Latest News

Read the latest news from the suffering Church around the world, sourced from Aid to the Church in Need's unique network of contacts in more than 130 countries. You can also use the menu on the right hand side to find out more about our Press Office and contact our reporters.

March 2013

SYRIA: Seminarian training to become a deacon killed by Damascus bomb blast – 28 March 2013
A bomb blast which killed a diaconal candidate in Syria's capital, Damascus, shows "nobody is safe any more" according to the city's Maronite archbishop.

SOUTH SUDAN: Church mourns heroic Bishop Akio, who led his people through civil war – 25 March 2013
Tributes have been paid to South Sudan's Bishop Johnson Akio Mutek, who survived up to a dozen death threats while serving a people who reports say suffered the most during the country's long and bloody civil war.

LIBYA: Catholics will continue silent testimony despite church arson attack, says bishop – 21 March 2013
The leader of Catholics in north-east Libya has said he and his faithful will stand firm and continue undeterred despite an arson attack on a church and the arrest of Christian evangelists.

INTERNATIONAL: Archive letter reveals Pope's prayer for Aid to the Church in Need – 18 March 2013
A letter found in the archives shows how the new Pope pledged his prayers for our charity shortly after he was appointed as a cardinal.

INTERNATIONAL: Papal charity welcomes Pope Francis – 14 March 2013
Aid to the Church in Need welcomes the election of Pope Francis, stressing the new Pontiff's pledge "to follow the path of brotherhood, love and faith in service of each other".

PAKISTAN: Could the Government have prevented the violence? – 11 March 2013
Bishop Shaw of Lahore accuses Pakistan's authorities of inaction after an attack on the Christian quarter destroyed 180 homes.

IRAQ: Keep the faith says new Chaldean Church leader – 7 March 2013
The new Chaldean Patriarch of Baghdad has told his dwindling flock to stop emigrating, warning them that Christianity in the Middle East risks becoming "a distant memory".

UNITED KINGDOM/PAKISTAN: Multi-faith rally marks anniversary of Shahbaz Bhatti's assassination – 4 March 2013
A joint call for religious freedom was made by representatives of different faith groups at a rally in London marking the second anniversary of the killing of Pakistan Cabinet minister Shahbaz Bhatti.

February 2013

IRAQ: What future for Iraq's last Christians? – 25 February 2013
The new leader of the Chaldean Church, Patriarch Raphael I Sako, has said that security is urgently needed to stem the tide of Christians fleeing the country.

TANZANIA: Church fearful as Zanzibar priest is killed – 22 February 2013
The bishop of Zanzibar has told how Christians are living in fear following the murder of a priest, amid concerns that Islamist groups on the islands are stirring up hatred.

PAKISTAN: Still no justice for Shahbaz Bhatti – 18 February 2013
Pakistan's Bishop Sebastian Shaw called on his country's government to catch the killers of Christian human rights campaigner Shahbaz Bhatti and gave his blessing to a 3 March event in London commemorating Mr Bhatti's life and work.

BURMA (MYANMAR): Catholic Church calls for end to warfare in troubled Kachin State – 13 February 2013
The Catholic Church in Burma (Myanmar) has called for an end to the fierce warfare in Kachin State which has escalated over the last 12 months with serious consequences for the lives of ordinary people.

INTERNATIONAL: Aid to the Church in Need calls for prayers for Pope Benedict XVI as he resigns – 11 February 2013
Neville Kyrke-Smith, UK national director of Aid to the Church in Need, a Pontifical Foundation of the Catholic Church, has made a statement about Pope Benedict XVI's decision to stand down.

IRAQ: New Chaldean Patriarch hailed as "man of courage" – 5 February 2013
Aid to the Church in Need welcomes the appointment of Archbishop Louis Sako, who once confronted Saddam Hussein, as the new Chaldean Catholic Patriarch.

January 2013

EGYPT: Church attacks president Mohammed Morsi – 31 January 2013
According to Catholic bishops in Egypt government incompetence was to blame for protest deaths, the president's dialogue initiatives are little more than a PR stunt, and anger and division are tearing the country apart.

MALI: Hungry families to receive urgent aid – 25 January 2013
Aid to the Church in Need is providing emergency aid for hundreds of stricken families in Mali who have fled their homes because of the violence.

SYRIA: Help given to refugees enduring a bitter winter – 24 January 2013
Aid to the Church in Need has announced urgent help for Syrians refugees and displaced families now facing the chill of winter in addition to having fled their homes.

ISRAEL & PALESTINE: Common problems are bringing Christians together – 22 January 2013
As the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity began the Holy Land's new Apostolic Nuncio said ecumenism has improved as common problems have drawn Christians closer together.

MALI: Freed from Islamist militants – 21 January 2013
From a missionary in Mali comes reports of attacks by "jihadist Muslims" on a number of towns, leaving thousands of people homeless and displaced.

INTERNATIONAL: Cardinal says: "Don't forget the persecuted" – 14 January 2013
Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, praised Aid to the Church in Need's founder Father Werenfried van Straaten, who dedicated his life to suffering Christians, as the centenary of his birth approaches.

BURMA: Archbishop's appeal to refugees to come back – 11 January 2013
Archbishop Charles Bo, leader of the country's Catholics, called on Burma's three million refugees to return home and help rebuild their nation, saying times are changing for the better.

EGYPT: Constitution heralds dawn of an "Islamic caliphate" – 7 January 2013
Egypt's new constitution could prepares the way for an Islamic caliphate, according to the acting leader of Coptic Catholics, who is among three bishops condemning the document as a fundamental attack on human rights.

December 2012

ISRAEL & PALESTINE: Palestinian Christians' Christmas joy at UN recognition – 17 December 2012
A bishop from Jerusalem has said that Christmas in Bethlehem this year will be especially joyful following the UN's recognition of Palestine and the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Gaza's Hamas regime.

ISRAEL & PALESTINE: Bishop says lasting peace is key to stopping Christian exodus – 10 December 2012
Enduring peace is the key to stopping the exodus of Christians from the Holy land, according to Auxiliary Bishop William Shomali of Jerusalem - who called for prayers for peace in the region.

ERITREA: Military conscription is killing the Church as workers are forced into the army – 3 December 2012
Military conscription in Eritrea is leaving the Church understaffed, as seminarians and other Church workers are forced to join the army, a source has told Aid to the Church in Need.

November 2012

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Prayer campaign launched for suffering people – 30 November 2012
Aid to the Church in Need is launching a Christmas prayer campaign for the Democratic Republic of Congo after staff saw for themselves the scale of human suffering in a country racked by crippling poverty.

SCOTLAND: Glasgow's Archbishop Tartaglia stresses importance of religious freedom to young Catholics – 29 November 2012
Archbishop Philip Tartaglia of Glasgow has told youngsters from schools in Scotland about the importance of standing up for religious freedom, saying that around the world Christians suffer the most persecution.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: International community has failed us, says bishop – 27 November 2012
A bishop in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has hit out at the international community accusing it of facilitating the current crisis in the east of the country.

NIGERIA: New Cardinal says: "Nowhere is safe now" – 26 November 2012
Nigeria's newest cardinal said nowhere in the country is after a deadly attack on a church inside a major military establishment.

ZIMBABWE: Government attacked as exodus continues – 21 November 2012
Continuing violence and poverty are driving Zimbabweans abroad reports from the country indicate, as political leaders try to woo them back for the forthcoming elections.

PAKISTAN: Bishop welcomes 'real justice' for Rimsha – 20 November 2012
Bishop Sebastian Shaw of Lahore Archdiocese welcomed the news that all charges of blasphemy against 14-year-old Rimsha Masih have been dropped.

HOLY LAND: Aid to the Church in Need calls for prayer and solidarity – 19 November 2012
Aid to the Church in Need is launching an appeal for prayer for peace in the Holy Land and across the Middle East amid reports of escalating violence.

NIGERIA: Bishop of bombed diocese calls for peace amid fears of retaliation – 14 November 2012
Archbishop Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso of Kaduna, whose diocese in Nigeria was targeted by a suicide bomber last month, has again called for peace and warned of the the dangers of reprisal attacks.

SYRIA: Murder of priest leaves Christians in fear – 13 November 2012
A young UK-based mother from Syria has described the savage murder of her family's parish priest in Damascus.

HAITI: Help after Hurricane Sandy – 12 November 2012
Emergency aid for people in Haiti whose lives and livelihoods were devastated by Hurricane Sandy is being provided by Aid to the Church in Need.

EGYPT: Coptic Catholic Bishop says, "Let the faithful speak for themselves" – 5 November 2012
A leading Catholic bishop parised new Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II's first pronouncements, favouring a spiritually-focused pontificate over a political one, saying the new leader was right to "leave the lay people to represent themselves".

CUBA: Hurricane Sandy brings more misery to the island's resilient faithful – 2 November 2012
Cuba's bishops have paid testimony to believers' faith in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, which has destroyed churches and left people homeless.

October 2012

NIGERIA: Christians are "near desperation" after latest bomb attack – 31 October 2012
Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama, President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria described how Christians are "near desperation" after Sunday Mass-goers in the north became the latest victims of extremist violence.

ISRAEL: New risk to Palestinian Christians' livelihoods – 30 October 2012
Bishops in the Holy Land are rallying in defence of Christian families near Bethlehem who risk losing access to their olive groves and fruit farms if the Israeli government goes ahead with plans to extend its security wall.

UNITED KINGDOM: Making music to help educate Sudan's suffering Christians – 26 October 2012
The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School's Schola Cantorum performed an evening of music devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary, raising money to educate Christian children in Sudan.

ZAMBIA: Laity taking lead in protecting vulnerable from witch-hunts – 23 October 2012
Zambia's laity are protecting women who have been accused of witchcraft after sickness and death struck their villages.

