Our Mission

We support the faithful wherever they are persecuted, oppressed or in need, through information, prayer and charity.

Charism of ACN - The love of Christ compels us (2 Cor 5:14)

Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) is an international Papal charity dedicated to supporting persecuted and suffering Christian communities worldwide. Rooted in the Gospel and Catholic social teaching, ACN provides pastoral aid, emergency-humanitarian assistance, and support where the faith is under threat. Through prayer and material aid, we serve as a bridge between our donors and those struggling to live out their faith. Our work is driven by a profound commitment to keeping the faith alive.

Read the Charism of ACN

The story behind our symbol

The ACN logo is recognized worldwide as a symbol of our mission to support the persecuted Church through pastoral and humanitarian aid. It was originally created to symbolize freedom for the faithful in post–World War II Europe.

The Circle: It represents the world, and the white line down the center depicts the Iron Curtain. Historically, this line represented the ideological, political, and social divide between the West and the Iron Curtain.

The Cross: It stands for the Church piercing through the divide to support the Persecuted Church. Today, it illustrates our continued journey around the globe to support the suffering and persecuted faithful everywhere.

The Color Red: It signifies the blood of martyrs, both past and present.

The Voice of Our Donors

Aid to the Church in Need is compassionately supported by over 330,000 donors around the world. Through their prayers and through their generosity, our kind donors are the heart of our organization, helping us to continue our mission of aiding the persecuted Church and her suffering faithful. In addition to their contributions and prayers, the supportive words of our donors inspire us and mean a great deal.

"Thank you for allowing us to be a small part in your extraordinary work on behalf of our brothers and sisters of the Household of Faith!"

"ACN is a place of encounter between us and the Church in need. We love to be a part of your work. We are praying for the persecuted and the refugees and for Christian communities living in the face of violence and poverty."

"Above all, ACN is a charity that helps practically, on the ground, where the need is greatest. A quite wonderful enterprise with an extraordinary founder."

"I can't contribute much since I'm unemployed and have no income. But I keep putting a little bit by so that I can give it to you. It's not much, but I give it gladly, as little streams flow into the great rivers! May God help me to help you."

"I thank God for you, for the wonderful work you do around the world. God has blessed me in so many ways yet I have not always done my best for Him and his Church. I am happy that sometimes I am able to help Aid to the Church in Need. With fervent thanks to Jesus who always gives us the motivation and purpose to continue to work for Him."

"I am happy to be able to help—even if only in this modest way. I find it hard to imagine how I would bear it if I had to suffer or face persecution for my faith myself."

"Thank you for helping our fellow Catholics in Syria. I wish I could go there and help. God bless you all."

"ACN’s work is inspiring. It is about loving God above all things and our neighbor as ourselves. Many people criticize the Church or no longer believe in it, but ACN is the living proof that the Church is still walking with Jesus, and that the Holy Spirit himself is guiding you."