The Voice of the suffering in Africa

Fr. Alphonsus Afina was kidnapped on Sunday, June 1, in the Diocese of Maiduguri.   The auxiliary bishop of Maiduguri, Nigeria has called for urgent prayers for one of his priests, who was kidnapped by jihadist terrorists.   In a message sent to Aid to the Church in Need International (ACN), Bishop John Bagna Bakeni said that Fr. Alphonsus Afina was taken, along with other people, by suspected militants of Boko Haram–Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) on Sunday, June 1.  Fr. ...

A priest coming back from a memorial service for two slain clergymen shot and injured. A farmer gunned down on his own farm. Three members of a family killed, and the mother left seriously injured. They are just three examples of the “horror” people are enduring in the Middle Belt of Nigeria, according to a local priest. This past weekend, a series of brutal attacks on communities left at least 36 people dead, with several others injured or abducted, according ...

Through practical support and respect for their dignity, the Church in Nouakchott is showing the face of Christ to migrants. In a context where the Gospel can essentially only be proclaimed through action, the Church in Mauritania, supported by ACN, reawakens the hope of those who thought they were forgotten.   “Originally, I was ashamed of going to the Accueil-Écoute center to receive food because I was afraid that people would refuse me and treat me as a beggar. Finally, I ...

As Islamist attacks continue to terrorize the northern district of Cabo Delgado in Mozambique, the Church does all it can to help the local people.   The Christian population of Cabo Delgado in northern Mozambique is suffering greatly from terrorist attacks carried out as part of an Islamist insurgency.   According to a message sent to Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) by Passionist missionary Father Kwiriwi Fonseca, the terrorists have intensified their strikes, causing a new wave of internally displaced ...

During his visit to the international headquarters of ACN, Cardinal Désiré Tzarahazana emphasized the urgency of an authentic and committed faith. In the face of many social problems, which, for a long time, have undermined Madagascar, he insists on the importance of pastoral work so that the Gospel may transform hearts and society.  “How can we live and transmit the Gospel so that people can have a deep faith, a solid faith, able to transform our lives according to the ...

During his visit to the headquarters of the international pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Bishop Aurelio Gazzera, who, since last year, has been Coadjutor Bishop of Bangassou in the Central African Republic, spoke about the significant progress that has been made in the relationships between Christians and Muslims in the country.   For a long time, the Central African Republic was torn by conflicts between two big militias: Seleka, an alliance of several predominantly Muslim rebel groups, ...