UNITED KINGDOM: Supporters stand in communion with suffering Christians in Syria and Nigeria – 22 October 2012
Westminster Cathedral Hall was packed as bishops from Syria and Nigeria spoke about the help and support being given to suffering Christians in their countries.

UNITED KINGDOM: Church leaders from Syria and Nigeria to address parliamentary briefing meeting on threat to Christians – 17 October 2012
Senior Catholic Church leaders from Nigeria and Syria will tomorrow tell a Parliamentary event of the growing level of violence in their countries and the particular threat to Christians.

NIGERIA: Charity head says continuing terrorist attacks must stop – 9 October 2012
The UK director of Aid to the Church in Need echoed calls by the leader of Nigeria's Catholics for the country's government to redouble efforts to crackdown on Islamist terrorists.

TANZANIA: Radical Islamisation spreading, says bishop – 4 October 2012
A bishop in Tanzania has warned of increasing Islamisation in the country as foreign preachers encourage demands for the spread of Shari'a law.

September 2012

PAKISTAN: Could disabled girl's case change Blasphemy Law? – 28 September 2012
The president of the National Commission for Justice and Peace of the Catholic Church said a changes of attitude is begining to take place in Pakistani society about the blasphemy law.

NIGERIA: Security crackdown on Boko Haram extremists long overdue, says Archbishop – 25 September 2012
The head of Nigeria's bishops' conference criticised government of failure over terrorist threat, following a new attack on a Catholic cathedral.

UNITED KINGDOM: Middle East Peace depends on Christian presence, says Lebanese priest – 24 September 2012
A Maronite priest from Lebanon said only a strong Christian presence in the Middle East can restore peace in the region, at an Aid to the Church in Need event held in Scotland.

UNITED KINGDOM: Bishops from Syria and Nigeria to speak at Aid to the Church in Need's Westminster Event – 17 September 2012
A bishop from Syria and the leader of the Catholic Church in Nigeria are to give first-hand testimonies at Aid to the Church in Need's annual Westminster Mass and Event on Satruday 20th October.

PAKISTAN: Blasphemy case girl Rimsha's release is a "breakthrough" for justice – 10 September 2012
The release of Rimsha Masih, the girl with learning difficulties accused of blasphemy in Pakistan, on bail is a "big breakthrough" for justice, according to Catholic leaders in the country.

MIDDLE EAST/IRAQ: Holy Father, help save our Church from dying out, says bishop – 6 September 2012
Middle East patriarchs and bishops should "speak directly and openly" with the Pope about their fears that Christianity in the region is at risk when he visits Lebanon next week, according to a senior bishop.

LEBANON: Pope to hand out youth catechisms during visit – 5 September 2012
Pope Benedict XVI will be distributing copies of a new Arabic translation of the Catholic Church's youth catechism, YOUCAT, during his visit to Lebanon.

August 2012

MIDDLE EAST/SCOTLAND: Christians vital to Middle East peace, priest to tell Paisley audience – 31 August 2012
Middle East expert Father Samer Nassif will tell attendees at Aid to the Church in Need's Paisley event in September that peace in the region depends on the survival of Christianity there.

PAKISTAN: Bishop says young girl accused of burning Qur'an texts may be freed – 31 August 2012
Rimsha Masih, the girl with learning difficulties accused of blasphemy in Pakistan, could soon be released - according to a leading Catholic bishop.

PAKISTAN: Top Catholic human rights activist says blasphemy case against Rimsha Masih is "engineered" – 28 August 2012
The case of a Pakistani Christian girl with learning difficulties accused of blasphemy has been "concocted" and should be dropped, according to the Catholic Church's top human rights advocate.

SYRIA: Emergency help for villagers desperate for food – 24 August 2012
12,000 people trapped in their village in Syria and desperate for food and other urgent help are to receive emergency assistance from Aid to the Church in Need.

SYRIA/LEBANON: Syria's war could engulf Lebanon, says patriarch – 17 August 2012
Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Rai has warned that the civil war in Syria could trigger a full-scale conflict between Lebanon's Sunni and Shiite Muslims.

UNITED KINGDOM: George's six-day walk for Sudanese school children – 10 August 2012
A Scottish Catholic has successfully completed a gruelling 97-mile trek along the West Highland Way to raise money for Save the Saveable schools in Sudan.

SYRIA: Sustaining faith amid the fighting – 8 August 2012
A priest in Syria described the challenges the Church faces ministering to the faithful caught up in the conflict - many of whom are among up to one million internally displaced persons.

PAKISTAN: Were nurses poisoned for drinking tea in Ramadan? – 1 August 2012
A police inquiry is under way in Pakistan into allegations that extremists put poison in tea drunk by nurses on an afternoon break during Ramadan.

July 2012

SYRIA: Aid package provides food for Damascus's desperate Christians – 27 July 2012
Aid to the Church in Need has made an emergency grant to help families who have fled their homes and priests ministering in Damascus - where it is a "situation of siege," the charity's Middle East expert has said.

SYRIA: Priest speaks of suffering in Damascus – 25 July 2012
A priest working in Syria, who has asked to remain anonymous, has given a moving account of people's trauma in the beseiged capital, Damascus.

SYRIA: Christians fear being attacked as fighting intensifies – 23 July 2012
A senior bishop has said Christians in the Syrian cities of Damascus and Aleppo are terrified of being targeted as fighting in the country intensifies.

ALBANIA: Islamisation growing in the country, says expert – 20 July 2012
Aid to the Church in Need's Peter Rettig has said radical Islam is being imported into Albania, leading to growing tensions in the country.

SYRIA: Urgent appeal for prayer as crisis worsens – 20 July 2012
An urgent prayer appeal for the people of Syria is being made by senior figures from Aid to the Church in Need, as fighting in the troubled country escalates.

HOLY LAND: Papal exhortation on Middle East "not a political programme" – 16 July 2012
The papal nuncio in Israel has warned against unrealistic expectations for Pope Benedict XVI's forthcoming Apostolic Exhortation on the Middle East.

EGYPT: A better future awaits Christians, says Church head – 12 July 2012
Bishop Kyrillos William, administrator of the Coptic Catholic Patriarchate of Alexandria, said Christians in Egypt can expect a better future after years of being second-class citizens.

NIGERIA: "Christians must convert" says Islamist group – 11 July 2012
Islamist group Boko Haram have claimed responsibility for the deaths of more than 50 people in north-central Nigeria, which were previously blamed on ethnic conflict.

SYRIA: Media not telling the truth about conflict, says expert – 9 July 2012
News agencies have misrepresented the conflict in Syria, according to Father Andrew Halemba, Aid to the Church in Need's Middle East expert.

UNITED KINGDOM: Running the London 10K for Aid to the Church in Need – 4 July 2012
The urgent need to help suffering Christians has inspired two friends to enter the London 10K run to raise funds.

UNITED KINGDOM: Charity's benefactors standing shoulder to shoulder with the persecuted Church – 2 July 2012
The UK director of Aid to the Church in Need has thanked benefactors for continuing to support persecuted and suffering Christians despite the economic downturn.

June 2012

INTERNATIONAL: 50 millionth Child's Bible published – 29 June 2012
Since Aid to the Church in Need started the Child's bible initiative in 1979, it has printed 50 million copies of its scriptural text for young Christians, "God Speaks to His Children".

ZAMBIA: Lay role vital in Church growth says archbishop – 28 June 2012
Lay involvement is one reason for Zambia's growing Church, according to Archbishop Ignatius Chama of Kasama.

NIGERIA: Anger and hatred at "dangerous level" say bishops – 27 June 2012
The bishops conference of Nigeria has issued a dire warning saying the country risks sliding into far worse conflict unless urgent steps are taken to stop the violence.

EGYPT: Church expresses confidence in President-Elect Mursi – 26 June 2012
The acting head of the Coptic Catholic Church in Egypt has written an open letter to President-Elect Mohammed Mursi expressing hope for a united, democratic and tolerant Egypt.

EGYPT: Coptic Catholic bishop "optimistic" about new president – 25 June 2012
Mohammed Mursi's victory in Egypt's presidential elections could be good news for the country's Christians, according to Coptic Catholic Bishop Joannes Zakaria of Luxor.

INDIA: Reports of miracles helped Church in north of India to grow – 22 June 2012
Repeated incidents of supernatural healings have helped the massive growth of the Church in a remote corner of India, according to a bishop stationed there.

NIGERIA: Bishops say "Do not retaliate" following church bombings – 21 June 2012
Bishops in Nigeria have called on faithful to remain calm - and accused the government of a weak response - following the most recent bomb attacks on churches.

SCOTLAND: Carfin pilgrims seek Mary's prayers for the persecuted – 20 June 2012
Despite a downpour, more than 130 pilgrims braved the rain to join Aid to the Church in Need's pilgrimage at Carfin Grotto.

SCOTLAND: Priest bungee jumps in Scottish Highlands for persecuted Church – 19 June 2012
Fr Paul Morton took a leap of faith with a difference when he bungee jumped to raise money for persecuted and other suffering Christians around the world.

PAKISTAN/UK: Defend religious freedom, inter-faith delegates tell embassy – 18 June 2012
Calls for religious freedom and action to stamp out mob violence in Pakistan have been made by an inter-faith delegation meeting at the country's embassy in London.

KENYA: Church's mission to climate-change affected Turkana – 1 June 2012
A bishop from Kenya has described how the challenges of climate change affect the Church's outreach in a part of Kenya afflicted by drought and famine.

May 2012

RUSSIA: Orthodox and Catholics discuss "pursuing new approaches together" – 30 May 2012
Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk has said that Orthodox and Catholics can work together to tackle materialism and consumerism.

EGYPT: Will Muslim Brotherhood guarantee religious liberty if they take power in elections? – 28 May 2012
Bishop Antonios Aziz Mina of Giza expressed fears about the Muslim Brotherhood taking power in the country's presidential elections.

