One year after the attack on St. Francis Xavier church in Ondo, Nigeria, none of the culprits have been brought to justice. Victims wear their scars as “badges of honour” and their faith is as strong as ever. A Nigerian priest has called for the beatification of around 40 Christians who were killed in an …
Continue reading “Nigeria – Priest calls for the beatification of Pentecost Sunday attack victims”
Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) was present at the latest bishops’ conference in Brazil, the largest Catholic country in the world. The pontifical charity used the opportunity to spend time with the bishops of the poorest dioceses, but also to share stories of Christian suffering from other countries, namely Nigeria. The international charity …
Continue reading “Brazil – Bishops moved to tears over help received from ACN benefactors”
Regina Lynch becomes new executive president As of June 14, 2023, international Pontifical Charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) will be led by Regina Lynch, the long-serving head of projects for the charity. She will take on the role of executive director for the next five years from her predecessor, Dr. Thomas Heine-Geldern …
Continue reading “Changes in the leadership of ACN International”
The attack, which left two dead and six wounded, took place on May 16 at a Catholic school in Sangota, in northeastern Pakistan. (Cover Photo: Archive of 2018, in St. Joseph Primary School, Rawalpindi) A police officer who was doing security work for a Catholic school for girls in northeastern Pakistan opened fire on a …
Support for the training of 63 catechists in Khushpur Khushpur, in the Faisalabad District of the province of Punjab, is the largest Catholic village in Pakistan. It is sometimes referred to as “Pakistan’s Vatican,” because this village, with its close to 8,000 Catholics and extremely active Church life, is a pillar of strength for the …
A Catholic Archbishop who needs guard dogs in the house, and an armed escort when he travels, speaks of the difficulties of carrying out his mission in his diocese. Archbishop Matthew Ndagoso of Kaduna, in north-central Nigeria, leads one of the most dangerous dioceses in the world. You wouldn’t guess it, though, from his smile …
Continue reading “Nigeria: “Religion should unite us, not divide.””
Priests in war-torn Sudan are not abandoning their flocks despite the escalating conflict in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, and throughout the Darfur region. Despite a ceasefire, violent clashes continued between the semi-official Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese army, with civilian deaths topping more than 850 (23-05-2023). Speaking to Catholic charity Aid to the Church in …
Continue reading “Sudan – As fighting erupts, priests stay with their flocks”
The 21 martyrs—20 Egyptian and one Ghanaian—who were killed by Islamic State militants in Libya, in 2015, will be commemorated on the liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church, making them the first saints to be honoured by both the Coptic Orthodox and Catholic Churches since their split following the Council of Chalcedon in 451AD. In …
Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) supports the formation of seminarians all over the world. In Lebanon, this is about more than just preparing men to be good priests; it has to do with guaranteeing a peaceful future for the country, and a stable environment in which Christians can thrive. The Maronite Patriarchal Seminary …
Continue reading ““Without Christians… there will not be a peaceful and harmonious Lebanon.””
Ongoing formation for 45 priests and deacons in the Diocese of Bouar The Central African Republic is one of the poorest and most underdeveloped nations in the world and continues to be plagued by constant unrest and coup attempts. Many areas of the country are being controlled by a variety of armed rebel groups. The …
Continue reading “Project of the Week – Central African Republic”
