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FIFA World Cup: 14 of the competing nations are marked by religious persecution or discrimination
As 48 countries prepare to battle for the World Cup, religious freedom remains an elusive goal for one in every three nations competing. The 2026 FIFA World Cup, taking place from 11 June to 19 July across the United States, Mexico and Canada, has brought together 48 nations for the largest tournament in the competition’s […]
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“The priority now is to rebuild lives,” says Archbishop of Caracas
Archbishop Raúl Biord of Caracas, Venezuela, says that the Church…
Venezuela: ACN allocates 100,000 euros to support Church response to earthquakes
Priests celebrate Mass in the street as churches become shelters…
ACN funded 5,368 projects in 141 countries during 2025
The Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN)…
Indian Church calls for National Day of Prayer to protect its charitable work serving the poor
The Church’s vast charitable work in India could be at…
Venezuela: ACN calls for prayers for the Venezuelan people after the devastating earthquakes that have damaged churches and sown fear among the population
The international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need…
Crisis deepens in DR Congo as new terrorist front opens in the north
Despite the danger, and the looming threat of famine, missionaries…
Priest who remained with his people despite growing violence killed in the Nuba Mountains
Fr Youhanna Al-Amin died in Kauda, a region of Sudan…
Major Archbishop Shevchuk: “The war in Ukraine has caused many conversions”
During a visit to the headquarters of the Spanish national…
Nigeria: one year after Yelewata massacre, Church continues to demand justice for the victims
During a memorial mass held on the first anniversary of…
List of News
“The priority now is to rebuild lives,” says Archbishop of Caracas
Archbishop Raúl Biord of Caracas, Venezuela, says that the Church is accompanying the victims of the earthquakes while rescue efforts continue. As search and rescue efforts continue, following the devastating...
Venezuela: ACN allocates 100,000 euros to support Church response to earthquakes
Priests celebrate Mass in the street as churches become shelters following deadly earthquakes As rescue teams continue to search for survivors under the rubble following the devastating earthquakes that struck...
ACN funded 5,368 projects in 141 countries during 2025
The Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) received €145.8 million in donations and legacies and supported one in every ten priests and one in every eight seminarians...
Indian Church calls for National Day of Prayer to protect its charitable work serving the poor
The Church’s vast charitable work in India could be at risk if law makers tighten the already restrictive law on foreign funding of NGOs. Christians all over India are preparing...
Venezuela: ACN calls for prayers for the Venezuelan people after the devastating earthquakes that have damaged churches and sown fear among the population
The international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) calls for prayer for the people of Venezuela, after the two strong earthquakes that have shaken the country, causing...
Crisis deepens in DR Congo as new terrorist front opens in the north
Despite the danger, and the looming threat of famine, missionaries on the ground insist they will not abandon their flocks, since they are “living signs of God’s presence”. Hundreds of...
Priest who remained with his people despite growing violence killed in the Nuba Mountains
Fr Youhanna Al-Amin died in Kauda, a region of Sudan marked by tribal tensions and disputes among armed groups. According to local sources, the killing appears to have been an...
Major Archbishop Shevchuk: “The war in Ukraine has caused many conversions”
During a visit to the headquarters of the Spanish national office of ACN, the primate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church spoke of the role of priests as “wounded healers”...
Nigeria: one year after Yelewata massacre, Church continues to demand justice for the victims
During a memorial mass held on the first anniversary of the tragedy, Bishop Anagbe remembered the victims and renewed his call for the displaced to be able to return to...
Bishop Silvano Pedroso: A humble shepherd who was close to the people
ACN mourns the death of Cuba’s first bishop of African descent. Pontifical charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) expresses its deepest regret over the death of Bishop Silvano...
Nigeria: Terrorists burned Adama Dutse to the ground. Faith, persistence and help from ACN rebuilt it
The reconstruction of a remote village in Nigeria is a sign that hope can triumph over despair, and violence will not have the final word. On 27 May 2026, the...
