Aid to the Church in Need welcomes release of priests in Nicaragua

But concerns over lack of religious freedom remain. Nineteen clerics were released and expelled from the country, adding to the dozens of others who have been exiled in the past few years. The restrictions on religious freedom continue in a country where four out of nine dioceses now have bishops living abroad, says Regina Lynch, …

Authoritarian regimes crack down on Church

Dozens of priests arrested in 2023 Thirteen priests and one religious brother were murdered in 2023, though half were killed for reasons apparently unrelated to persecution. Arrests increased, while kidnappings of clergy and religious dropped compared to 2022. Nonetheless, these cases remain a serious concern, especially in Africa. According to the numbers collected by Pontifical …

ACN to focus on Middle East, Sahel, and Latin America in 2024

Regina Lynch, executive president of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), highlights the worrying increase in religious freedom violations around the world, but also the positive reaction to ACN campaigns such as Red Wednesday and One Million Children Praying the Rosary. You were nominated executive president in April 2023. What is your view for …

First “Courage to be a Christian” award goes to Nigerian Pentecost bombing victims

Margaret Attah—who lost both her legs and part of her vision in an attack on a church in western Nigeria—and Dominic Attah travelled to London to receive the award, presented by the UK office of Aid to the Church in Need. Two of the survivors of an attack that left 41 Christians dead and more …

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 …

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 …

Red Wednesday 23 – A Groundswell from Coast to Coast

Press Release – For Immediate ReleaseRed Wednesday 2023 — Persecution of Christians Montréal, Wednesday, November 27, 2023 – Last Wednesday, November 15, in Canada, nearly forty events were held to mark Red Wednesday, not counting people in the Saskatoon area who were invited to attend an ecumenical service last Wednesday, November 22, at the Holy Covenant …

Red Wednesday: one week away!

Press Release – For Immediate Release Montreal/Königstein, November 9, 2023 — For close to 10 years now, several national offices of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) have been highlighting Red Wednesday. In Canada, ACN is kicking off what is known as Red Week (#RedWeek, #SemaineRouge) early. The primary objective is to “shed light …

Cameroon – Bishop asks Europe to help slow migration by creating jobs in Africa

As the crisis of African migration to Europe deepens, those who are on the front line are issuing an urgent call to action. During a visit to the head office of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Bishop Bruno Ateba Edo of the Diocese of Maroua-Mokolo, in the far north of Cameroon, shared his …