Cardinal Kurt Koch appointed president of ACN – “We are grateful to Pope Leo,” says executive president Regina Lynch
Cardinal Koch has been a friend of ACN for many years and brings with him a wealth of experience in the field of ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue.
The pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has expressed its gratitude to Pope Leo XIV for the appointment of Cardinal Kurt Koch as its new president.
Koch, 75, replaces Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, who headed the charity for 14 years as its first President since ACN became a pontifical foundation.
Cardinal Kurt Koch was born in the Canton of Lucerne, Switzerland, in 1950. He completed his studies in Germany and in Switzerland and was ordained to the priesthood in 1982.
In 1995, he was appointed Bishop of Basel, having been consecrated by Pope John Paul II, and made a cardinal by Pope Benedict in 2010.
The Cardinal is no stranger to ACN and has closely collaborated with the Catholic charity over the years, in particular with the Swiss and German national offices, participating in conferences and leading pilgrimages, among others.
Cardinal Koch has been Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity and President of the Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews since 2010. Ecumenical and inter-religious relations are an essential part of ACN’s mission, especially in countries where Christians, or Catholics, are a minority.
“We very much look forward to having Cardinal Koch as our President, and to the guidance he can bring to our mission to persecuted and suffering Christians all over the world. We are grateful to Pope Leo for this appointment and interest in our work,” said ACN’s executive president, Regina Lynch.
The Pope’s nomination was made following the departure of Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, 81, from the post he has occupied since 2011.
In his final year as president of ACN, Cardinal Piacenza had the opportunity to address thousands of the foundation’s benefactors and staff during the jubilee pilgrimage to Rome, in May, where he reminded them that “the mission of Aid to the Church in Need is precisely this: to assist Christ in His work of salvation, to help Him be known and loved, to help Christ save humanity by supporting the life of the Church, especially where she faces the greatest difficulties”.
Regina Lynch said that “in Cardinal Piacenza ACN always had a steady and trusted mentor and president. The cardinal showed keen interest in our work and guided us with his advice and assistance,” adding: “Cardinal Piacenza was always a great supporter of ACN initiatives, such as the One Million Children Praying the Rosary, and the Middle East campaigns, and we are very grateful for his service to suffering and persecuted Christians. He is, and will remain always, in our prayers.”
Aid to the Church in Need is a pontifical foundation that helps Christians in 138 countries, through over five thousand projects per year. In 2024, the charity spent 129.4 million euro on projects. The organisation’s international headquarters are in Koenigstein, Germany, but it has national offices in over 20 countries around the world.