FIFA World Cup: 14 of the competing nations are marked by religious persecution or discrimination
As 48 countries prepare to battle for the World Cup, religious freedom remains an elusive goal for one in every three nations competing. The 2026 FIFA World Cup, taking place...
From forgiveness to uncertainty: the story of a priest in southern Lebanon
Fr Youssef Semaan watches on as the conflict in Lebanon empties his village and threatens decades of coexistence between Christians and Muslims. The war in southern Lebanon is damaging more...
Statement By The President Of Aid to The Church In Need (ACN)
Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has received with deep concern the urgent appeal issued by His Excellency Archbishop Georges Iskandar, Melkite Greek Catholic Archbishop of Tyre, regarding the...
Nigeria: “At last, killers have been held to account,” says bishop, as Pentecost massacre gunmen found guilty
Bishop Jude Arogundade thanked ACN for its campaign on behalf of survivors, who “will always carry the scars of what happened that day.” The bishop who spearheaded the campaign for...
Pope and African bishops decry murder of Mozambican prelate
Bishop Osório Citora Afonso was a friend and collaborator of ACN, and the foundation has expressed its deep sorrow with his death. Two days after the murder of the bishop...
MOZAMBIQUE: Bishop of Quelimane shot dead at residence
The Bishop Osório Cítora Afonso, of Quelimane, Mozambique, was shot dead in the early hours of this morning, June 6, and his body was found in a corridor of the...
ACN International President Cardinal Kurt Koch: “Today there are more martyrs than in the first centuries of Christianity”
During the annual pilgrimage for persecuted Christians in Einsiedeln, the President of ACN International reflected on contemporary martyrdom, Christian unity and the mission of the charity. Cardinal Kurt Koch, President...
Nigeria: Bishop of Kontagora welcomes arrest of suspects linked to Catholic school kidnapping and calls for justice
"The families will be relieved and happy to hear that those who planned the abduction of their children have been arrested. This is truly good news," says Bishop Bulus Yohanna....
Jihadists are trying to establish a caliphate in northern Mozambique, says bishop
Villagers in Cabo Delgado used to be united despite their religious diversity, but lately religion has become a dividing factor, reports Bishop António Juliasse. The Jihadists who have been waging...
New Chaldean Patriarch tells Iraqi Christians: “Your presence is a mission”
In a message to Paul III Nona, ACN’s executive president recalled the sufferings of the Chaldean faithful in Iraq, who “have been so often called to bear witness to their...
Church has to be about more than feelings, says hurricane-dodging bishop
As secularism grows across the Caribbean and more young people drift away from the Church, Archbishop Gabriel Malzaire of Saint Lucia believes Christians must rediscover a deeper and more resilient...
“Religious persecution in Europe and the Americas has become a trend”
The number of churches attacked or vandalised in Europe and the Americas continues to rise, while Christians often lack the legal instruments to fight back against discrimination and persecution. An...
War brings both hope and despair to Lebanon
Archbishop Hanna Rahme, of Baalbek Deir El-Ahmar, in Lebanon, seeks to keep up evangelisation efforts, welcome refugees, live alongside the Shias and encourage hope in the midst of constant crises...
DRC: When they people hear the church bells, they know there is life in the village
The residents of eastern Bukavu feel abandoned by the international community. But they know that if they flee, the M23, an armed rebel group backed by Rwanda , will take over...
“This is the saddest time for my country.” Head of bishops’ conference asks that Cuba not be forgotten
The Church in Cuba continues to accompany a population marked by fear, deep necessities in all fields of life, and uncertainty. In a conversation with Aid to the Church in...
Christians of Yaroun, southern Lebanon, fear they will never return home
The Christian residents of the south-Lebanese border town of Yaroun are living in fear that they will never be able to return to the land of their ancestors. Fr Charles...
