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...
Highlights of Pope’s ecumenical visit to Bari On Saturday 7 July, Pope Francis hosted an ecumenical prayer meeting with representatives of the Christian churches in the Middle East, in the southern Italian city of Bari. “Peace be upon you! Christians together for the Middle East” was the motto of the meeting. The choice of...
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC ACN provides emergency aid for the Diocese of Bangassou Since December 2012, a large part of the Central African Republic has been undergoing an intense war in which the Selekas (Muslims) and the anti-Balaka militias (non-Muslims) clash violently, thus plunging the civilian population into horror. After suffering threats and aggression and...
UKRAINE “The most important mission of the church is to bring God to the people” Many people in Ukraine are destitute, especially older people and families. The armed conflict taking place in the eastern part of the country also continues to claim victims. The Catholic church helps those in need by providing them with...
SOUTH SUDAN Bishops hopeful as a permanent ceasefire is declared through the country remains tense Bishop Barani Hiiboro of Tombura-Yambio, president of the Sudan and South Sudan Catholic Bishop’s Conference, welcomed the news that a permanent ceasefire has been declared on 27 June to take effect within 72 hours by South Sudan officials and...
SOMALIA Small Christian community forced to live their faith in secret Somalia is one of the most unstable countries in the world. For decades chaos has reigned in a land where the overwhelming majority are Muslims. According to the report on Religious Freedom published by the Pontifical Foundation for Aid to the Church in...
MALTA Marc Fromager talk: “Can Christianity survive in the Middle East?” A large number of people attended a lecture on 2 July entitled “Christianity in the Middle East –can it survive?” at the Corinthia Palace hotel organized by ACN Malta. Stephen Axisa, National Director gave a brief introduction and thanked the Corinthia Palace for...
