Königstein im Taunus, Germany, 8 May 2025
It was with the greatest joy and gratitude that international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) received news of the election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost to the Papacy, under the name Leo XIV.
The new Pope is no stranger to ACN and to its work: during his mandate as Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru from 2015 to 2013 ACN could support him with manifold projects, mostly in the formation of seminarians, missionaries and catechists, as well as with Mass stipends which in part were destined to missionaries working in remote parts of the Andes.
“It is in the very nature of the Church and of apostolic succession that the sadness of the passing of one Pope should soon give way to the joyous reception of the new Bishop of Rome. Leo XIV. is the eighth Pope under whom ACN will continue to serve the poor, struggling and persecuted Church, since it was founded in 1947,” said Philipp Ozores, Secretary General of ACN.
Although as a Catholic foundation it has always been spiritually united to the successor of Peter, this relationship became institutionalized in 2011 by Pope Benedict XVI, who raised ACN to the status of pontifical foundation.
The close relationship continued under Pope Francis, who expressed his esteem for ACN and many of its initiatives on a number of occasions, including receiving women having suffered terrorist violence which were supported by the charity, promoting the worldwide One Million Children Praying the Rosary event, and being briefed on foundation’s landmark Religious Freedom Report.
More recently Pope Francis had agreed to receive participants in an international pilgrimage to Rome, but died only two weeks before the event took place.
“ACN looks forward to continuing its service to the universal Church as well as the collaboration with Leo XIV, strengthening the Church where it is persecuted and most in need,” Philipp Ozores concluded.
By Filipe d’Avillez.