PAKISTAN: Bishop demands Punjab government return seized land – 25 May 2012
Bishop Sebastian Shaw has decried the government's failure to return a Church-owned site, which was used for social projects before authorities demolished the buildings.

UNITED KINGDOM: Night of Witness is a night to remember – 18 May 2012
The plight of Christians persecuted for their faith was the focus of prayer, song and reflection at the first-ever Night of Witness held at Westminster Cathedral.

PAKISTAN & EGYPT: Suffering of Christian women exposed – 11 May 2012
A paliamentary meeting is set to expose the shocking extent to which Christian women face "hate crimes", in countries such as Pakistan and Egypt.

INTERNATIONAL: Aid to the Church in Need's call to defend religious freedom – 4 May 2012
Calls for action to uphold religious freedom will be made by leading bishops from the UK and overseas at an event to be held at Westminster Cathedral involving music, dance, video and prayer.

April 2012

NIGERIA: Bishops say government too weak to stop Islamists – 30 April 2012
Nigeria's most senior bishops have spoken out against the government, claiming it is too weak to deal with the growing threat from Islamists waging a campaign of terror against Christians.

SYRIA: Holy Land Custodian speaks out against military intervention – 5 April 2012
The Franciscan Custodian of the Holy Land has voiced his opposition to international military action in Syria, saying the country's Christians fear a repeat of the violence that happened in Iraq after Saddam Hussein's fall.

March 2012

SYRIA: Emergency aid to Homs as nearly all Christians flee the violence – 26 March 2012
Aid to the Church in Need has sent emergency aid to refugees fleeing violence and persecution in Homs, with almost the entire Christian population having left the city.

CUBA: Aid to the Church in Need gives 250,000 rosaries to mark Pope's visit – 25 March 2012
Aid to the Church in Need is supporting evangelisation in Cuba with prayer materials including rosary beads, prayer booklets and crucifixes.

EGYPT: Tribute paid to Coptic religious leader, Pope Shenouda – 19 March 2012
Aid to the Church in Need's Neville Kyrke-Smith paid a personal tribute to Pope Shenouda III, the leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church who died last weekend.

EGYPT: Christians must stand up for their rights – 16 March 2012
Christians must continue to demand equal rights following Islamist success in recent elections according to Bishop Kyrillos William Samaan of Assiut.

UNITED KINGDOM: 'Is Arab Spring turning to Winter?' asks charity head – 13 March 2012
Aid to the Church in Need's UK director has warned members of the Scottish parliament that the Arab Spring is threatening to turn into a disaster for Christians in the Middle East.

PAKISTAN: UK Christians remember Shahbaz Bhatti with peace concert – 12 March 2012
Crowds thronged Trafalgar Square on Saturday at a concert calling for religious freedom in Pakistan and remembering Christian politician Shahbaz Bhatti who gave his life for that cause.

PAKISTAN: Scotland's Cardinal O'Brien calls for Shahbaz Bhatti to be made a saint – 2 March 2012
The UK's most senior Catholic, Cardinal Keith Patrick O'Brien, hopes that the Church will consider canonising the assassinated Pakistan politician and Christian, Shahbaz Bhatti.

February 2012

SYRIA: Bishop fears mass exodus of Christians on a par with Iraq – 28 February 2012
A senior bishop in Syria has warned that Christianity in his country may suffer the same terrible fate as in neighbouring Iraq, with the threat of a mass exodus of faithful looming.

UNITED KINGDOM: Cardinal's tribute to Pakistan's "truly remarkable hero" – 27 February 2012
Cardinal Keith Patrick O'Brien has called on people to take up murdered Pakistan politician Shahbaz Bhatti's cause in defence of religious freedom.

SYRIA: Senior Bishop speaks of country's "murderous stalemate" – 23 February 2012
Archbishop Samir Nassar of Damascus has described the mounting problems in the country, telling how the faithful are saying goodbye to one another after Sunday Mass uncertain if they will meet again.

SYRIA: Archbishop's appeal for peace – 20 February 2012
One of the Middle East's senior archbishops has called on all sides in Syria to put down their arms and negotiate in order to prevent a descent into full-scale civil war.

UKRAINE: Greek Catholic leader hopeful over ecumenical relations – 17 February 2012
Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk said he is optimistic about possible unity with Orthodox Christians in Ukraine because faithful from across the ecumenical divide are demanding it.

UKRAINE: Roman Catholic church seized by communists to be restored as a place of worship – 13 February 2012
Following an ownership dispute that lasted more than 20 years, a Catholic church seized by communists in the late 1940s is to be returned.

SUDAN: Young Christians living in fear of abduction by militia – 10 February 2012
Auxiliary Bishop Daniel Adwok Kur of Khartoum, Sudan, has said militia gangs are kidnapping members of minority groups in their hunt for new soldiers.

UNITED KINGDOM: Walking the West Highland Way for Sudan's Schools – 6 February 2012
A member of the Knights of Saint Columba will be undertaking a gruelling 98-mile trek on the West Highland Way to raise money for Save the Saveable schools in Sudan.

January 2012

PAKISTAN: Inter-faith champion is Karachi's new archbishop – 30 January 2012
The UK head of Aid to the Church in Need has welcomed the promotion of Bishop Joseph Coutts who is recognised as a leading voice for better inter-faith relations in Pakistan.

UNITED KINGDOM: Remembering Pakistan's Christian Peacemaker – 27 January 2012
A peace concert and rally in London will mark the first anniversary of the assassination of Pakistan politician Shahbaz Bhatti, who was killed for speaking out against the country's blasphemy laws.

NIGERIA: Fears of an exodus from the north as 35,000 flee extremists – 25 January 2012
Church sources in Nigeria have said that up to 35,000 people fled their homes in the north following attacks by extremist Islamist group Boko Haram earlier this month.

BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA: Bishop warns fundamentalism is on the rise – 19 January 2012
The rise of radical Islam in Bosnia-Herzegovina is going unchallenged by the authorities, the country's leading bishop has warned.

SUDAN: Two priests kidnapped – 17 January 2012
Fears are growing for the safety of two priests from Sudan who were seized on Sunday by men who smashed through the gates of their parish compound and broke down the presbytery door.

PAKISTAN: Destruction and demolition of Church site in Lahore – 12 January 2012
Pakistan's Punjab government was accused of "brutal injustice" for sending bulldozers into a Church-owned site where it demolished homes for the poor, elderly and homeless, a school for poor girls and a church.

NIGERIA: Leaders must act to stop violence – 9 January 2012
Aid to the Church in Need's UK director Neville Kyrke-Smith has urged Nigeria's Muslim and Christian religious leaders to work together for peace following further violence in the north.

NIGERIA: Archbishop slams media reports of religious civil war following attacks on churches – 4 January 2012
Archbishop John Olurunfemi Onaiyekan of Abuja has condemned the media for portraying recent violence in the country as a civil war between Muslims and Christians.

December 2011

INDIA: Three arrested for killing Catholic catechist – 23 December 2011
Three people have been arrested in connection with the death of a Catholic catechist and human rights activist who was killed in India's Orissa State on 18 December.

IRAQ: Midnight Mass is cancelled amid safety fears – 22 December 2011
Archbishop Louis Sako of Kirkuk in northern Iraq has said that the traditional Christmas midnight Mass will not be held because Christians are scared of fresh attacks.

JAMAICA: Help for the country's unborn following abortion threat – 20 December 2011
A centre caring for expectant mothers and their unborn babies in Kingston, Jamaica, is part of a pro-life campaign which started in response to pressure to liberalise Jamaica's abortion laws.

PAKISTAN: Another Christian accused of blasphemy by burning Qur'an – 16 December 2011
The Archdiocese of Lahore in Pakistan has said reports that Khuram Masih, the latest Christian accused of blasphemy, destroyed part of the Qur'an are untrue.

RUSSIA: "We are stronger together" say Orthodox and Catholic leaders – 14 December 2011
Senior representatives of the Orthodox and Catholic Churches have said solidarity is crucial, at a conference organised by the Russian Orthodox Church, following reports that Christians suffer the worst persecution.

AFGHANISTAN: Making Christ known to soldiers serving in the war zone – 12 December 2011
Young British soldiers serving in Afghanistan are finding out more about their Catholic faith - thanks to books about the Catholic faith and prayer cards provided by Aid to the Church in Need.

INTERNATIONAL: Aid to the Church in Need backs call for international day for persecuted Christians – 7 December 2011
The UK Director of Aid to the Church in Need has backed Vatican calls for an international day in support of Christians oppressed for their faith.

INTERNATIONAL: Aid to the Church in Need becomes a Pontifical Foundation – 6 December 2011
Aid to the Church in Need has been elevated by Pope Benedict XVI to the status of a Pontifical Foundation.

EGYPT: Extremists' election success sparks fear among Christians – 5 December 2011
Catholic leaders in Egypt have expressed alarm after Islamist groups achieved shock success in the first round of parliamentary elections, polling more than 65 percent of the vote.

PAKISTAN: Top Muslim lawyer says 95 percent of blasphemy charges are false – 2 December 2011
A high-profile Muslim lawyer in Pakistan has said that in most of the blasphemy cases in the country the law is being abused by people bent on carrying out a personal vendetta.

November 2011

INDIA: Cardinal pays tribute to murdered nun – 29 November 2011
One of India's most senior Church leaders has paid a moving tribute to a murdered religious Sister who spent years championing the rights of the poor, and called for her killers to be brought to justice.

EGYPT: Bishop warns military "Don't shoot innocent people" in latest demonstrations – 22 November 2011
One of Egypt's senior bishops has condemned the military's crackdown on the latest demonstrations and given a robust defence of the protestors.

IRAQ: "Living in Baghdad is living in fear" says senior cleric – 18 November 2011
A year on from the attack which left 58 Christians dead in Baghdad, the faithful in Iraq's capital city continue to be scared of fresh violence, according to the head of the city's Dominicans.

