Christians enthusiastic at forthcoming Papal visit

In September this year, Pope Francis will be making his first trip to Papua New Guinea, a country introduced to Christianity only around 70 years ago. In this corner of the world, Christians are enthusiastically preparing for his arrival with the help of missionaries such as Father Martín Prado from the Institute of the Incarnate …

ACN Project of the Week – Zimbabwe

Mass intentions for priests in the Diocese of Masvingo For the Church, Africa is a continent of hope. Not only is the number of faithful growing, but the number of priests is as well. One in eight priests around the world today comes from the African continent. The priests live their vocation with joy and …

Ewelina Ochab urges: “The day can help to educate, but action is needed.”

Fifth anniversary of the International Day Commemorating Victims of Violence Based on Religion or Belief. (Cover photo: The Night of the Witness 2022 in Canberra, Australia). 22 August 2024 marks the fifth anniversary of the International Day Commemorating Victims of Violence Based on Religion or Belief, established by the United Nation (UN) General Assembly in …

Jaranwala one year later – no justice, no safety 

One year on from violence described as the worst outbreak of anti-Christian persecution in Pakistan, Church leaders say people are both terrified of more attacks and furious that felons have not been brought to justice. Leading clergy in the Diocese of Faisalabad reported that security services warned Christians in Jaranwala against holding outdoor events today …

Teaching under fire: the mission of the Catholic church in Gaza

Despite the ongoing conflict in Gaza, marked by uncertainty and fear, Fr. Gabriel Romanelli is striving to bring a sense of normality through education. The parish priest of the Holy Family Church in Gaza City has made it a priority to ensure that children in the community continue to receive “remedial” schooling. Over 10 months …

ACN supports more than 1,600 summer camps worldwide

The many holiday camps hosted in various regions afflicted by war and conflict offer young people temporary relief from their suffering as well as the opportunity to engage in carefree activities while growing in faith. Aid to the Church in Need (ACN)’s project partners report that attending one of these camps is the most eagerly …

India – ACN Success Story

A village chapel for a remote parish Last year, we presented you with a request from Father Arbok Lyngdoh of Moharpara in northeast India. He was asking for help on behalf of his faithful to build a new chapel in the village of Twichalong, just one of the 31 outlying communities belonging to his parish …

Iraq, August 6, 2014: one story, one hundred thousand faces (2)

Story written by Maria Lozano, director of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) International’s Press and Media Department. In it, we read the testimonies of the people that the ACN delegation was able to meet, shortly after the invasion of the Nineveh Plains by the Islamic State (IS). Here is Part 2, in which …

Iraq, August 6, 2014: one story, one hundred thousand faces (1)

Story written by Maria Lozano, director of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) International’s Press and Media Department. In it, we read the testimonies of the people that the ACN delegation was able to meet, shortly after the invasion of the Nineveh Plains by the Islamic State (IS). In this first part, we recall …

Iraq – ACN Success Story

A minibus for pastoral work in Basra Today, Christians are only a very small minority in Iraq. Up until the year 2002—before the Third Gulf War—there were still over 1.2 million of them, but war, persecution, and poverty led to a mass exodus of the Christian population. Estimates today put the number of Christians remaining …