SOUTH SUDAN – Rebels kidnap eight Christian charity workers South Sudanese rebels have kidnapped eight local aid workers employed by a US charity Samaritan’s Purse a military spokesman said. The aid workers were taken from a village near Mayendit, about 420 miles (680 km) northeast of the capital of Juba. “The rebel attacked and...
SYRIA – UN investigators conclude “Both sides committed war crimes.” The U.N. Commission of Inquiry has published a report identifying war crimes committed by both sides in Syria’s war. The report covers the July-December 2016 period and is based on 291 interviews with victims and witnesses, as well as analysis of forensic evidence and satellite...
Vatican announces that Pope Francis will visit Colombia in September The Vatican announced this week that “Accepting the invitation of the President of the Republic and the Colombian bishops, His Holiness the Pope Francis will make an Apostolic Trip to Colombia from 6 to 11 September 2017.” Pope Francis will make a six-day trip...
Congratulations Pope Francis on your 4th anniversary Four years ago today, the Cardinals in Conclave in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel elected Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, SJ, Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, as Successor of PeterAt the age of 77 — he was born on December 17, 1936 — he became the 266th Pope and...
ACN celebrates 100 years anniversary of Fatima Apparitions This year we commemorate the centenary of the apparitions to the children at Fatima of Our Lady, who is the Patron of Aid to the Church in Need. ACN Malta is urging the faithful to increase devotion to the Madonna by saying the Holy Rosary to pray...
CHILE – ACN rebuilds Sotaqui presbytery destroyed by earthquake In the 19th century, in Sotaquí, lived an elderly and very holy woman. Her name was Antonia Pizarro. Having a profound knowledge of herbal remedies, she was able to help many sick people. One day, as she was on her way to visit a...
MALI – Several countries unite in search for kidnapped Franciscan Sister On 7 February, Sister Gloria Cecilia Narvaez Argoti, a Colombian nun of the congregation of Franciscan Sisters of Mary Immaculate, was abducted in the village of Karangasso, some 400 kilometers east of Bamako in Mali. The kidnappers said that they would release Sr Gloria...
SYRIA – Crisis continues despite ceasefire A Sister helping Christian families in war-torn Syria has revealed the severity of the on-going crisis across the country – despite the holding ceasefire. Speaking at Aid to the Church in Need’s Area Secretary Conference 2017 at the Karios Centre, Roehampton, Sister Annie Demerjian of the Sisters of Jesus...
PAKISTAN –Hundreds of Christian girls kidnapped and forced to marry Muslims Pakistani Human rights activists say that Punjab police are covering up the systemic abuse and kidnapping of Christian girls. Over 1,000 abduction cases are filed every year in the province. Haider Ashraf, the deputy inspector general of operations for the police department in...
SOUTH SUDAN – Bishops send a message of hope and courage to the suffering population After their meeting in Juba from 21st to 23rd February 2017, along with the Apostolic Nuncio to South Sudan and Kenya, Archbishop Charles Daniel Balvo, the South Sudanese bishops respond to the disturbing reports from all seven of their dioceses...
