Keeping the Faith Alive
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The Voice of the suffering and persecuted​

Lebanon: Incarnation shown ‘with simple means’

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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.

Keeping Christians in the Holy Land

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"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."

Lebanon: Joy and hope at Christmastime

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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.

Christians in southern Lebanon flee crossfire

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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.

A Meditation for Advent

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"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."

Syria: ‘Milad’ is Arabic for Christmas

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“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.”

‘Courage to Be a Christian’ Award honors Nigerian

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“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,”

Gaza City: Sniper fire kills two on parish grounds

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According to ACN’s project partners, the two women killed were Samar Anton and her mother Nahida. Both were fatally injured when they tried to get to safety in a parish building. The Latin Patriarchate said that the snipers were Israeli military, which the Israel Defense Forces have denied.  

Latin America: Catholics get involved politically

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“The idea that politics corrupts has led to a situation where even countries with a great number of Catholics are bereft of politicians who can reflect Christian values.”

Middle East: ‘When you can’t find joy, create it’

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In both countries, clothes are almost unobtainable. Sister Annie Demerjian of the Congregation of Jesus and Mary, who has worked on this project with ACN for years, laments, “Many families here can only dream of new clothes! These days, to buy a pair of trousers, a shirt, and shoes in Syria, you need two months of minimum wage.”
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