A Christian mother of four in Pakistan has been sentenced to death for allegedly sharing blasphemous messages – but legal advocates, supported by a leading Catholic charity – have vowed to appeal the conviction.   Former nurse Shagufta Kiran, 40, received the death sentence on Wednesday, September 18th by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) court in Islamabad. She was also fined 300,000 Pakistani Rupees (more than 3,000 U.S. dollars).   The sentence came more than three years after FIA officers stormed her ...

Father André Poré is the parish priest of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus in Burkina Faso.  His parish has received many refugees from elsewhere in the country, including 2,000 people from Rollo Department, who were forced out by terrorists in May of 2023. During his visit to the international headquarters of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), the priest from Ouahigouya – a diocese deeply affected by terrorism – described the refugees’ dire situation and the challenges faced by ...

Vital aid from a Catholic charity has reached flood victims in northern Nigeria, but a senior Christian leader warns that the scale of the human tragedy could be greater than initially feared.   Bishop John Bakeni, Auxiliary Bishop of Maiduguri, told Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), which is supporting his diocese’s relief efforts, that at least one million people have been affected by the flood.  He added, “The flood’s unprecedented scale has presented challenges beyond our previous experiences, as ...

At least 50,000 Christians have been directly affected by the flooding in Maiduguri in northern Nigeria, though the actual numbers could be far higher. ACN is committed to helping the local diocese and requesting donations and prayers from its benefactors.  The devastating floods in the northern Nigerian city of Maiduguri are the worst in at least three decades, according to Auxiliary Bishop John Bakeni of the local diocese. Although official numbers are still being determined, at least one million people ...

The Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need is hoping to exceed last year’s milestone of more than a million children praying the Rosary for peace in the world’s conflict zones.   Aid to the Church in Need’s 19th One Million Children Praying the Rosary initiative is scheduled for October 18th.  Last year, the charity’s goal of a million participants was reached for the first time – and in 2024, ACN wants to see even more young people taking part.  ...

The Nigerian city of Maiduguri was recently hit by terrible flooding. Aid to the Church in Need is helping the local diocese with food, sanitation, medicine, and shelter.   The Catholic Auxiliary Bishop of Maiduguri, in Nigeria, has issued an appeal for help in the wake of devastating floods affecting his city.  In a video message sent to Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Auxiliary Bishop John Bakeni requests aid, explaining that “the city of Maiduguri has been engulfed ...