Just over a year after extremists murdered more than 300 people in coordinated attacks targeting Christian villages in Plateau State, Nigeria, the faithful gathered for a special Mass to remember the victims last Sunday (5 January).
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Despite the widespread terrorism which is increasingly affecting Burkina Faso, and although priests and catechists are the main targets among pastoral agents, the country has seen a growth in priestly vocations in recent years. Supporting these future priests in their formation is one of ACN’s priorities.
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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. Fr Lazar Aslam tells ACN what it’s like being a Catholic there.
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The tragic death of Suleman Masih, a 24-year-old Christian, has shocked the local community and once again highlighted the challenges faced by Christians and other religious minorities in Pakistan. Suleman was attacked on December 29, 2024, in Kot Saadullah, Rahawali, Gujranwala, and succumbed to his injuries on New Year’s Day.
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Cabo Delgado was the area most affected by the fury of cyclone Chido, which swept through Mozambique in the early hours of Sunday, 15 December, after causing destruction in the French archipelago of Mayotte. There are dozens of fatalities, thousands of people lost everything, and now are asking how they will survive. In an initial report, the Diocese of Pemba speaks of a “frightening scene of destruction”, and even the IDP camps for victims of terrorism were levelled.
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As Syria begins to transition to the new regime, ACN (Aid to the Church in Need) has gathered first-hand testimonies, providing an on-the-ground look at the current situation in key regions, including Homs and Aleppo, where people are dealing the uncertainties of a post-regime time.
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Britain’s King Charles III has attended a special Advent service in London, co-hosted by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). The service at the iconic Church of the Immaculate Conception in Mayfair celebrated the courage and perseverance of Christian communities and reflected on the tenth anniversary of the invasion of Mosul and the Nineveh Plains in northern Iraq by ISIS.
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Ireland’s Catholic Church leaders have urged parishioners to continue to speak out for an end to violence and for reconciliation in the Holy Land, as the Christmas season approaches.
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Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa says that even though he does not believe there is a short-term solution to the crisis in the Holy Land, he does have hope for the future of Christians in the region. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem believes that the end of the war in Gaza is in sight but warns that the suspension of military operations does not equal peace.
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Catechists, often at the risk to their own lives, are pillars of the Church in Burkina Faso. Despite the continuous terrorist threats against them, they assure, in the absence of priests, the continuity of faith in villages and displacement camps. In an interview with ACN, a priest from the Diocese of Kaya explains that being a catechist means giving yourself entirely, guided by unshakeable faith in Christ.
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The political situation in Syria, which has led to a drastic change in the country’s leadership, continues to deeply affect the lives of its citizens, particularly the Christian communities. Dr Georges Assadourian, the Armenian Catholic Archbishop of Damascus, shared with the international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) how recent events in the capital have been experienced, and reflected on the role of Christians during this period of transition.
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Charity Aid to the Church in Need, Ireland – which supports thousands of vulnerable minority Christian communities in 140 countries – is making an urgent appeal for prayer and support for the Christian community and all residents of Aleppo, Syria, who are facing a worsening humanitarian crisis.
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Kinga Schierstaedt, Project Co-ordinator for Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) in Africa, travelled to the landlocked African nation of South Sudan. Bordering the Republic of Sudan, its larger neighbour to the north, South Sudan has suffered terribly from conflict and civil war in recent years. After returning from her trip, Schierstaedt spoke about the current situation in the country and the role played there by the Church.
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Following a heartfelt plea from a missionary and ACN’s project partner in Aleppo, the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need calls on all people of faith to unite in prayer for the safety and peace of this war-torn region.
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Despite the danger, a Brazilian missionary priest has stayed in Ukraine since the beginning of the war. Fr Lucas Perozzi thanks ACN for the help it keeps providing, and remains committed to spreading the Gospel.
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In the face of rampant violence which is paralysing Port-au-Prince and isolating Haiti from the rest of the world, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Haiti, in a message received by ACN, calls on the government to act and appeals to every Haitian to work for peace and overcome hatred.
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As Ireland marks the annual Aid to the Church in Need ‘Red Wednesday’, Primate of All-Ireland Archbishop Eamon Martin has urged parishioners to show solidarity with Christians who are persecuted and discriminated against because of their faith.
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New research from Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need, Ireland has revealed that persecution against Christians is on the increase.
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The world’s tallest statue of St Patrick has been illuminated in red to highlight the plight of persecuted religious minorities.
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7 November 2024 – A powerful explosion in a violent terrorist attack, aimed at the police station in the city of Guapi, in southwest Colombia, left three people dead and destroyed a large part of the bishop’s residence and offices of the Apostolic Vicariate of Guapi, in the early hours of 2 November.
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