PAKISTAN: Christians suffer discrimination in Pakistan's prisons – 16 November 2011
A Catholic lawyer has said the situation for Christians in Pakistan's jails is "particularly precarious".

SCOTLAND:"Stand up and witness to the Gospel" says Bishop Toal – 11 November 2011
Bishop Toal tells Christians to take courage and stand up to trends in society contrary to the Church's message, at a memorial Mass for Aid to the Church in Need's founder.

NIGERIA: Dirty politics behind bloody attacks on churches and mosques, says bishop – 8 November 2011
Renegade politicians whipping up religious hatred are to blame for bloodshed and violence in northern Nigeria, according to the local bishop.

SUDAN: Bishops warn of a return to civil war – 7 November 2011
Sudan's Catholic bishops have warned of the threat of a return to full-scale civil war and have appealed for urgent food and medicine, with thousands of people being terrorised by aerial bombardment.

October 2011

UNITED KINGDOM: PM's "crucial step forward" on overseas aid – 31 October 2011
The UK Director of Aid to the Church in Need has welcomed David Cameron's statement that British overseas aid decisions should take into account persecution against Christians.

UNITED KINGDOM: Ann Widdecombe says "If David Cameron is tough on governments which persecute gays, why can't he be tough on those who persecute Christians?" – 21 October 2011
Former MP accuses government of double standards over foreign aid.

EGYPT: Catholic Patriarch urges Christians to play role in nation's future – 17 October 2011
Coptic Catholic Patriarch Naguib of Alexandria has spoken about those Copts whose protest in Cairo ended in violence and death, and called on authorities to step up security and do more to uphold the rule of law.

MALAWI: Bishops' headquarters destroyed in suspected arson attack – 13 October 2011
A fire which destroyed the headquarters of the Catholic Church in Malawi was arson, according to reports from the country.

ZAMBIA: Church not to blame for spread of Aids in Africa – 12 October 2011
Sister Luzia Wetzel, coordinator of an HIV/Aids prevention programme in Zambia, has condemned the idea that the Chuirch's ban on condoms is responsible for the spread of the virus.

EGYPT: Church blames state security forces for deaths of 25 Christians – 10 October 2011
The Catholic Church in Egypt has implicated the regime in the deaths of 25 people - most of them Copts - in the worst spate of violence since the downfall of former president Hosni Mubarak.

INDONESIA: Growing Islamisation threat to Christian islands – 7 October 2011
Islamisation is increasing in Indonesian islands where Christians are the majority population, according to Bishop Hubertus Leteng of Ruteng who expressed his concern about growing Muslim extremism.

IRAN: Speak up and pray out loud for death sentence Iranian Christian – 6 October 2011
Neville Kyrke-Smith, Aid to the Church in Need's UK director, is appealing for prayer and action to spare the life of Iranian pastor Yusuf Nadarkhani who faces execution for refusing to renounce his faith.

LEBANON: Monastery's pastoral centre sustains abiding presence – 4 October 2011
A nineteenth-century Carmelite monastery in the north of Lebanon has been transformed into a pastoral centre, playing a crucial role helping to stem the tide of Christians leaving the country.

IRAQ: Christians clinging on to hope in Ankawa as numbers triple – 3 October 2011
The number of Christians in the northern Iraqi town of Ankawa has trebled in number over the past 15 years, according to Archbishop Bashar Warda, who is grappling with an influx of people escaping persecution and oppression.

September 2011

SUDAN: Bishop says stop the fighting in Blue Nile – 29 September 2011
An urgent plea for peace in Sudan has come from Bishop Daniel Adwok of Khartoum amid reports that within one month 25,000 people have fled to escape the fighting.

TANZANIA: Christian outreach of hope in a Muslim land – 26 September 2011
The Catholic Church is helping to transform life on Pemba island off the south-east coast of Africa through its inter-religious and educational work.

UKRAINE: Pilgrims witness renewal of the Church of Martyrs – 22 September 2011
Friends and benefactors of Aid to the Church in Need have been to Ukraine to see for themselves how - with the charity's help - the Church has revived after experiencing some of the worst persecution of the 20th century.

GHANA: Religious tolerance at risk, says archbishop – 21 September 2011
An archbishop in Ghana has warned of extremists destabilising relations with Muslims in a country held up as one of Africa's success stories regarding religious tolerance.

HORN OF AFRICA: Church says famine warning signs were ignored – 20 September 2011
East Africa is falling victim to a massive famine as the international community ignored the warning signs and reacted too late, according to Salesians in the region.

INDIA: Modernisation is not precluding religious commitment, says bishop – 16 September 2011
Educated and computer-savvy Christians in India are bucking trends by becoming more involved with the Church, according to a bishop.

HOLY LAND: Bishop calls for peace as attacks increase – 15 September 2011
Bishop William Shomali has called for prayers for peace as tensions - and acts of violence - increase ahead of the Palestinian Authority's bid for recognition by the UN.

IRAQ: Bishops spell out suffering of Iraqi Christians to EU president – 14 September 2011
The plight of Christians in Iraq has been highlighted in a meeting between two leading bishops from the country and the President of the Council of Europe, Hermann Van Rompuy.

UNITED KINGDOM: Ann Widdecombe to speak at Westminster Event – 12 September 2011
Ann Widdecombe, former Government minister, Catholic convert, novelist and television personality, will be Aid to the Church in Need's keynote speaker at our Westminster Event this October.

SUDAN: Grant for Christian schools will educate the Church of tomorrow – 9 September 2011
Aid to the Church in Need has signalled its commitment to the future of the Church in Sudan with a major grant to help 10,000 children attending Save the Saveable schools.

HOLY LAND: Air attacks make situation in Gaza unbearable – 8 September 2011
The situation in Gaza has become "unbearable", say Church sources, as the region is subjected to aerial bombardments.

INDIA: Police condemned after church arson attack in Hyderabad – 7 September 2011
Police "inactivity and neglect" paved the way for repeated attacks on a church in India, according to the parish priest who has made an official complaint to the state authorities.

SUDAN: Church responds to new humanitarian crisis in Sudan borders – 5 September 2011
The Catholic Church is offering emergency aid in response to a new humanitarian crisis in Sudan caused by a fresh outbreak of fighting in the Blue Nile State.

SUDAN: Bomb strikes continue in Nuba Mountains – 2 September 2011
Despite a ceasefire, military strikes against civilians have continued in Sudan's disputed South Kordofan state, according to reports received by Aid to the Church in Need.

August 2011

UNITED KINGDOM: Sister Wendy Beckett chooses our Christmas cards – 31 August 2011
World-renowned art historian Sister Wendy Beckett has personally selected a range of fine-art Christmas cards for Aid to the Church in Need.

UGANDA: Seminaries threatened by rising prices – 30 August 2011
Monsignor Cosmas Alule, rector of Alokolum Major Seminary in Uganda, has said that the country's severe economic crisis and rampant inflation have caused serious problems for the institution.

INDIA: Attacks on Christians continue in Orissa – 26 August 2011
Aid to the Church in Need has received a report detailing ongoing discrimination and attacks against Christians in Orissa State.

INDIA: Healing the wounds of persecution three years after attacks – 23 August 2011
An archbishop in India's Orissa state has said more work for reconciliation is urgently needed - as guards were mounted outside churches on today's third anniversary of anti-Christian attacks that killed more than 70.

SPAIN/INTERNATIONAL: Gift from Pope John Paul II for persecuted WYD11 pilgrims – 19 August 2011
Rosaries and medals blessed by the late Pope John Paul II were given to young Catholics from persecuted countries at World Youth Day.

IRAQ: Bishop denounces extremists' freedom to kill – 18 August 2011
An Iraqi bishop at World Youth Day in Madrid has decried the situation of Christians in Iraq following renewed violence in the country.

IRAQ: Bombers target the Church in Kirkuk again – 15 August 2011
Another church in the Iraqi city of Kirkuk has been bombed, bringing the tally to three within less than two weeks.

SPAIN/INTERNATIONAL: World Youth Day exhibition highlights Christian persecution – 12 August 2011
The persecution of Christians is being highlighted by an exhibition organised as part of World Youth Day 2011's cultural programme.

IRAQ: Kirkuk's Christians need more security – 9 August 2011
Archbishop Yohanna Mouche has demanded that the provincial government provides increased security for the region's Christians following a bomb attack on a church.

PAKISTAN: Bishop says action for minorities "down-graded" – 8 August 2011
Bishop Joseph Coutts has described the creation of the new government post of minister for national harmony as a "down-grade" for Christians and other minorities concerned about religious freedom.

IRAQ: Archbishop praises courage of Christians after Kirkuk bomb blast – 3 August 2011
Archbishop Louis Sako of Kirkuk has described Christians' courage after a bomb went off directly outside a Syrian Catholic Church, injuring 13 people.

PAKISTAN: Muslim leaders apologise for Gojra atrocities – 2 August 2011
Muslim leaders have publicly apologised to those who lost loved ones, homes and businesses in the attack on Christians in the Punjab's Gojra city where eight people died in 2009.

July 2011

SPAIN/INTERNATIONAL: Pray the Rosary to prepare for World Youth Day in Madrid – 29 July 2011
People of all ages are being encouraged to pray the Rosary every Saturday in the run up to World Youth Day 2011 in Madrid.

INDIA: Chapels provide shelter from tropical torrents on Andaman and Nicobar islands – 28 July 2011
Aid to the Church in Need has helped islanders who could not afford to finish building small chapels, which double as schools and parish meeting places, in rural areas with no priests.

BELARUS: Tributes paid as Cardinal who survived the gulags dies – 22 July 2011
Aid to the Church in Need's UK director has paid tribute to Belarus' Cardinal Kazimierz Swiatek who has died aged 96, and who spent almost a decade imprisoned in the Soviet gulags.