ACN mourns Syrian archbishop who never abandoned his flock
Archbishop Jeanbart believed that had it not been for the care of God the Christians of Syria would have been wiped out during the civil war. It was with sadness...
Remembering Sudan: A responsibility that we must all bear, not just the governments
A missionary warns that the world has forgotten about Sudan, a country currently experiencing the worst humanitarian crisis in the world due to a three-year-long civil war. In an interview...
Muslim solidarity is “sign of hope” in Mozambique, says bishop
The statement comes in the wake of a devastating attack against a landmark Catholic church and compound located in the region of Meza, Cabo Delgado. The Muslim community of Mozambique...
“Do not be afraid, just believe”: First interview with new Chaldean Patriarch Amel Shamon Nona
In 2015, the then Archbishop of Mosul left for Australia after his entire flock was exiled following the rise of the Islamic State. One decade later, he returns to Iraq,...
Islamists reduce historic church to rubble in northern Mozambique
The attack on the parish of St Louis de Montfort did not inflict any casualties on the missionaries but generated widespread panic among the Christian population. A historic church in...
South Sudan: The bishop who brought his diocese back to life
When Bishop Stephen Nyodho was appointed for the Diocese of Malakal everything had been destroyed. No buildings, no services, and no flock. With courage and leading by example, he began...
Ukraine: Nuncio warns of growing fatigue and spiritual needs amid war
Archbishop Kulbokas describes the reality of the front line and the role of priests accompanying soldiers. The Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine, Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas, has described the situation in the...
Holy Land increasingly emptied of Christians: “We dream of reaching even 5%, but we are far from that”
In an address to representatives of Aid to the Church in Need, Benedictine Abbot Nikodemus Schnabel offered a stark and personal account of the fragile and rapidly shrinking Christian presence...
Statement on desecration of Christian statue in Lebanon
ACN calls on all to pray for the Christian communities in Lebanon, and for all those involved in regional conflicts to uphold and respect religious freedom and respect. Aid to...
Equatorial Guinea’s spiritual preparation for historic Papal trip
The local Church hopes that there will be a “before and an after” this visit, which comes over four decades after the last. The Church in Equatorial Guinea is in...
The Bishops of Angola hope that the Pope’s visit will boost Angolan youth and heal the wounds of the past
Peace is more than the absence of war, say Angolan bishops as Pope Leo visits Pope Leo will visit Angola on 18 April, as part of a trip to Africa...
Algeria: Visit of Pope Leo XIV bolsters mission of small, vibrant Church and dialogue with Islam
Pope Leo XIV arrived in Algeria yesterday, 13 April, for a historic visit that shines a spotlight on the small but vibrant local Church and the role of dialogue between...
Bishop Dassi on the Pope’s Visit: “The Church in Cameroon is vibrant, but the Anglophone conflict remains an open wound”
As Pope Leo XIV prepares to visit Cameroon on 15 and 16 April, pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) interviewed Bishop Emmanuel Dassi, of Bafia Diocese, who...
Aid worker says people feel “dehumanised” as Lebanon buckles under bombings
Among the priorities is the reopening of schools and paying teacher’s salaries, as these play a crucial role in spreading Christian values in the region. People are feeling “scared, angry...
Angola. “We cannot host the ‘Messenger of Peace’ with our hearts full of hate”
As the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to hear the Gospel prepares to receive a visit from Pope Leo XIV, the Church makes a renewed appeal for reconciliation in Angola....
Christian Villages in South Lebanon: Security Alert
Faced with the pending withdrawal of the Lebanese Army from the south of the country, Christians who are attached to their land have expressed their concern with the future. Four...
Middle East: Holy Week begins under the sign of the cross
ACN expresses concern over Palm Sunday restrictions in Jerusalem, Syria and Gaza, and conveys its support for Christians in the Holy Land. The international Catholic charity Aid to the Church...
