The Voice of the suffering and persecuted​

The head of the Catholic Church in Ukraine meets with Aid to the Church in Need to discuss the challenges the country faces. On the feast day of St. Nicholas, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Greek Catholic Church in Ukraine, met with representatives from Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) at his headquarters in Lviv. The main challenges facing Ukraine today, and how best to support the country at this critical time, were topics of discussion.  Words of hope are essential in a country ravaged by war, the Major Archbishop said, confirming the impressions of the ...

"We surveyed 196 countries, and we've seen that religious discrimination and persecution have increased worldwide, and in 47 of those countries, the situation has worsened."

"These unprovoked attacks were well-coordinated and deliberate, specifically targeting Christian communities. I can confirm that the victims are 100 percent Christian."

In Lebanon’s shattered economy, the fight for daily survival has long been normal. For many parents, that means forgoing anything that is not essential. Lots of things fall by the wayside, including healthy nutrition, but also money for presents, which is very painful at Christmas.

"The effects of the war are felt all over the region, and Christians, who are a minority but still a significant community, with around 45,000 people in the West Bank and 10,000 in East Jerusalem, are being affected in a very direct way."

In Lebanon’s shattered economy, the fight for daily survival has long been normal. For many parents, that means forgoing anything that is not essential. Lots of things fall by the wayside, including healthy nutrition, but also money for presents, which is painful at Christmas.

Since the military operation against Hamas began, Israel and Hezbollah have exchanged near-daily rocket fire in southern Lebanon. For the people who live there, this violence it is reminiscent of the 2006 war and, local religious leaders say, is a threat to the historic Christian presence in the region.

"Let us prepare the way for the Lord who is to come – and if we perceive that our own life is clouded over and we do not clearly see the light that shines forth from Bethlehem, from Jesus, then now is the time to remove the obstacles."

“There is no hope here. The situation gets worse every day,” says the father, whose eyes are sunken. The mother adds, “The only thing I ask God for every day is that He protect my children and provide them with something to eat.”

“Just as Mass was finishing, we heard the first gunshots. The bandits soon realized that their guns couldn’t kill people quickly enough, so they lit dynamite and threw that into the crowd,”