INDIA: Khrist Bhaktas are discovering Christ for the first time – 21 July 2011
A movement in India of those who follow Christ, but are not formally members of any Church, might have as many as 50,000 people in it, say clergy working with them.

SOUTH SUDAN: Remembering the late Bishop Mazzolari "through thick and thin" – 20 July 2011
Bishop Cesare Mazzolari of Rumbek diocese, in what is now South Sudan, has died. He guided his flock through one of Africa's worst conflicts.

SUDAN: Charity head says "Stop killing in South Kordofan" – 18 July 2011
Neville Kyrke-Smith, UK director of Aid to the Church in Need, has called for an immediate international response to increased fighting and heavy bombing of the civilian population in the South Kordofan region of Sudan.

BELARUS: Witnessing to a new generation – 14 July 2011
Bishop Wladyslaw Blin of Vitebsk, Belarus is promoting the new evangelisation in a country which was oppressed under communism for more than 70 years.

EGYPT: Latest aid payments offer hope to suffering Christians – 12 July 2011
Suffering Christians in Egypt are the main beneficiaries of the latest round of aid payments made by Aid to the Church in Need.

SUDAN/SOUTH SUDAN: Peace and goodwill - but for how long? – 11 July 2011
The peaceful creation of South Sudan bodes well for the fledgling nation but disaster could yet unfold unless serious issues are addressed quickly - according to leading bishops in the region.

SOUTH SUDAN: Independence is a miracle and a challenge, says bishop – 8 July 2011
The creation of South Sudan as a country in its own right is a "miracle", according to Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala - who has also warned of the challenges ahead as the nation comes into being.

BURMA: Villagers forcibly moved to make way for new dam – 7 July 2011
Up to 10,000 people in the predominantly Christian Kachin State will be displaced and 47 villages will disappear beneath the waters following the construction of a new dam.

UNITED KINGDOM/PAKISTAN: Marching to 10 Downing Street for justice and religious freedom – 4 July 2011
Last weekend petitions calling for action to protect Christians and other minorities in Pakistan were handed in at 10 Downing Street.

THAILAND/BURMA: Helping to bring Sacraments to refugees and migrants – 1 July 2011
Aid to the Church in Need is supporting six priests ministering to huge numbers of Burmese migrants and refugees in Thailand.

June 2011

UNITED KINGDOM/PAKISTAN: Top Scots Cardinal says stop persecution in Pakistan – 25 June 2011
Scotland's Cardinal Keith Patrick O'Brien, Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, has come out in support of Aid to the Church in Need's petition calling for a change to Pakistan's blasphemy laws.

SCOTLAND/SUDAN: Scottish students help Sudan's schools – 24 June 2011
St Catherine's Primary School, Barmulloch raised three-hundred pounds to help children in Sudan receive a Christian education.

UKRAINE: Prayer and the family at the heart of the Church – 21 June 2011
Bishop Stanislav Shyrokoradiuk of Kiev-Zhytomyr in Ukraine, has revealed how the Church's work with young families is paying dividends.

EGYPT: Change in law may make building churches easier – 20 June 2011
Obtaining permission to build new churches in Egypt could become almost as easy as constructing mosques according to new government proposals which have won the backing of leading clergy.

SUDAN: Bishop warns of "impending genocide" on north-south border – 17 June 2011
Bishop Macram Max Gassis has warned of further problems on the border between north and south Sudan, where there has been fierce fighting since the beginning of June, could herald an "impending genocide".

UNITED KINGDOM/PAKISTAN: Aid to the Church in Need backs Pakistan blasphemy law protest – 17 June 2011
Aid to the Church in Need is backing a protest march in London against Pakistan's blasphemy laws at the begining of July 2011.

INDONESIA: President "sleeps" while churches are attacked – 14 June 2011
Dozens of churches in Indonesia come under attack every year and the country's president is failing to take action to stop it, a leading Catholic peace activist has said.

SYRIA: Bishop says government must crush the uprising – 13 June 2011
A leading Syrian bishop has said the country's government has the backing of the people - including Christians - in its resistance to civil uprisings seeking "destabilisation and Islamisation".

SRI LANKA: Faith can build bridges across civil war divide – 10 June 2011
Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith of Colombo has said the Church in Sri Lanka has a crucial role to play in helping to bring reconciliation after the country's more than 25-year civil war.

COMOROS: Bishop's hopes for Christian faithful living at peace in Muslim society – 7 June 2011
The first bishop of Comoros has described how the Church is growing in the predominantly Muslim islands off the coast of Africa.

PAKISTAN: Islamist extremists say "Ban the Bible" – 6 June 2011
Bishop Sebastian Shaw of Lahore has described Christians' distress after Muslim extremists demanded a Bible ban and called on the Supreme Court to investigate 'blasphemous' and 'pormographic' passages.

IRAQ: Christians are afraid to stay but afraid to leave too – 3 June 2011
A bishop from Iraq has told Aid to the Church in Need that Christians there believe "there is no future" for them in the country but are afraid to flee abroad because of political uncertainty and crisis in neighbouring countries.

May 2011

HOLY LAND: New monastery at site where Jesus fed thousands – 27 May 2011
Monks living near the site where Jesus miraculously multiplied the loaves and fishes will be leaving their earthquake-prone monastery for a new one.

IRAQ: Young Christian beheaded in Kirkuk – 20 May 2011
The mutilated and decapitated body of a Christian man has been discovered in Kirkuk, northern Iraq, a few days after he was kidnapped.

UNITED KINGDOM/INTERNATIONAL: Be careful where you help, says charity's director – 17 May 2011
Aid to the Church in Need's UK Director has sent a strong message to the government about the dangers of oversea aid to country's violating human rights.

HOLY LAND: Eye-witness report of tension in Middle East – 16 May 2011
UK Director Neville Kyrke-Smith has given an eye-witness description of Nakba Day clashes between West Bank protestors and Palestinian armed forces in Bethlehem.

SYRIA: Will Christians be driven out? – 13 May 2011
Listen to Aid to the Church in Need UK Director Neville Kyrke-Smith's phonecast from Beirut as he asks what is going on in crisis-hit Syria.

SUDAN/SCOTLAND: Scottish pupils support Sudan's suffering students – 13 May 2011
Pupils at Cardinal Newman High School in Bellshill, Scotland, have been fundraising to help provide education for Christian refugee children in Sudan.

EGYPT: "Step up security before it's too late" says bishop – 10 May 2011
Bishop Antonios Aziz Mina of Guizeh has given a stern warning over security in Egypt and warned of anarchy after attacks against churches left 12 people dead and more than 180 injured.

INDONESIA: New printing press helps spread the timeless Faith – 6 May 2011
Aid to the Church in Need has helped a diocese in Indonesia, whose printing machine was falling apart following nearly 50 years of service, with new equipment to continue its work printing catechetical materials.

UNITED KINGDOM: Pilgrims gather at Marian shrines to pray for persecuted Christians – 3 May 2011
Aid to the Church in Need supporters turned out in force at the weekend for pilgrimages to the national Marian shrines of both Scotland and England to pray for suffering Christians around the world.

April 2011

IRAQ: Christians defy security risks to attend Good Friday service – 26 April 2011
Christians in Iraq walked for up to an hour to attend a packed Good Friday service in Mosul, described as one of the country's most dangerous cities, despite a curfew.

PAKISTAN: Bishop thanks supporters for help for flood victims – 19 April 2011
Bishop Max Rodrigues of Hyderabad - one of the areas worst affected by last year's floods in Pakistan - has expressed his gratitude to Aid to the Church in Need's supporters for their vital help for victims of the disaster.

SCOTLAND: Pilgrimage of Hope at Carfin for the Persecuted Church – 15 April 2011
Aid to the Church in Need's Pilgrimage of Hope, a day of prayer for the suffering church, will be held at Carfin Lourdes Grotto on Saturday 30th April.

SUDAN: Bishop says independence is assured for South Sudan – 7 April 2011
Bishop Daniel Adwok Kur said that violence in South Sudan will not block the country's path to independence and called on the government to address the "root causes" of the fighting.

AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN: Archbishop says US Qur'an-burning pastor "should be detained" – 4 April 2011
Archbishop Lawrence Saldanha of Lahore, Pakistan, has called for the arrest of a US pastor whose decision to burn the Qur'an triggered protests climaxing with the deaths of at least 24 people in Afghanistan.

March 2011

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: TV station to broadcast Christ around the clock – 25 March 2011
Aid to the Church in Need is supporting an exciting new initiative aimed at providing 24-hour Christian television to the faithful in Trinidad and Tobago.

UNITED KINGDOM/INTERNATIONAL: Ann Widdecombe to be special envoy on religious freedom – 17 March 2011
The former Tory government minister Ann Widdecombe is to be Aid to the Church in Need's special envoy on religious freedom.

UNITED KINGDOM/INTERNATIONAL: New report reveals 75 percent of religious persecution is against Christians – 16 March 2011
Aid to the Church in Need has launched 'Persecuted and Forgotten?' - a report on Christians oppressed for their faith.

SCOTLAND: Cardinal criticises UK's 'anti-Christian' foreign policy – 15 March 2011
Cardinal Keith O'Brien, the most senior Catholic in the UK has hit out at British "anti-Christian foreign policy" - on the day Aid to the Church in Need launches a new report on the oppression of Christians.

PAKISTAN: Archbishop asks "Who will defend us now?" after politician's murder – 7 March 2011
The leader of Pakistan's Catholics has said the outlook for the country's Christians is bleak following the murder of Shahbaz Bhatti.

PAKISTAN: Charity head calls for human rights to accompany aid – 2 March 2011
The UK director of Aid to the Church in Need has hit out at the announcement that British aid to Pakistan will be increased - as killings linked to the blasphemy laws continue in the country.

