God’s special weapon against Evil: Spiritual Mothers   There is a most beautiful, vital vocation within a vocation that is “largely unknown, scarcely understood and, consequently, rarely lived, notwithstanding its fundamental importance”: spiritual motherhood for priests. “It is a vocation that is frequently hidden, invisible to the naked eye, but [...]

CAMEROON Grave of bishop who died under suspicious circumstances is desecrated   The grave of Bishop Jean Marie Benoît Bala of Bafia, whom the Cameroonian bishops’ conference claims were murdered, was desecrated with traces of blood. San Sebastian Cathedral where his body rests has been temporarily closed as a result. [...]

BURKINA FASO “No creed can justify violence“     “No creed can justify violence, and still less can invoke its faith in order to perpetrate violence”  Rafael D’Aquí, the project section head with responsibility for Burkina Faso in the international Catholic pastoral charity ACN International, recently visited this African country [...]

ACN organises international pilgrimage to Fatima   The international Catholic pastoral charity and pontifical foundation ACN will renew its consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary at a pilgrimage to Fatima. Over the past 25 years, it has funded more than 400 projects related to this Marian devotion. During the current [...]

SYRIA Aleppo’s wounds are healing   Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has granted 250,000 euro to St. Louis Hospital to improve its medical care. A picture on the wall depicts the word “peace” – pieced together using bullet casings picked up off the streets. St. Louis Hospital, which [...]

COLOMBIA Pope Francis visits at a crucial moment for the country     In the words of the Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Ettore Balestrero peace, reconciliation and social justice will be important themes during the Holy Father's visit to Colombia. "It is the beginning of a new chapter in the history [...]

SYRIA ACN unveils 30 aid projects to help families   After six years of devastating civil war in Syria, leading Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has announced 32 projects to support thousands of suffering Christian families. Almost two-thirds of families in Aleppo are surviving on less [...]

BURKINA FASO ACN reaches out to the poor regardless of religion   In the aftermath of last month’s Islamist attack on restaurant goers in Burkina Faso, the Church is renewing its commitment to poor people –, especially young girls – at a time of growing extremist influence in the country. [...]

PHILIPPINES Maraw - Desecrated Catholic Cathedral retaken   After more than three months, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has finally cleared and retaken the St. Mary’s Cathedral in Marawi City. The Cathedral was desecrated and destroyed by IS-inspired terrorists last 23 May 2017. The Philippine Armed Forces had [...]

MALI  "To secure peace we must start with our own family"    According to the "Report on Religious Freedom in the World", published by the international Catholic Charity ACN (AID TO THE CHURCH IN NEED), Mali descended into chaos in March 2013 following a military coup. As Islamist jihadis and [...]