NIGERIA – Bishop speaks at funeral of victims of Easter massacre by Fulani  News has just emerged of yet another massacre in Southern Kaduna, where 12 Christians were killed outside a church on Saturday 15th April. No international media reported this massacre which was only mentioned in Nigerian newspapers. Just when they were preparing themselves to...

“A Drop of Milk” Urgent request to help the children of Aleppo Aid to the Church in Need (Malta) has just launched a national “Drop of Milk” appeal for the people of Malta to help children in Aleppo. This is part of a major initiative sponsored by international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in...

Pope announces canonisation of Fatima children on 13 May   On the 20th of April 2017, Pope Francis, meeting with the cardinals in a consistory, announced that the canonization of Francisco and Jacinta Marto will take place on the 13th of May 2017, in Fatima, on the celebration of the centennial of the apparitions and...

MALAYSIA – Abducted pastor raises fear of Muslim religious vigilantism   Several Malaysian pastors and activists have gone missing in Malaysia, raising worries especially among Christians of religious vigilantism. Pastor Raymond Koh went missing on 13 February  when he was exiting a highway in the leafy suburb of Kelana Jaya just outside of capital Kuala Lumpur....

CHINA – Several Christians arrested in raids on house churches   Chinese authorities are increasingly cracking down on Christians who come together to worship in what the state calls ‘illegal gatherings’. Christians of all denominations in China must register as members of the government-run Three Self Church. These officially sanctioned churches are heavily monitored and controlled by...

SYRIA – Aleppo Christians can celebrate Easter again    The last few Easters were sad ones for the people of Aleppo. Good Friday was ever present, the light of the resurrection seemed far away. Only last year, Sister Annie Demerjian said to the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), “Our children get coffins...

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO – “A death struggle forgotten by the world” The wave of violence that is currently tearing apart the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continues to affect the Church as well. However, there is still hope for peace. Representatives of the recently attacked seminary of Malole ask for prayers for peace in...

IRAQ – Christians celebrate Easter and hope to return home   Hundreds of Iraqi Christians gathered on Sunday at Mar Gewargis (St George) Chaldean Catholic church in Tel Esqof, north of Mosul, to celebrate Easter there for the first time since 2014. The church’s windows were destroyed by IS buta new cross has now been...