February 2011

HAITI: Bishop: "Surviving the earthquake shows me God still needs me" – 25 February 2011
Haiti's Bishop Launay Saturne revealed plans to rebuild both his earthquake-shattered cathedral and the broken lives of the people in his diocese.

EGYPT: Patriarch speaks of country's "historic opportunity" – 15 February 2011
Cardinal Antonios Naguib, Patriarch of Alexandria and leader of Coptic Catholics in Egypt, has said the country stands on the brink of achieving the "dream" of a democratic system.

SUDAN: Bishop calls for end to guerrilla fighting in South Sudan – 7 February 2011
Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of Tombura-Yambio has called for a fresh drive to stop a guerrilla commander terrorising South Sudan, fearing renewed violence may derail progress ahead of independence.

UKRAINE: Bishop thanks benefactors for training priests of tomorrow – 4 February 2011
There are up to three candidates for every place at some seminaries in Ukraine according to a bishop who has paid tribute to Aid to the Church in Need supporters for their ongoing commitment to training future priests.

EUROPE: EU must acknowledge persecution of Christians – 3 February 2011
Aid to the Church on Need has called on the EU to admit the reality of the oppression of Christians after EU foreign ministers failed to agree a statement on the persecution of religious minorities because some did not want Christianity mentioned.

January 2011

IRAQ: Church plans for university and hospital are a symbol of hope – 31 January 2011
Plans for a Church-run university and a hospital in northern Iraq have been hailed as an opportunity for Christians to build a future away from violence and intimidation.

EUROPE: Aid to the Church in Need backs call to stop attacks on Christians – 28 January 2011
Aid to the Church in Need has welcomed calls by the European Parliament to step up action to defend religious freedom.

SUDAN: 'Pray for us at the crossroads of change' – 24 January 2011
Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro has called for renewed prayer and support for Sudan as the secession of the South from the North looks increasingly likely.

UNITED KINGDOM: Southwark archbishop leads memorial Mass for the Bacon Priest – 21 January 2011
Archbishop Peter Smith of Southwark was principal celebrant and guest-of-honour at a memorial Mass to mark the life and work of Father Werenfried van Straaten, the founder of Aid to the Church in Need.

IRAQ: Christians are being driven out of the country, says senior cleric – 17 January 2011
A senior archdeacon in Iraq has questioned how Christians can live from day to day in the face of systematic attacks intended to drive them out of the country.

HAITI: Standing in solidarity one year after earthquake – 12 January 2011
One year after a massive earthquake devastated Haiti, Aid to the Church in Need expressed its support to help the Church in the country build a brighter future. Watch our video marking the anniversary of the disaster.

PAKISTAN: Bishop urges caution for Christians after politician's assassination – 7 January 2011
Bishop Sebastian Shaw has warned Christians in Pakistan to be on their guard as tension builds after the death of the governor of Punjab province, who was killed after speaking out about the country's Blasphemy Laws.

December 2010

UNITED KINGDOM/INTERNATIONAL: Tidings of comfort as Christmas aid is unveiled – 21 December 2010
Suffering Christians in 18 countries are receiving assistance from Aid to the Church in Need's UK office this month - with Haiti, Pakistan and Iraq top priorities for help.

IRAQ: Concrete walls erected around churches to protect Christmas worshippers – 13 December 2010
Concrete walls up to three metres high are being put up around churches in Baghdad and Mosul to protect Christmas worshippers from attacks.

IRAQ: Emergency help for Christians fleeing persecution – 7 December 2010
Iraqi families fleeing persecution in Mosul and Baghdad are to receive emergency help from Aid to the Church in Need.

SCOTLAND/SUDAN: Cardinal calls for action in Sudan – 3 December 2010
Scotland's most senior Catholic has written to the UK Foreign Secretary to warn of "the potential for widespread violence" in Southern Sudan ahead of the region's forthcoming vote on independence from the north.

November 2010

PAKISTAN: Fresh hope of reprieve for condemned woman – 29 November 2010
A Pakistan bishop whose appeal on behalf of a mother of five was taken up by the Pope says there is fresh hope in the bid to overturn her death sentence.

SCOTLAND: Lorraine takes up new challenge in Scotland – 15 November 2010
Aid to the Church in Need welcomes Lorraine McMahon as the charity's new Head of Operations in Scotland. She takes over from Dermot Lamb, who is retiring.

IRAQ/UK: Families mourn victims of Baghdad church attack – 15 November 2010
Relatives of those who died in a terrorist attack on a cathedral in Baghdad, Iraq, have attended a memorial service in London.

IRAQ: Terrorists strike Christians in Baghdad again – 10 November 2010
At least three people are dead and 26 have been injured in fresh attacks on Christians in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.

IRAQ: Faithful return to pray in bombed cathedral – 8 November 2010
Christians have cautiously returned to pray in a cathedral bombed in Baghdad - as two young priests return from Rome to minister to the community.

IRAQ: Baghdad archbishop: "I pray for hope" after attacks – 3 November 2010
Archbishop Jean Sleiman says Iraq's Christians are gripped by fear after at least 52 people died during a terrorist attack on Baghdad's Syrian Catholic Cathedral.

IRAQ: Two priests killed in attack on Baghdad Church – 1 November 2010
Two priests were among 52 people who were killed in an attack on a Church in central Baghdad, Iraq on Sunday evening. Another 67 people were injured in the attacks.

October 2010

SCOTLAND: Mass for Aid to the Church in Need founder – 29 October 2010
Aid to the Church in Need is holding its annual memorial Mass in Scotland to remember its founder Father Werenfried van Straaten on Monday 29th November.

IRAQ: Bishop pleads for Tariq Aziz's life – 27 October 2010
A senior bishop in Iraq is to appeal to the government against the death sentence served on Tariq Aziz, who played a key role in Saddam Hussein's regime.

UNITED KINGDOM: Events highlight need for solidarity – 19 October 2010
Church leaders from Sudan and Siberia have asked UK supporters to continue to show their solidarity with suffering Christians.

SUDAN: Who tried to kill Cardinal Wako? – 13 October 2010
An attempt to knife Cardinal Wako could be linked to a campaign of intimidation against Christians in the run-up to the country's all-important referendum.

HOLY LAND: Reaching out across the religious divide – 8 October 2010
An inter-faith research organisation in Bethlehem is responding to increased tension in the Holy Land by preparing a publication debunking myths about Islam.

INDIA: Survey reveals faithful's priorities for brighter future – 6 October 2010
Catholics in India have told an official survey that their faith should be placed at the heart of the Church's outreach to the poor and disadvantaged.

SUDAN: Bishop: "I am coming to ring the alarm bell" – 1 October 2010
Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala has warned south Sudan could descend into violence - ahead of a visit to Great Britain later this month.

September 2010

CAMEROON: Following afresh the faith of Saint Francis – 30 September 2010
A Franciscan community in Cameroon has grown so much in 10 years that the country now boasts 80 percent of the order's worldwide membership.

PAKISTAN: UK solidarity with persecuted Christians – 28 September 2010
Supporters have sent more than 1,500 letters of support in response to our prayer campaign for suffering Christians in Pakistan.

SUDAN: Keeping the peace through prayer – 22 September 2010
Sudan's Christians are being urged to join a prayer inititative ahead of the country's all-important referendum on the possible division of the country in January 2011.

UNITED KINGDOM: Pope presented with your Gifts of Faith – 20 September 2010
Aid to the Church in Need has presented Pope Benedict XVI with a book containing the names of supporters who pledged more than six months of prayer for the Pope.

SUDAN: Church calls for action against guerrilla attacks – 15 September 2010
Church leaders from four African countries have called on national and international leaders to do more to prevent attacks by the Lord's Resistance Army.

RUSSIA: Chapel boat sets off on ecumenical voyage – 13 September 2010
A floating chapel carrying the relics of eight saints from the first millennium of the Church has started an historic ecumenical journey along Russia's Volga river.

PAKISTAN: Christians would pay price of Qur'an burning – 10 September 2010
Bishop Joseph Coutts of Faisalabad warned of dire consequences for Pakistan's Christians if a US pastor burned the Qur'an to mark the anniversary of 9/11.

UNITED KINGDOM: Heroic priests at October events – 8 September 2010
Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro of Sudan and Father Michael Shields of Siberia will be the guests-of-honour at Aid to the Church in Need's series of October events.

UNITED KINGDOM: Praise for those praying for the Pope – 6 September 2010
Aid to the Church in Need's UK director has thanked supporters for their huge response to a Prayer-Action campaign in the run-up to Pope Benedict's UK visit.

PAKISTAN: Largest aid package yet for flood victims – 3 September 2010
Aid to the Church in Need announced its largest grant yet for the worst-affected region of Pakistan - amid warnings of starvation and a cholera epidemic.

PAKISTAN: Government to blame for refusing to protect the poor from floods – 1 September 2010
Local authorities in Pakistan decided not to provide adequate flood protection to regions with high numbers of minority groups, according to a Church source.

August 2010

PAKISTAN: New help for flood victims – 31 August 2010
Aid to the Church in Need is sending more help to flood victims and displaced people in the Punjab and Baluchistan provinces of Pakistan.

GERMANY: Statue to honour Aid to the Church in Need founder – 27 August 2010
A seven-and-a-half foot high bronze statue of Father Werenfried van Straaten is to be erected in Konigstein, Germany, to mark the 100th anniversary of his birth.

INDIA: Challenging the status quo through education – 23 August 2010
Church-run schools in north India are key to helping some of the country's poorest people escape the poverty trap, a priest has said.

PAKISTAN: Flood misery continues – 20 August 2010
Aid to the Church in Need has received firsthand reports describing how Pakistan is struggling to deal with the scale of the disaster caused by the recent floods.

UNITED KINGDOM: Half a year of prayer for Pope – 13 August 2010
Aid to the Church in Need benefactors have pledged the equivalent of more than six months of continuous prayer for the Pope ahead of his visit to the UK.

