NIGERIA – What will happen to recently freed Chibok girls? The Nigerian government last week announced the release of 82 girls, who were among the 300 abducted from the high school in Chibok in April 2014. The mass abduction by the militant Islamist group drew international outcry that adopted the rally cry “Bring Back Our...
IRAQ – ACN’s “Olive Tree Ceremony” marks beginning of reconstruction project Last week the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need consecrated three building sites in the villages of Bartella, Karemlash and Baghdeda (Qaraqosh) for the reconstruction of the first 105 houses belonging to internally displaced Christian families. The owners of the houses...
SOUTH SUDAN – “The Church is the only functioning institution” A United Nations report released In March said South Sudan is experiencing ethnic cleansing by mostly government forces and described the country as teetering on the edge of genocide. Nothing has changed since then and the situation continues to deteriorate as the country descends...
SYRIA What has the war brought but suffering and tears? Syrians only want peace! A woman weeps. Wrapped in a sheet on which is written in Arabic the word “Syria”, the woman, who is pregnant, sheds tears which run down over her abdomen, within which are two babies fighting with each other. The mother...
NORTH KOREA “Witness to the persecution of Christians” – priest relates his experiences As you know, for the past 60 years and more the « Land of the Morning Calm » has been cut in two, following a particularly bloody fratricidal war… Earlier, I was able to travel to North Korea and, despite the constant surveillance by...
CHINA Will proposed Vatican-China agreement cause problems? An agreement is being discussed between the Vatican and China regarding the appointing of bishops. Hong Kong’s current archbishop, Cardinal John Tong Hon, has expressed hope that it will come about. Tong defended the new proposal, saying that the Chinese government must now recognize the Pope as...
IRAQ ACN is rebuilding Nineveh villages so displaced Christians can return home On Monday 8 May in the villages of Bartella, Karamless and Qaraqosh an “Olive Tree Ceremony” marked the beginning of rebuilding work on the first 100 homes of the Christian refugee families, in a programme sponsored by the international Catholic pastoral charity and...
ACN celebrates its 70-year anniversary during the Year of Fatima “From the very beginning, this charity has been a miracle” This year, the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) is celebrating the 70th anniversary of its founding as well as the 100th anniversary of the appearances of Our Lady of Fatima,...
Papal visit completes Fatima anniversary celebrations Pope Francis is going to Portugal for the centenary celebration of the Marian apparitions of Fatima this week. For over a year local anticipation has been building for the visit of the “bishop in white.” In her apparitions, Mary also asked for people to pray for the Pope...
The first Irish saint to be beatified on 13 May 2017 Father John Sullivan, a prominent Irish Catholic convert is the first ever person to be beatified in Ireland. The beatification will take place on May 13 at St. Francis Xavier Church in Dublin, where the Jesuit priest’s body was interred. The Archbishop of...
