In December 2024, Verónica Katz, project director for Central America at international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), visited the dioceses on the Dominican side of the border with Haiti. In this interview, she shares her experience in the less visible areas of the Dominican Republic. When people think of the Dominican …
Continue reading “Beyond the Breathtaking Beaches: the Church on the Dominican Border”
Sr. Marie: “We have seen plenty of improvement in these girls. They find meaning, and they can face the challenges life has for them.” On International Women’s Day, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) spoke to Sister Marie Akl, a religious from the Congregation of the Good Shepherd, about her valuable work in the …
Continue reading “In Lebanon, religious sisters help vulnerable girls rebuild their lives.”
After centuries of prohibition, the small Catholic community of Estonia is returning from the ashes. On September 26, 2024, Pope Francis erected the first diocese in the country. On November 1 of the same year, during an address to the Catholic Church of Estonia to mark the centenary of the creation of its first apostolic …
Continue reading “The rebirth of the Catholic Church in Estonia”
The diocese of Maroua-Mokolo in the Far North Region of Cameroon has suffered sporadic attacks from Boko-Haram. Msgr. Bruno Ateba shares with Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) his hope for the future through spiritual and educational formation programs, especially for young people and families. He also explains the importance of translating the Bible …
Continue reading “Cameroon: It’s not weapons which will defeat Boko Haram, but education and hope”
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. …
Continue reading “In Haiti, “it’s about surviving,” says Bishop Quesnel of Fort-Liberté”
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, …
Continue reading ““Never take the freedom to express your faith for granted””
Kinga Schiestaedt project coordinator for Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) in Africa, travelled to the landlocked African nation of South Sudan. Bordering the Republic of Sudan, its larger neighbour to the north, South Sudan has suffered terribly from conflict and civil war in recent years. After returning from her trip, Schierstaedt spoke about …
Continue reading “South Sudan: “I pray that all may be one””
Unjustly imprisoned for eight years in Pakistan Shagufta Kausar was falsely accused of blasphemy. For almost eight years she was separated from her family, her husband was beaten and tortured, and they were pressured to convert to Islam. Now free, she tells in an interview with Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) how she …
Continue reading “Interview — “God was with me in this struggle.””
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 …
Continue reading “Christians enthusiastic at forthcoming Papal visit”
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. …