HAITI: Nuncio - "We will rebuild, but the victims come first" – 11 August 2010
The Apostolic Nuncio for Haiti has announced that work rebuilding churches will start in early 2011 - but the Church's first priority is helping earthquake victims.

PAKISTAN: Emergency help for flood victims – 6 August 2010
Aid to the Church in Need is providing some emergency help for victims in the areas worst affected by the recent floods in Pakistan.

PAKISTAN: Police apologise to victims of anti-Christian violence – 2 August 2010
A senior police official in Pakistan has admitted that security forces failed in their duty to protect the victims of anti-Christian violence in Gojra one year ago. Eight people died in the extremist attacks.

July 2010

SUDAN: Let the people decide their future in a referendum – 28 July 2010
Sudan's bishops have warned that the country could return to violence unless the government prepares for the referendum due to take place early next year.

IRAQ: Church mourns bishop "who was always smiling" – 27 July 2010
Tributes have been paid to Bishop Andreas Abouna, Chaldean auxiliary bishop of Baghdad, who died in hospital in northern Iraq this morning, aged 67.

PAKISTAN: "Justice must be served" after Christian killings – 26 July 2010
A bishop in Pakistan has led calls for justice for two brothers gunned down outside a crowded law court while being guarded by police.

INDIA: Answering the call of priesthood despite persecution – 22 July 2010
A bishop in north India says the Church - and vocations in particular - is continuing to grow, in spite of the challenge of persecution.

PAKISTAN: Church will not give way to fear, despite new killings – 21 July 2010
The faithful in Pakistan will mark the first anniversary of anti-Christian atrocities in spite of fresh violence which left two young men dead.

ZIMBABWE: Rosaries offer the hope of prayer to the poor – 19 July 2010
A Sister in Zimbabwe has thanked Aid to the Church in Need for providing hundreds of rosaries for a people who feel their only hope is prayer.

SYRIA/IRAQ: Vital help despatched to Iraqi refugees – 13 July 2010
The bishop coordinating a massive relief operation for Iraqi Christians fleeing to Syria has thanked Aid to the Church in Need for its ongoing emergency help.

NIGERIA: Raising the roof on new university chapel – 12 July 2010
A bishop in Nigeria has thanked Aid to the Church in Need for helping him put a roof on a university chapel - a key part of his diocese's evangelisation work.

ETHIOPIA: Challenges of preaching to young in a foreign tongue – 9 July 2010
The Community of Saint John have taken over the Youth Chaplaincy work in Addis Ababa diocese - but have the challenge of learning a new language.

EGYPT: Rare new Church to be built in new town – 7 July 2010
Catholics in Egypt are seizing the opportunity to build a church in a country where permission normally takes up to 30 years and needs the president's approval.

UNITED KINGDOM: 100 days of prayer for the Pope – 2 July 2010
Aid to the Church in Need supporters have pledged the equivalent of more than 100 days of continuous prayer for Pope Benedict XVI.

June 2010

ETHIOPIA: Keeping young charismatics in the Church – 30 June 2010
Growing enthusiasm for Pentecostal Christianity is helping to attract young people to the Catholic Church in Ethiopia, a bishop from Addis Ababa has said.

UNITED KINGDOM/MIDDLE EAST: Crisis at the crossroads of faith – 28 June 2010
A leading Vatican expert on Islam has spelled out the problem of Islamic extremism at Aid to the Church in Need's latest information event.

PORTUGAL: Amazon missionary launches Heroic Priests book – 25 June 2010
An English priest whose missionary work in South America earned him a place in a book honouring heroic clergy has helped launch the Portuguese version.

AFRICA: Child's bibles are good news for continent's youngsters – 23 June 2010
Aid to the Church in Need is helping to spread the Good News to Africa's children by publishing its Child's Bible in even more languages.

UNITED KINGDOM: Birmingham's day for the Suffering Church – 16 June 2010
Aid to the Church in Need's forthcoming event at Birmingham Oratory will include eye-witness reports on key issues facing persecuted Christians today.

SPAIN: Compostela pilgrimage finishes with a surprise – 15 June 2010
Aid to the Church in Need pilgrims to the Tomb of St James in Spain were granted last-minute special access to the relics of the saint before they returned home.

SUDAN: Bishop predicts peace despite fears of war – 10 June 2010
Bishop Paride Taban has predicted Sudan will not return to war despite increased instability following Sudan's controversial general elections in April.

INDIA: Let's keep helping the helpless, says archbishop – 9 June 2010
An archbishop has praised the Indian government for resisting pressure to curb Christian help for the poorest of the poor.

CHILE: More tent chapels after February earthquake – 7 June 2010
Aid to the Church in Need is funding more tent chapels to temporarily replace churches which were destroyed by February's earthquake in Chile.

TURKEY: Aid to the Church in Need's tribute to slain bishop – 4 June 2010
Aid to the Church in Need pays tribute to the late Bishop Luigi Padovese, a longstanding friend and project partner of the charity, who was stabbed to death by his driver on Thursday, 3rd June.

May 2010

UNITED KINGDOM: Carfin Pilgrimage shows Scotland's support for the suffering Church – 28 May 2010
More than 100 people attended Aid to the Church in Need's first pilgrimage to Scotland's national Marian shrine in Carfin.

UNITED KINGDOM: Remembering the persecuted Church in Walsingham – 25 May 2010
Aid to the Church in Need supporters gathered in Walsingham last weekend to show prayerful solidarity with suffering Christians around the world.

MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA: SAT-7 goes live to deepen the Faith – 19 May 2010
A Christian satellite television network serving the Middle East and North Africa will be increasing its live broadcasts, with help from Aid to the Church in Need.

UNITED KINGDOM: Prayer and Action to celebrate Pope's visit – 17 May 2010
Aid to the Church in Need is inviting people to offer a Mass or a spiritual gift for the Pope - and have their names enrolled in a book to be presented to the Holy Father.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: New chance for child soldiers – 14 May 2010
Former child soldiers are among internal refugees in the Democratic Republic of Congo who are receiving help from Aid to the Church in Need.

PHILIPPINES: Cathedral destroyed by extremists to be rebuilt – 10 May 2010
A cathedral in the Philippines which was destroyed by a bomb planted by extremists is to be rebuilt with help from Aid to the Church in Need.

IRAQ: Bishops' show of solidarity with blast victims – 7 May 2010
The survivors of a bus blast that targeted Christian students in Iraq have begged for action to bring their attackers to justice at an emotional meeting with their bishops.

MALAWI: Social problems blamed on rise in failed marriages – 6 May 2010
A leading priest in Malawi has said the country's massive economic and cultural change has come at a price as the number of failed marriages steadily rises.

IRAQ: Does anyone care about the latest bomb blast in Mosul? – 5 May 2010
A leading bishop in Iraq has spoken out against the government and security services for failing to protect Christians under threat from militants.

UNITED KINGDOM: Marilla Ness supports persecuted Christians with Scotland concert – 4 May 2010
Leading Catholic singer Marilla Ness drew crowds from near and far for her first ever event in Scotland, held in support of Aid to the Church in Need.

April 2010

UNITED KINGDOM: Pilgrimages for the persecuted in the month of Mary – 30 April 2010
Aid to the Church in Need is putting the finishing touches to preparations for pilgrimages to the national Marian shrines of both Scotland and England.

SUDAN: Country on brink of violence after elections, says bishop – 29 April 2010
A bishop in south Sudan is warning of a potential genocide, saying that post-election tension has put the country on the brink of widespread violence.

INTERNATIONAL: April aid payments focus on Eastern Europe – 28 April 2010
Aid to the Church in Need has announced its latest round of aid payments for the suffering Church, including help for Christians in former communist countries.

INDIA: Christians living out the Bible in their daily lives – 23 April 2010
Studying the Bible is transforming the lives of Christians in north-east India and leading to practical action, a priest from the region has said.

ZAMBIA: Death row prisoners given hope of the Rosary – 21 April 2010
Maximum security prisoners in Zambia are to receive copies of Aid to the Church in Need's Rosary Book thanks to a new initiative with Rosary charity Crown of Thorns.

SUDAN: Bishop asks whether people's voice is being heard in elections – 15 April 2010
Bishop Adwok has warned that allegations of foul play in Sudan's elections may trigger a major political crisis and block the country's path to democracy.

UNITED KINGDOM: Catholic star Marilla Ness to sing for Aid to the Church in Need – 9 April 2010
Aid to the Church in Need is preparing for a packed Spring of concerts, pilgrimages and events.

IVORY COAST: Bishop's evangelisation plans are thinking outside the b-ox! – 8 April 2010
Aid to the Church in Need is lending support to an unusual initiative - with help from a little-known musical instrument and some oxen.

IRAQ: Easter Mass attendance renews hope in times of strife – 6 April 2010
A leading archbishop in Iraq has spoken of renewed hopes for the survival of Christianity in one of the country's most troubled regions after Easter celebrations passed off peacefully.

March 2010

HAITI: After the earthquake, bishops open tent seminary – 25 March 2010
Haiti's bishops have announced plans to reopen the seminary, housing the country's students for the priesthood in tents.

IRAQ: Archbishop says election inspires "optimism" – 22 March 2010
Archbishop Louis Sako said the recent general election in Iraq had left him "very optimistic" of improved security and a bigger voice for minority groups, including Christians.

CHILE: Chapels of hope to be built after earthquake despair – 18 March 2010
Aid to the Church in Need is providing makeshift chapels in dioceses where 70-90 percent of the churches are now unusable because of the earthquake.

INTERNATIONAL: Latest aid payments from UK office include milking cows for Sisters in India – 17 March 2010
The UK office of Aid to the Church in Need has made a long and varied list of aid payments for March.

NIGERIA: Were village attacks revenge for January violence? – 10 March 2010
The Archbishop of Jos has released a report suggesting recent attacks in his diocese were reprisals for violence earlier this year.