Paschal hope among the ruins in Gaza
Holy Week has begun against a backdrop of persistent war and shortages in the Catholic compound in Gaza. Despite everything, the community intends to celebrate Easter to the full, sustained...
Nigeria: “Holy Week for us is not history, it is reality. My people are living an exodus”
The bishop of Wukari tells ACN about the suffering of his people and says that the federal government of Nigeria must do more to stop violence. The Diocese of Wukari,...
Jerusalem: Christian schools under threat
On 10 March 2026, the Israeli Ministry of Education announced that no work permits will be issued for the 2026-2027 academic year to Palestinian teachers residing in the occupied West...
Lebanon. “This is not a just war; it is a defeat for us all”
Bishop Jules Boutros, from Lebanon, tells ACN that even though the Israeli attacks are supposedly against Hezbollah, they are affecting all Lebanese. As Israel continues to attack several sites in...
War in the Middle East: ACN increases emergency aid to Lebanon
Faced with the recent escalation of the conflict in Lebanon, pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has significantly increased its aid to the country. Currently the focus...
“We are a Good Friday people”: Mandalay archbishop marks one year after Myanmar earthquake
On the occasion of the first anniversary of the Myanmar earthquake, which struck on March 28 2025, Archbishop Marco Tin Win of Mandalay—one of the most affected areas—has recalled in...
Priest warns of ‘guerrilla warfare’ as dozens killed by suicide bombers
A PRIEST has warned that terrorists are “sneaking” into villages after a suspected suicide attack in north-east Nigeria resulted in multiple deaths. Father Joseph Fidelis, from Maiduguri Diocese, told Catholic...
“The Church is really a rock in Lebanon” as airstrikes intensify
Churches have opened their doors to receive IDPs, but efforts are overstretched operating schools, hospitals, care homes and orphanages. AS another 25 people were killed by airstrikes in Beirut on...
Another war in the Holy Land. “We have never faced anything like this,” say Christians
With yet another blow to regional stability, many Christians in the Holy Land believe it is time to leave. Yet the mission of the Church remains, bringing hope and dignity...
Taybeh: Do Not Let Palestinian Christians Become a Memory of the Past
The last entirely Christian village in the West Bank, Taybeh, east of Ramallah, has been enduring a wave of attacks and intimidation by Israeli settlers. Hostile acts include setting fire...
Pakistan: Demand for justice after Christian man found hanged
The Christian community has refused the official account that Mr Marqas Masih committed suicide, and claim instead that he was murdered. Two men have been arrested. Church leaders are demanding...
“We will stay, despite the war”, says priest in southern Lebanon
Since the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, at the end of February 2026, the southern border of Lebanon has again become a war zone. In this context...
ACN calls for prayers for Fr. Pierre El Raï, who was killed in southern Lebanon
The pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) calls for prayers for Fr. Pierre El Raï, a Maronite priest from the Maronite Diocese of Tyre and a project...
Drone strike in Erbil raises fears among Iraq’s Christians
The return of war to the Middle East has reopened old wounds and many Christians are again contemplating leaving the region. A drone strike last Wednesday (4 March) damaged Church-owned...
ACN’s global petition for religious freedom surpasses 20,000 signatures
Billions of people live in countries where religious freedom is not respected, according to the latest edition of the Religious Freedom in the World Report. Aid to the Church in...
“Missiles are flying over our heads” – Tens of thousands displaced as violence escalates in Lebanon
ACN has remained in contact with project partners in the areas affected by airstrikes, assessing the need for emergency assistance. Nearly 30,000 people have been displaced following a wave of...
The Christian presence must not die out
As tensions rise once again across the Middle East, the international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) warns that a further escalation of violence could have devastating...
Algeria: The “Son of St Augustine” visits Annaba
The Vatican has officially confirmed that in the coming April, Pope Leo will visit Algeria, making this the first ever visit from a current pope. Leo XIV, who is an...
