Renovation and extension of the parish church in Placas There is great rejoicing among the faithful in the parish of Placas, in northern Brazil, in Amazonia. On November 10, 2024, thanks to the help of our wonderful benefactors, who generously donated $107,800, they were able to reopen and solemnly consecrate their new and enlarged parish …
Category archives: South America
Ecuador – The commitment of a priest changes the life of a community and parish!
With 54 years of service in a rural parish in the Diocese of Guaranda, Ecuador, Salesian priest, Father Antonio Polo, has changed the region through his pastoral and spiritual efforts, but also with the help of the local population, through business ventures such as the development of Salinerito (Salinerito, tienda en línea). When Fr. Antonio …
Continue reading “Ecuador – The commitment of a priest changes the life of a community and parish!”
Project of the Week – Colombia
Subsistence aid for religious sisters in Ipiales The order of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary was founded in Spain in the 15th century. Today its work is mainly focused on Latin America, while most of its convents in Europe are found in Spain. However, it also has convents in India and Africa (Equatorial …
Being a priest today: One of the most dangerous missions in the world
The number of priests and religious kidnapped in 2024 increased, while the number arrested for reasons of persecution decreased. In total, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) registered 122 cases impacting priests and religious, including 13 murders, 38 kidnappings, and 71 held under arrest. Ten of these incidents involved women, eight of whom were …
Continue reading “Being a priest today: One of the most dangerous missions in the world”
ACN Project of the Week – Ecuador
A vehicle for a parish in the Andes The parish of San José de Cuatro Esquinas (Saint Joseph of the Four Corners) in the Diocese of Guaranda lies at an altitude of well over 10,000 feet (3,100 m), around 8 km from the city of Guaranda, capital of Bolivar Province. It includes over 50 villages …
Colombia – Bombing destroys bishops’ residence and offices in Apostolic Vicariate of Guapi
A powerful explosion in a violent terrorist attack, aimed at the police station in the city of Guapi, in southwest Colombia, left three people dead and destroyed a large part of the bishop’s residence and offices of the Apostolic Vicariate of Guapi, in the early hours of November 2nd. The explosion left the Church buildings …
Brazil: Rescuing God’s children from the slavery of addiction
Fr. José Luis de Menezes speaks to Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) about the origins of the Fazendas da Esperança, a network of rehabilitation centres, and their connection, to this day, with the pontifical charity. Fr. ”Our communities are dedicated to salvaging the dignity of people who have lost themselves to addiction,” says …
Continue reading “Brazil: Rescuing God’s children from the slavery of addiction”
ACN Success Story – Brazil
A riverboat for an Amazonian parish The Diocese of Humaitá lies deep in the Amazon region and serves a vast area of around 135,000 km². Most of it is covered by rainforest, however, and is only sparsely populated. Many of the communities lie on the riverbanks and can only be reached via water. The river …
Venezuela – Bishops encourage citizens to vote in upcoming elections
“The Venezuelan people know that the future is in their hands.” In a joint statement, the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference (Conferencia Episcopal Venezolana – CEV) highlights the crucial role of the people in defining the country’s future in the elections scheduled for July 28. Venezuela is preparing for presidential elections in 2024 and legislative elections in …
Continue reading “Venezuela – Bishops encourage citizens to vote in upcoming elections”
Project of the Week – Colombia
Three motorized rickshaws for pastoral work in Mitú The Vicariate Apostolic of Mitú lies in the Amazon region of eastern Colombia in an area covering over 54,000 km². Roughly a third of its population of 45,000 people live in the town of Mitú itself. The remainder live scattered throughout this jungle-clad region and most of them …