ACN’s response to Islamism in Africa

Catholicism is growing rapidly in Africa. However, over the last decade violent Islamism has also grown in Africa, leading to violent attacks on Catholics and the Church on the continent. Aid to the Church in Need has pledged €8 million in aid in response to these attacks.

By ACN Staff

St. Peter's Church, Kagadama in Nigeria, destroyed by Boko Haram. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)

One of the gravest findings of ACN’s Religious Freedom Report, released in Rome on 20th April, was the rapid growth and spread of violent Islamism in Africa. Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) is determined to do something in the face of this onslaught of fundamentalist violence. ACN has approved more than €8 million in aid to support the victims of radical Islamist violence in Africa.

A refugee camp run by the Carmelites in Bangui, Central African Republic. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need/ Fr. Federico Trinchero)

The Executive President of ACN, Dr. Thomas Heine-Geldern, discussed the great suffering in Africa as the result of Islamist violence:

“Africa was on a harrowing Via Dolorosa in 2020 and became the ‘continent of martyrs’. Violence against Christians, their expulsion and murder have increased dramatically. I hope that the aid we provide will assuage the suffering of the people and enable them to experience a little Easter hope… The Catholic Church in Africa is itself often one of the victims, but more than anything is an important source of support, reconciliation and healing for all who are suffering violence. For this reason, ACN considers the aid it provides to the Church of the ‘continent of martyrs’ one of its most crucial missions, now more than ever.”

ACN’s campaign is entitled: “Heal the wounds of religious extremism in Africa”. One of the main priorities is to help heal the trauma left behind by the violence. ACN is helping support spiritual and psychological training to help deal with these scars. For example, in the Nigerian Diocese of Maiduguri the insurgency by Boko Haram has left around two thousand widows and thousands of fatherless children. The trauma suffered by this community is unimaginable. ACN has helped set up a training centre in the diocese to train therapists in order to provide treatment and healing to the women and children.

ACN is also providing humanitarian support in countries like Mozambique, where around 750,000 people have been displaced by an Islamist insurgency in the north of the country. ACN understands the vital importance of support the Church throughout these troubling times in Africa. ACN has sponsored church reconstruction projects in countries like Niger, to help the Church recover from attacks by Islamists. We are also continuously providing priests with Mass stipends to celebrate Holy Masses for our benefactors’ intentions, and are also providing financial support for the formation of seminarians throughout Africa. Please continue to support and pray for the work of ACN.