Mauritania: The challenges of ministering to a community of migrants
The only diocese in Mauritania has just celebrated its sixtieth anniversary. Bishop Victor Ndione, who has led the Diocese of Nouakchott for two years, tells Catholic charity Aid to the...
Ukraine: “You did not only give us food, but a taste of God”
In eastern Ukraine people have grown numb to the danger of air raids but faith is growing. A bishop tells ACN that “without your help we would be like refugees.”...
Catholics returning ‘in their thousands, not hundreds’ say bishops
Thousands of Catholics in north-east Nigeria have returned to church in defiance of their fears following more than 15 years of violent insurgencies. Bishop John Bakeni and Bishop Oliver Doeme,...
Four years of ACN support in war-torn Ukraine
The generosity of countless benefactors has helped to keep the Church in Ukraine alive and ready to continue to help those suffering most from the full scale invasion of 2022....
Ferdinand Habsburg appointed Secretary General of ACN International
Ferdinand Habsburg joins ACN following a successful and international career in the media and education sector. The pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need – International (ACN) has announced...
Church calls for tighter security after 10 slaughtered
According to leading Church figures, over 100 people have been killed and 90,000 displaced in the Taraba State region since September 2025. Following a fresh massacre, the Church in Nigeria’s...
Bishops of Venezuela ask country to come together for national reconciliation
The bishops’ have asked for the release of political prisoners, for oil revenues to be applied to help the lower classes, and for the country’s sovereignty to be respected. The...
Cardinal to ACN: “Whoever does not give people God is giving them too little”
During his first visit to the international headquarters since being made president of ACN, Cardinal Koch highlighted the importance of the charity’s defence of religious freedom and its ecumenical dimension....
Catholic Church steps up pressure on Nigerian government over rising violence
Over the past days several Catholic organisations and dioceses have issued calls for the government to deploy more military and police personnel to stem the bloodshed and criminality that holds...
“It is absolutely essential that the war stops,” says Gaza’s parish priest
Although the media attention has died down since the ceasefire, the Gaza Strip continues to sink into an unprecedented humanitarian and health crisis. Speaking to Aid to the Church in...
Pope Leo XIV echoes Cuban bishops’ warning that fuel blockade could cause “chaos and social violence”
“Cuba needs reforms, and these are increasingly urgent, but what it does not need is more anguish and pain. No more loss of life or mourning within Cuban families,” say...
Significant drop in arrests of priests in 2025 but deaths increase
The number of kidnappings also dropped slightly compared to 2024 but remains a major problem in parts of Africa. Fewer priests were arrested or kidnapped in 2025 compared to 2024,...
As life returns to normal in Aleppo, trauma lingers and fear remains
ACN is committed to helping rebuild homes and lives of the Christian community in Syria. Violence in Aleppo, Syria’s second most important city, has subsided following the withdrawal of forces...
Joy as Christian nurses are acquitted of blasphemy in Pakistan
The legal outcome shows a “positive and rare” development, since local courts are often reluctant to acquit those accused of blasphemy, due to social pressure. Two Christian nurses in Pakistan...
Aid to the Church in Need once again launches 24 Hours of Prayer for Peace in Myanmar initiative
The international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) is repeating the 24 Hours of Prayer for Peace in Myanmar initiative on 1 February. On this date, which...
ACN reaffirms spiritual solidarity with Venezuela
Amid a context of deep social and political uncertainty in Venezuela, marked by recent events that have captured international attention, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) reaffirms its commitment...
Christians call for peace and prayers as violence returns to Aleppo
Civilians are once again the main victims as the Kurdish-led SDF and forces loyal to the government in Damascus try to take control of the country’s second most important city....
New Year begins with bloodshed: 50 killed in fresh attacks in Nigeria
The New Year has not begun peacefully in Nigeria’s Catholic Diocese of Kontagora. Just as the final days of 2025 were marked by violence and fear, early January 2026 has...
