Czech republicHelp to repair convent roof and church of the Discalced Carmelite Sisters in PragueThe Czech Republic is one of the most secularised countries in Europe, with atheism being widespread. Yet, following political changes the life of the religious orders has quickly revived. One example of this is the Discalced [...]
Egypt/Samalout 09.10.2015“My father is in heaven” The Egyptian Christians executed by ISIS in Libya have long been venerated as martyrs –Aid to the Church in Need visited their childrenThe images of the 21 Christians who were beheaded in February by so-called Islamic State terrorists have left a deep imprint on the [...]
Latest ACN report highlights scale of persecution of Christians worldwideACN MaltaThe impact of violence, persecution and exodus of Christians in the Middle East and elsewhere is highlighted in a wide-ranging report that has just been released by a leading Catholic charity, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).The new ACN Report [...]
SYRIA 16th October 2015You helped set me free Fr Mourad tells how his humanitarian aid – sponsored by charities – inspired a friend to plot his escape Father Jacques Mourad has told how he escaped Daesh (ISIS) in Syria with the help of a friend whose family had [...]
Syrian priest Father Jacques Mourad, the prior of the Mar Elian Monastery,who was abducted by IS last May has recently been released after five months. He is currently staying in the village of Zaydal about three miles from the city of Homs. Fr Mourad celebrated his release by conducting Mass [...]
ACN grants 112,000 euros in emergency aid as 40,000 people flee latest wave of violence A renewed outbreak of violence in the capital of the Central African Republic Bangui on 26 September has led more than 40,000 people to flee their homes. This was reported to the international Catholic pastoral charity [...]
Interview – Cuba 06.10.2015INTERVIEW - Long term impact of the Pope’s visitJoop Koopman – ACN InternationalUlrich Kny is responsible for Cuba in the Project Department of the international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). He travelled to the island nation last month for the [...]
Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem calls for calm after recent violenceThe violence of recent days has raised fears of a general conflagration in the region. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem has appealed for calm and asked the Israeli and Palestinian authorities to resume negotiations..Statement – Once again, embers of despair, stirred [...]
Melkite archbishop of Aleppo, Syria, Jean-Clément Jeanbart,described Pope Francis' speech to over 150 world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly as magnificent and worthy of in-depth analysis. In his speech Pope Francis boldly spoke out in defence of justice, the right of every person to a decent living, respect for human life and [...]
Pope Francis at UN General Assembly - emphasis on reclaiming the environment and respect for lifePope Francis praisedthe United Nations’ achievements in the past 70 yearswhilst deliveringthe fifth papal address to UN - the first to open its General Assembly session - stating that “All these achievements are lights which [...]