VENEZUELA Third priest shot dead as violence escalates The extremely grave situation for priests in Venezuela continues to be one of the major concerns of ACN. Yet another priest has been murdered in Venezuela in the wave of violence that has swept across the country. Father Irailuis García of the parish of Our Lady of...
IRAQ “The West must not remain indifferent” Cardinal Louis Raphaël Sako, Chaldean Catholic Patriarch of Babylon, spoke after Pope Francis’ ecumenical encounter in Bari with Christian leaders to reflect on and pray for the Middle East. “I am so full of hope, and I return with such strength!” said Sako. Sako said the ecumenical...
INDIA Millions of Muslims may be deprived of citizenship and sent to prison camps Human rights experts have warned that millions of Muslims in Assam could soon be removed from a list of “citizens” and later sent off to prison camps. The northeastern state of Assam is currently updating the National Register of Citizens...
INDIA 10 Christian families driven from their homes Earlier this year, Hindu nationalists posted a video online showing them trampling a photo of Pope Francis near Sacred Heart Cathedral in New Delhi, the national capital, and calling for a Christian-free India. The news is emerging that on 5 June 10 Christian families in the...
ERITREA The historic peace agreement with Ethiopia brings new hope to the region Following the historic visit to Addis Ababa by an Eritrean delegation last month, it was announced that the Ethiopian prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, would soon meet Eritrean president Isaias Afwerki. Last weekend, streets in the Eritrean capital Asmara were lined with Ethiopian...
ETHIOPIA Priests face hardship on the border mountains Every morning and afternoon, tanks drive down the only road through the mountains. They are out minesweeping. You constantly have to be on your guard, if only because of the constant presence of soldiers. The guns of Ethiopia and Eritrea are aimed at each other and...
“From houses to churches” – Report of ACN’s main activities in 2017 Aid to the Church in Need’s (ACN) annual activity report for 2017 was presented on 4 July 2018 in Rome. ACN’s international director, Thomas Heine-Geldem was present alongside other ACN representatives, including Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, major penitentiary of the Vatican’s Apostolic Penitentiary...
Pope Francis’ introductory speech Below is the Vatican-provided text of the Holy Father’s introductory speech at the ecumenical prayer for a peace meeting with Christian leaders and patriarchs representing Middle East Christians in the Italian city of Bari on 7 July 2018. Dear Brothers, We have come as pilgrims to Bari, this window open...
