Ukraine: “We have so much pain in us, but we know we have to live.”

In the Diocese of Kharkiv-Zaporizhia, which sits in a war zone in Eastern Ukraine, the Church has dedicated itself to trauma healing among soldiers and civilians. Aid to the Church in Need (ACN)’s help is like the hand of God, says the bishop. Life in the diocese takes place against the constant background of the …

“If religious freedom is denied for one group, sooner or later it will also be denied to others”

On the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief, the editor-in-chief of the ACN Religious Freedom Report speaks about the upcoming edition and the importance of advocating for everyone who suffers for their faith. August 22nd marks the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based …

Donetsk – “They cannot realize how much good their help does”

Greek-Catholic Bishop of Donetsk’s message to ACN benefactors. At 45, the Ukrainian bishop, Maksym Ryabukha, is one of the youngest bishops in the world. He is also in charge of one of the most delicate territories in the world, east-central Ukraine, covering the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia. Half of his exarchate – …

Thirty years after Srebrenica, “Reconciliation is possible.”

Spokesman for the Archdiocese of Vrhbosna (Sarajevo): “Srebrenica is a message of how much pain human beings can inflict upon each other when they are full of hate” Thirty years ago, on July 11, 1995, at least 8,372 men were murdered by troops under Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mladic, in the Muslim enclave of Srebrenica, …

Burkina Faso: Mathieu’s Gethsemane

“Six hundred and ninety-eight, six hundred and ninety-nine, seven hundred.” Mathieu passes pebbles from one side to another. Seven hundred in all, one for each of the Hail Marys he has prayed that night. A night which to him feels like the evening in Gethsemane, in the Garden of Olives, where Jesus also felt alone, …

Rwanda: “If we lose the young people, we lose society”

Bishop Papias Musengamana of the Diocese of Byumba in Northwest Rwanda recently visited the international headquarters of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). He tells the pontifical charity how his diocese recovered from the almost complete absence of priests after the 1994 genocide and speaks about the meaning of pastoral work with families and …

Beyond the Breathtaking Beaches: the Church on the Dominican Border

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 …

In Lebanon, religious sisters help vulnerable girls rebuild their lives.

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 …

The rebirth of the Catholic Church in Estonia

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 …

Cameroon: It’s not weapons which will defeat Boko Haram, but education and hope

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 …