“Never take the freedom to express your faith for granted”

Message of a Pakistani Priest for Christmas In Lahore, Pakistan, where Christians make up only a small minority in a predominantly Muslim society, Christmas takes on a special meaning. Despite facing significant challenges and restrictions, the Christian community continues to celebrate the birth of Christ with deep faith. Father Lazar Aslam, a Franciscan Capuchin priest, …

Jaranwala one year later – no justice, no safety 

One year on from violence described as the worst outbreak of anti-Christian persecution in Pakistan, Church leaders say people are both terrified of more attacks and furious that felons have not been brought to justice. Leading clergy in the Diocese of Faisalabad reported that security services warned Christians in Jaranwala against holding outdoor events today …

Pakistan – Desperate plea for Christian man put on death row

The chair of the Catholic (National) Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) in Pakistan has condemned a court for ordering the death sentence on a Christian man found guilty of blasphemy in connection with one of the worst atrocities against minorities in the country’s history. Bishop Samson Shukardin of Hyderabad, president of the Catholic Bishops’ …

ACN Success Story – Pakistan

Sunday school for the children of a very large parish The Holy Spirit parish, based in Sangla Hill, is the largest parish in the Archdiocese of Lahore. It includes a total of 67 villages, many of them far from the parish centre. This is why Father Akmal Patras was determined to give Catholic children living …

Pakistani Catholic escapes forced conversion to Islam

For years, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has been highlighting the suffering of women and young girls subjected to abduction and forced conversion in countries around the world. Many cases go unknown, but shocking testimonies like the story of Kinza Sindhu (14) show the urgency of this issue. Kinza was raped and forcefully …