Priests celebrate Mass in the street as churches become shelters following deadly earthquakes As rescue teams continue to search for survivors under the rubble following the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24, the Catholic Church remains at the centre of the emergency response, opening its doors to those who have lost everything, while …
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International Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) calls for prayer for the people of Venezuela, following two strong earthquakes that have shaken the country, causing fatalities, serious material damage, and leaving thousands of people afraid to return to their homes. The earthquakes occurred on the afternoon of June 24. The first earthquake …
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The number of kidnappings also dropped slightly compared to 2024 but remains a major problem in parts of Africa. Fewer priests were arrested or kidnapped in 2025 compared to 2024, but the numbers remain worrying in many parts of the world according to data collected by the international organization Aid to the Church in Need …
Continue reading “Significant drop in arrests of priests in 2025 but deaths increase”
Amid a context of deep social and political uncertainty in Venezuela, marked by recent events that have captured international attention, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) reaffirms its commitment to the local Church and to the people of Venezuela, supporting them through prayer, solidarity, and concrete assistance. Venezuela continues to face complex challenges after …
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Strengthening prison ministry in Guayaquil Some time ago, we asked your support for the prison outreach ministry in the Archdiocese of Guayaquil in Ecuador, one of the countries in Latin America worst affected by the plague of violence. The level of this violence is particularly alarming in the port city Guayaquil, a city of almost …
This is the story of Aparecida, an 80-year-old widow who represents thousands of benefactors of the charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) around the world. Like the widow in the Gospel story, Aparecida doesn’t give to ACN what she has left over but rather makes sacrifices to help those most in need. The …
Former fellow missionary recalls Pope Leo’s dedication to the poor and suffering Pope Leo XIV served in Peru during a difficult period, when the Augustinians were under threat from terrorists and the population was struggling. “He made sure the poor were treated with dignity,” says Fr. Lydon. Pope Leo XIV is “going to hear the …
“I was the pope’s altar server in Chiclayo. Now I promote ACN in Peru”Hello, my name is Santiago, and a few years ago I was an altar server in the parish of Saint Martin of Porres, Chiclayo, and I had the blessing of personally meeting the man who is now Pope Leo XIV. (On the …
The Church of the Assumption was looted in 2019 and set ablaze in 2020. Some stories do have happy endings. On November 8, 2019, during a wave of street protests, several hooded people looted the 143-year-old Church of the Assumption, one of the oldest in Santiago de Chile. The looters made off with artwork and …
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Two motors to support pastoral work in Guapi The Apostolic Vicariate of Guapi lies in the far south-west of Colombia, near the Pacific Ocean. The population here is mainly a mixture of Afro-Colombians and Indigenous Peoples. There is extreme poverty and widespread violence, and ever since the 1980s, illegal drug growing and trafficking have flourished, …