Nigeria: A decade of terror for Catholic priests
New data highlights scale of priest kidnappings amid Nigeria’s security crisis Between 2015 and 2025, at least 212 Catholic priests were kidnapped in Nigeria, in a wave of violence that...
Gaza prepares for a Christmas without peace, but not without hope
As Christmas approaches, the priest of the only Catholic parish in Gaza, Fr Gabriel Romanelli, tells Aid to the Church in Need that his community is attempting to keep the...
ACN, like St Joseph, called to let the light of God shine in the world
In a Christmas homily to the staff of Aid to the Church in Need, Cardinal Kurt Koch invited the charity to follow the example of St Joseph, and “to live...
Ukraine: With death always near, Catholics hope for God to be present this Christmas
Catholics in a Ukrainian town live under constant threat of missiles and even have to pay to pray in a Church that was stolen from them by the Soviets at...
Burkina Faso: In the north, faith resists amid heavy international silence
The Church in northern Burkina Faso deplores the lack of media attention given to the terrorist crisis it is suffering, with displaced people facing enormous needs and Christian communities showing...
Catechists keep the faith alive among victims of terrorism in Mozambique
Some parishes in northern Mozambique can encompass hundreds of communities, and priests and religious are not capable of reaching them all. Catechists are often on the front lines of the...
Nigeria: 99 children freed reunite with their parents while 154 remain in captivity
Securing the release of the remaining students and staff remains the top priority of the local church, Bishop Bulus Yohanna told ACN. A hundred of the 265 students and staff...
Cardinal Parolin tells “heroic” Christians of Mozambique: “You are not alone!”
In a risky trip to Cabo Delgado, home to a ruthless jihadist violence, the Vatican’s secretary of State thanked the work of Aid to the Church in Need. Cardinal Pietro...
Nigeria. Catechist forgives man who tried to kill him over his ministry
Despite several attacks and one attempted murder, Yahaya and his family decided to remain in Sokoto to carry out his ministry of service to the Church. Around 3 a.m. on...
Nigerian bishop on school kidnappings: “Our hearts are broken, but our faith remains firm”
“Evil will never win,” said Nigeria’s National Security Advisor, during a visit to the bishop of Kontagora, where over 300 children were kidnapped in late November. Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna...
ACN raises religious freedom concerns at European Parliament’s “Human Dignity” event
Aid to the Church in Need (ACN - International) recently took part in the “Human Dignity” event, part of the yearly “European Prayer Breakfast”, which was held on Wednesday, 3...
Amid a fragile respite, an urgent plea from Gaza before Christmas
The Catholic parish in Gaza prepares for Advent during an unstable ceasefire. From the heart of the devastated city, Fr Gabriel Romanelli of the Holy Family parish describes a disastrous...
Pope is travelling to Lebanon to “heal wounds” and “work for peace”
Lebanon is still recovering from years of conflict and economic turmoil. The Pope’s visit is a sign that the local Church is not forgotten, and highlights the country’s unique role...
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...
Nigerian Bishops: “Lasting peace cannot be achieved through silence or delay”
Catholic Bishops of Nigeria warn of escalating violence and call for urgent action to protect life and religious freedom Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) echoes the urgent appeal...
ACN helps keep the doors of Christian education in the Holy Land open
With unemployment disproportionately affecting the Christian community, and as a gesture during the Jubilee of Hope, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem took the decision to cancel student debt in all...
New mass abduction of schoolgirls in northern Nigeria
The attack represents “a major blow to the education of young girls, which is already quite rare in these parts of the country”, say local sources. The abduction of around...
Four Christians killed, villages razed in fresh attack in Mozambique
An estimated 128,000 people have had to flee the affected region, according to UN estimates. At least four Christians were murdered by jihadists in northern Mozambique over the past days,...
Nigeria at the crossroads
The situation in Nigeria - Africa’s most populous country - is very complex, as factors of violence often overlap. For example, the issue of conflicts over land is as old...