing influence of Islam, and the trauma of a population that “feels completely lost.” *** The cover photo was taken in 2017. …
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ACN Project of the Week – Republic of Moldova
Support for 21 religious sisters and one brother The Republic of Moldova became independent in 1991 following the collapse of the Soviet Union. It is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the east, north and south, and is among the poorest countries in Europe. Different sources put the population at anywhere between …
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Nativity Mass in Gaza Strip
To the great joy of Latin Catholics in Jerusalem gathered at the Holy Family Church in Gaza, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Eminence Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, presided—exceptionally on December 22—the Mass of the Nativity of Our Lord. ✝️ “Today, in the city of David, a Savior has been born to you” ✝️ In communion …
“Never take the freedom to express your faith for granted”
Message of a Pakistani Priest for Christmas In Lahore, Pakistan, where Christians make up only a small minority in a predominantly Muslim society, Christmas takes on a special meaning. Despite facing significant challenges and restrictions, the Christian community continues to celebrate the birth of Christ with deep faith. Father Lazar Aslam, a Franciscan Capuchin priest, …
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Ukraine Church leaders to ACN: “Thank you for helping us save lives”
Ukrainian Church leaders have sent Christmas Greetings to Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), thanking the charity for its material and spiritual support over these three years of war. In their messages, they highlight the country’s current challenges, such as an increase in stress levels and a shortage of resources in several regions. Cover …
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