Gaza parish damaged by attacks

As the war rages on, Aid to the Church in Need is saving lives in the Holy Land The Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem has confirmed that shrapnel from Israeli army strikes on buildings near the Church of the Holy Family destroyed water tanks and solar panels on the roofs of parish structures this past weekend. …

Iraq – “Please God, no more war.”

People in Iraq are terrified that the war in the Holy Land will engulf the region, according to a leading archbishop, who is calling on governments around the world to work to bring peace. These were the words he shared on November 3 during a visit to Westminster Abbey, which John Pontifex of our UK …

Philippines – Deadly attack at Marawi university sparks commotion and fear among local Catholic minority

A bomb detonated on Sunday, December 3, during a Catholic Mass at Mindanao State University, in the city of Marawi, in southern Philippines. Local sources say that the explosion took the lives of at least four faithful, leaving over 40 injured. The attack was claimed by a group affiliated with the Islamic State (IS). A …

Mali – German priest freed after over a year in captivity

Fr Ha-Jo was aware of the risks to his safety by continuing to work in Mali, but persisted, driven by a desire to improve the situation for the country overall, and to remain with his small Christian community. A German priest who was kidnapped in Mali over a year ago has finally been freed. Hans-Joachim …

Middle East – “If we don’t keep Catholic schools going, the consequences will be serious for the whole country.”

Aid to the Church in Need approves 3.59 million dollars for schools in Lebanon and Syria. Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has approved a new aid package for schools in Lebanon and Syria for the 2023-2024 school year. The 3.59-million-dollar package includes school grants for more than 16,000 predominantly Christian pupils from poor …

Burkina Faso – New chapter of suffering for Christians

Murder of two scouts and expulsion of Christians in the northwest of the country Terrorists have forced the Christian population of Débé in Burkina Faso to leave their village. Earlier, they shot dead two scouts in the village church who resisted their orders. This incident was reported by Bishop Prosper B. Ky during a visit …

The Bishop of Tripoli urges international community to end conflict between Israel and Palestine

Holy Land Königstein, Germany/Montreal, Canada – One month after the terrible terrorist attacks by Hamas that led to war in Gaza, the Maronite archbishop of Tripoli, Lebanon, Msgr. Youssef Soueif, calls on the international community to urgently intervene to put an end to the devastating conflict. During a recent visit to the international head office …

India-Church rejoicing that martyrs now on road to sainthood

An Indian archbishop has expressed delight that the Vatican has opened the cause of canonization of martyrs killed during one of the most violent outbreaks of Christian persecution this century.   The cause has been opened of Catholic catechist Kanteswar Digal and 34 others who died when Hindutva extremists attacked Christians in Kandhamal, Odisha (formerly …

Bomb hits Salesian sisters’ house as war heads into seventh month

Sudan Some residents suffered minor injuries, but miraculously, according to a priest who was on site at the time, nobody was killed by the blast. A bomb struck the house of a mission operated by Salesian religious sisters in Sudan, at 6:50 a.m. on Friday, November 3, causing serious damage. According to those who were …

GAZA: “I am heartbroken”, Sister Nabila about the bombing of her school

The plight and suffering of the Christian community in Gaza intensify every day One month after the beginning of the current war in the Holy Land, the consequences for the small Christian community in Gaza can be described as terrible. According to a project partner of the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need …