PAKISTAN -Hundreds of Christian girls kidnapped and forced to marry Muslims Pakistani Human rights activists say that Punjab police are covering up the systemic abuse and kidnapping of Christian girls. Over 1,000 abduction cases are filed every year in the province.Haider Ashraf, the deputy inspector general of operations for the police [...]

SOUTH SUDAN  - Bishops send a message of hope and courage to the suffering population After their meeting in Juba from 21st to 23rd February 2017, along with the Apostolic Nuncio to South Sudan and Kenya, Archbishop Charles Daniel Balvo, the South Sudanese bishops respond to the disturbing reports from all seven [...]

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLICCardinal tours country to encourage peace Cardinal Dieudonné Nzapalainga, the Archbishop of Bangui, is currently travelling through all the dioceses of the Central African Republic. His tour began two weeks ago in the diocese of Bouar in the north-west of the country. While there, from 22 to 24 February, [...]

Pope Francis may visit South Sudan During his historic visit to Italy’s largest Anglican congregation, Pope Francis confided that he is seriously thinking of visiting the African country scourged by war and great famine, which affects almost half of the population.While discussing “better and more creative” relations between Catholics and Anglicans [...]

ACN supports Pope Francis' call to pray for people persecuted for their faith  THE POPE'S PRAYER INTENTIONS for March 2017: “That persecuted Christians may be supported by the prayers and material help of the whole Church.”The March edition of The Pope Video, produced by The Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network and [...]

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO New upsurge of violence against the Church  In a message sent to Aid to the Church in Need by the national bishops’ conference of the Congo (CENCO), Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, the Archbishop of Kinshasa, denounces the ”alarming security situation” in his country, following new [...]

MALAYSIA - Christians worried as thousands rally to support Sharia law Religious minorities are worried as thousands of Malaysians rallied in Kuala Lumpur to support the adoption of Islamic law. Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, deputy president of the hardline Islamist opposition Parti Islam-se Malaysia (PAS), one of its organisers, said 200,000 people [...]

EGYPT - Copts flee Sinai after deadly IS attacks Several hundred Coptic Christians have fled their homes in North Sinai province where they have lived for generations following a series of murders in recent weeks by suspected Islamist militants. Since the end of January at least seven Christians have been attacked and [...]

Pope speaks out about the tragedy of child soldiers in Africa Pope Frances was moved by the plight of thousands of young children who are still being taken from their homes in many parts of Africa and forced to fight. “Unfortunately, news continues to reach us of violent and brutal clashes [...]