This September, Pope Francis will make his first trip to Papua New Guinea, a country introduced to Christianity about 70 years ago. In this corner of the world, Christians are enthusiastically preparing for his arrival, with the help of missionaries like Father Martín Prado from the Institute of the Incarnate Word. For 10 years, this missionary has lived in Vanimo, a coastal city that the Pope will visit, and he has shared his testimony with Aid to the Church in ...

One year since violence described as the worst outbreak of Christian persecution in Pakistan, Church leaders say people are terrified of more attacks and furious that the culprits have not been brought to justice.   Leading clergy in the Diocese of Faisalabad reported that security services warned Christians in Jaranwala against holding outdoor events on Friday, August 16th, to mark the first anniversary of the atrocities.  In a single day, a mob of thousands torched and ransacked more than 25 churches and at ...

This year marks the fifth anniversary of the International Day Commemorating Victims of Violence Based on Religion or Belief.  August 22nd marks the fifth anniversary of the International Day Commemorating Victims of Violence Based on Religion or Belief, as established by the UN General Assembly in 2019. Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) recently interviewed Dr. Ewelina Ochab, a lawyer, author, and human rights advocate, who came up with the idea and helped secure the support of states for ...

Despite the ongoing conflict in Gaza, Father Gabriel Romanelli is working to create a sense of normalcy through education. The parish priest of the Holy Family Church in Gaza City has made it a priority to ensure that children in the community continue to receive “remedial” schooling.  It has been more than ten months since the start of the war in Gaza. The few Christians who remain in the territory are exhausted and traumatized.   “The situation is bad, very bad, in all ...

The holiday camps, which are hosted in regions afflicted by war and conflict, offer temporary relief to suffering youth; participants can engage in carefree activities and develop their faith. ACN project partners report that for many young people, these camps are the most anticipated event of the year.  This year, there are more than 1,600 youth summer camps in 18 countries ─ from Egypt and Jordan to Iraq, Georgia, and Kazakhstan – thanks to funding by Aid to the Church ...

After being accused of blasphemy, a Christian mother of two was cornered in a field in Pakistan and beaten by a mob.  Saima Farhad Gill, who is also a widow and lives in a village near Gojra, was saved by police and taken into custody. She was charged under Pakistan’s notorious blasphemy laws.  Saima’s neighbors claimed that they had found documents bearing the name of her daughter, Emma, age 9; allegedly among the documents were ripped pages of the Qur’an. An ...