Pope Francis saddened by murder of French priest Fr. Olivier Maire

Pope Francis said has expressed sorrow at the news of the Aug. 9 murder of French priest Fr. Olivier Maire, as he extended his condolences to the priest’s family, community, and all Catholics in France. During his general audience today, Aug. 11, the pope said he learned of the murder [...]

2021-08-11T14:43:00+02:00

IRELAND: ACN initiates “Mass Rocks” in response to severe restrictions on Public Masses

The reaction by governments around the world to the coronavirus healthcare crisis has had a profound effect on human rights, and not least on the right to freedom of religion and freedom of religious worship, prompting serious debate on the implications of the political decisions that were taken. In the [...]

2021-08-11T14:33:40+02:00

SUCCESS STORY: PPE for the Sisters of Mercy in West Bengal

The Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross in the Indian state of West Bengal are immensely grateful to our benefactors for having enabled them to purchase essential personal protective equipment against the coronavirus. The sisters are working on the front line against the disease and the 22,862 Euros given [...]

2021-08-11T13:45:40+02:00

Released priest recounts ordeal with kidnappers: “Let us continue supporting those going through a time of Calvary”

Fr. Pierluigi Maccalli who spent two years in captivity after his abduction in October 2018 by a jihadist group has revealed his experience to Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). During an interview with ACN, Father Pierluigi, accompanied by his brother, Father Walter Maccalli, also a priest,  and Portuguese [...]

2021-08-11T13:30:08+02:00

TANZANIA & KENYA: Success story – 6000 copies of the youth catechism YOUCAT in Swahili

The YOUCAT is a catechism for young people and young adults based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The fundamental elements of the Catholic faith are summarised in a brief and easily comprehensible style. And the book, which is now available in 58 different languages, is made still more [...]

2021-08-04T13:37:33+02:00

‘May it come easily’— the work of the Salesians in Istanbul

KOLAY GELSIN, LITERALLY “MAY IT COME EASILY,” IS A COMMON GREETING HEARD ON THE STREETS OF TURKEY. It is said to people carrying out hard work to express the wish that they may bear their burdens with greater ease and be relieved of their burden. Father Simon Härting, a German-born [...]

2021-08-04T13:13:04+02:00

LEBANON, ONE YEAR AFTER THE BEIRUT EXPLOSION: “We were among the dead, and we lived the resurrection”

Exactly 12 months ago, Fr. Marwan Mouawad, 46, was celebrating mass for a small group of 10 people in a poor neighborhood of Beirut, when he felt the church moving above him. Suspecting an earthquake, he paused his chanting. The electricity cut. Seconds later, one of the strongest non-nuclear explosions [...]

2021-08-04T13:07:06+02:00

New microprojects Centre provides hope to Syria’s embattled Christians

Christian Hope Center, a Syrian Catholic organization has opened its first ever microprojects program center in Damascus, with support from Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). The program, which launched officially on July 22, will provide families with funds to begin new business ventures or restart projects disrupted during [...]

2021-08-04T12:59:21+02:00

INDIA: ACN funds major COVID relief aid package

Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has just approved a fresh major aid package to help priests, religious, and also catechists and their families in more than 140 Indian dioceses, who are struggling to cope with the crisis and its consequences. The charity’s new COVID relief package, which includes [...]

2021-08-04T12:50:35+02:00

International Religious Freedom Summit present faiths’ united front

For three days in Washington, D.C., the first-ever International Religious Freedom (IRF) Summit (July 13-15) brought together more than 30 different faiths to discuss threats to religious freedom around the world. The summit was attended by more than 700 representatives of some 70 NGOs, including Aid to the Church in [...]

2021-07-28T13:49:16+02:00