Pakistan – Defender of religious freedom single-handedly stops mob

Religiously, Pakistan is a diverse country. In many respects, Christians are second-class citizens in this country, with a population that is 95 percent Muslim. They face discrimination, kidnappings, and forced conversions to Islam, and anyone who “defiles” the Quran or insults Muhammad can face life imprisonment or the death penalty. Yet the country also has …

Myamar – Calls for prayers

Myanmar: Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) calls for prayers for new bishop of Kayah State International charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) calls for prayers on the occasion of the episcopal ordination, on June 29, Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, of Msgr. Celso Ba Shwe as bishop of Loikaw, capital …

Project of the Week – India

Aid for the renovation of a convent The Handmaids of Mary, an Indigenous women’s congregation, was founded in 1944 to care for those on the margins of society, in particular the women and children of the disadvantaged ethnic minorities and the Dalits (previously known as the untouchables)—members of the lowest class in society. Today, the …

India – Government-sponsored Hindu nationalism at root of interreligious clashes in Manipur

Local Church sources have little doubt that the clashes that have pitted Hindus against Christians in the state of Manipur are part of a wider agenda to encourage the Hindu base to vote for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in upcoming elections. The fierce clashes that have been going on for weeks in the …

Religious Freedom Report 2023: persecution worsens and impunity reigns

Press Release – For Immediate Release Königstein-Montreal, Wednesday, June 21 – Pontifical Charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has released the latest edition of its Religious Freedom Report (RFR), which reveals that persecution has increased since January 2021, while impunity continues to reign for attackers, including oppressive governments. The RFR has been published …

Over 200 million dollars in donations for suffering Christians around the world

Montreal, Thursday, June 15, 2023 – Pontifical Charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) presents its 2022 annual accounts which reflect a year of record support. Ukraine was the largest individual recipient of help for projects in 2022, receiving almost 10% of the aid, while Africa was the region that received the most support. …

Pakistan – Bishop calls for better security after policeman kills two girls at Catholic school

The attack, which left two dead and six wounded, took place on May 16 at a Catholic school in Sangota, in northeastern Pakistan. (Cover Photo: Archive of 2018, in St. Joseph Primary School, Rawalpindi) A police officer who was doing security work for a Catholic school for girls in northeastern Pakistan opened fire on a …

Project of the Week – Pakistan

Support for the training of 63 catechists in Khushpur Khushpur, in the Faisalabad District of the province of Punjab, is the largest Catholic village in Pakistan. It is sometimes referred to as “Pakistan’s Vatican,” because this village, with its close to 8,000 Catholics and extremely active Church life, is a pillar of strength for the …

ACN Project of the Week – India

A vehicle for an extensive parish in a remote region   The parish of Saint Francis Xavier is situated in Lazu, a remote parish in the Diocese of Miao (Northeast India), close to the border with Myanmar. The parish has 10 outstations* and a total of around 2,500 Catholic faithful. The people of this region …

Pakistan-Abductions and forced conversions of young Christian women increasing

Head of Justice and Peace Commission sees little progress in religious freedom. The director of the Catholic National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) in Pakistan, Father Emmanuel Yousaf (Mani), says abductions and forced conversions of young women from Christian minorities are on the rise. “The problem is becoming more acute day by day,” the …