NIGERIA: Archbishop laments death of 150 in attacks – 9 March 2010
Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Jos speaks about the killings in villages in Nigeria that left between 100 and 150 dead.

GEORGIA: Ecumenism can defeat secularism, says bishop – 8 March 2010
Bishop Giuseppe Pasotto, Apostolic Administrator of the Caucuses, said promoting ecumenism in the country is a priority for the Catholic Church in Georgia.

EGYPT: Disabilities centre moving out of the desert – 3 March 2010
The Al-Fulk Community for people living with mental disabilities in Egypt will be leaving its current house in the desert and moving to the nearby city.

IRAQ: Archbishop says "Fast and pray against these heinous acts" after Mosul murders – 1 March 2010
Chaldean Catholic Archbishop Louis Sako of Kirkuk is leading a day of fasting following the deaths of at least eight Christians in Mosul over the last two weeks.

February 2010

HAITI: A heartfelt thank you from Archbishop Kebreau – 23 February 2010
Haiti's most senior Church leader has spoken of his "deepest gratitude" for the help given by supporters of Aid to the Church in Need after the January earthquake.

SCOTLAND: Marilla Ness's first Scottish concert - in aid of suffering Christians – 22 February 2010
Marilla Ness will be giving a concert in support of Aid to the Church in Need at Carfin shrine, just outside Motherwell.

IRAQ: Bishop speaks about murders in Mosul – 18 February 2010
Archbishop Amil Shamaaoun Nona of Mosul says a sudden upsurge of killings has sparked more Christians into leaving the country, raising concerns for the survival of the Church.

SRI LANKA: Help war refugees return home, says bishop – 11 February 2010
Bishop Thomas Savundaranayagam of Jaffna has said that more needs to be done to clear the former war zone so that people in the camps can return home.

SPAIN: Pilgrimage to help Sudan's forgotten children – 5 February 2010
Aid to the Church in Need will be holding a pilgrimage from Leon to Santiago de Compostela in Spain in June to help educate children in the Sudan.

HAITI: Archbishop's tears for earthquake dead – 4 February 2010
Archbishop Louis Kebreau, President of Haiti's Bishops' Conference, has told how he is repeatedly reduced to tears when he recalls burying seminarians who died in the earthquake last month.

January 2010

PAKISTAN: Christians suffering as second-class citizens – 28 January 2010
Neville Kyrke-Smith, National Director of Aid to the Church in Need (UK), has spoken out against the "appalling" suffering of Christians in Pakistan following the violent death of 12-year-old Christian girl Shazia Bashir.

IRAQ: We must never lose hope, says new Iraqi archbishop – 27 January 2010
The new archbishop of Mosul in Iraq has spoken of his "hopes and confidence" as he takes up his role as shepherd to some of the country's most persecuted Christians.

HAITI: "Our current desolation is not a curse from God," says bishop – 26 January 2010
A Haitian bishop has reassured victims that the earthquake was a natural disaster, not divine punishment.

NIGERIA: Killings due to poverty and tribal tensions, not religion, says archbishop – 25 January 2010
A Nigerian archbishop has criticised the government for not tackling the root causes of recent Muslim-Christian violence in the country.

INTERNATIONAL: 'Where God Weeps' website launched – 25 January 2010
A new website highlighting the plight of Christians who suffer for their faith has been launched.

HAITI: Help for seminarians after earthquake – 20 January 2010
Aid to the Church in Need has announced a second grant for Haiti, to help more than 200 destitute seminarians after their college collapsed in the earthquake.

HAITI: Aid to the Church in Need offers help after earthquake – 15 January 2010
Aid to the Church in Need has despatched an emergency grant to help the victims of the earthquake in Haiti.

HAITI: Please pray for earthquake victims – 13 January 2010
Aid to the Church in Need is appealing for prayers in the wake of the earthquake that has devastated Haiti.

INDIA: Plan to save island shrine to Saint Anthony – 12 January 2010
Aid to the Church in Need is helping save a chapel to Saint Anthony on the island of Rameswaram in India which was badly damaged by extremists.

EGYPT: Improving education and employment key to overcoming extremism – 8 January 2010
A senior Catholic bishop in Egypt has said tackling unemployment and poor education are crucial in the struggle against growing religious intolerance.

IRAQ: Living conditions driving Christians to "leave the country for good" – 6 January 2010
Archbishop Louis Sako of Kirkuk has spoken out against the miserable living conditions of Christian refugees in the Kurdish north of Iraq.

PAKISTAN: A Christmas of faith and fear for Christians – 4 January 2010
The archbishop of Lahore has told how Mass-goers in Pakistan celebrated Christmas amid a huge security clampdown aimed at stopping attacks on Christians.

December 2009

SCOTLAND & BELARUS: Seminarians kitted out for the kick-off – 18 December 2009
Seminarians in Belarus have received 20 Celtic football shirts.

INTERNATIONAL: Christmas gifts to the Church in Need – 17 December 2009
Aid to the Church in Need (UK) announces 80 aid packages for suffering and needy Christians around the world.

IRAQ: Churches in Mosul come under attack – 16 December 2009
Shock and fear have gripped Christians in Iraq after two bombs exploded at churches in Mosul on Tuesday, with the threat of more to come.

INTERNATIONAL: Thirty years of Aid to the Church in Need's Child's Bible – 10 December 2009
Aid to the Church in Need's Child's Bible has reached another landmark in its extraordinary life.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Priest and nun shot dead as anti-Church violence worsens – 8 December 2009
The Catholic Church in the Democratic Republic of Congo is in shock after the brutal killing of a priest and a nun in two separate attacks.

IRAQ: Sisters bring refugees hope at Christmas – 7 December 2009
Religious Sisters will be giving out Christmas food parcels to poverty-stricken people in northern Iraq, with a little bit of help from Aid to the Church in Need.

SRI LANKA: New archbishop warns of land mine risk to returning refugees – 1 December 2009
The new archbishop of Colombo in Sri Lanka has warned that thousands of returning Tamil refugees are at risk of serious injury from unexploded land mines.

November 2009

PHILIPPINES: Inter-faith relations now in crisis, warns priest – 27 November 2009
The attacks which killed nearly 60 people in the Philippines will heighten religious tensions in a region where fundamentalism is on the rise, a priest has warned.

IRAQ: Church and convent bombed – 27 November 2009
Christians in Iraq have had a lucky escape after bomb attacks on a Catholic church and a convent of Sisters left them shocked but unhurt.

SCOTLAND: Bishop thanks Aid to the Church in Need at Memorial Mass for charity's founder – 24 November 2009
The Bishop of Galloway underlined the importance of supporting Christians who suffer for their faith at a memorial Mass for the founder of Aid to the Church in Need.

CUBA: New calendar teaching the Faith as time goes by – 20 November 2009
A key project in Cuba has been announced as part of Aid to the Church in Need's November aid payments.

HOLY LAND: Building a firm foundation for a Christian future – 16 November 2009
A new initiative in the Holy Land is aiming to heal the wounds of religious division and stem the Christian exodus from the region, a senior bishop has said.

VENEZUELA: Will Chavez seize Church property? – 6 November 2009
Fears are rising that Church property in Venezuela cound be confiscated amid claims that President Chavez "might try to eliminate the work of the Church".

LEBANON: New spiritual centre builds hope among the living stones – 5 November 2009
Aid to the Church in Need is supporting a groundbreaking scheme to stem the decline of the Church in Lebanon and the Middle East.

SCOTLAND: Benefactors set to remember Aid to the Church in Need's founder – 4 November 2009
Aid to the Church in Need's benefactors in Scotland will remember the charity's late founder, Father Werenfried van Straaten, at a special Mass later this month.

October 2009

UNITED KINGDOM: Northampton keeps faith with the Church in need – 27 October 2009
Catholics in Northampton hear about the suffering Church in Cuba and India at an Aid to the Church in Need event.

SUDAN: On the path to peace or war? – 22 October 2009
A senior bishop in Sudan has warned that the country could be on the road back to war as tensions rise ahead of a long-awaited referendum on the country's future.

PAKISTAN: Your support sustains us in our hour of need, bishop tells benefactors – 21 October 2009
Bishop Joseph Coutts of Faisalabad, Pakistan, has delivered a message of heartfelt thanks to Aid to the Church in Need's benefactors.

UNITED KINGDOM: Pakistan bishop opens new Aid to the Church in Need office in Scotland – 15 October 2009
Aid to the Church in Need's new office in Scotland has been officially opened and blessed by Bishop Joesph Coutts of Faisalabad, Pakistan.

UGANDA: Church helping people rebuild after war – 9 October 2009
The Church in Uganda is helping people struggling to rebuild their lives after guerrilla war.

PHILIPPINES: Emergency aid granted as hurricane crisis deepens – 2 October 2009
Aid to the Church in Need is giving emergency aid to the Philippines after Typhoon Ondoy hit the region.

September 2009

PAKISTAN: Lessons of hope for refugees in a place of despair – 30 September 2009
A group of priests in Pakistan is providing education in a poverty-stricken region grappling with an influx of refugees from Afghanistan.

IRAQ: Is nowhere safe for under-fire Christians? – 28 September 2009
Christians in Iraq are beginning to flee their ancient homelands in the Nineveh plains, the only place where they thought they were safe.

ETHIOPIA: Is global warming creating poverty? – 25 September 2009
Global warming has been blamed by Catholics in Ethiopia for the dramatic increase in poverty that the country is experiencing at this time.

BRAZIL: New life for old monastery as theological education centre opens – 22 September 2009
Demand for education in the Christian faith from people in Brazil has paved the way for the transformation of one of the country's most historic Church buildings.

TANZANIA: Last Burundian refugees set to return home – 21 September 2009
The last Burundian refugees in Tanzania are preparing to return home, ending a humanitarian crisis that began more than 30 years ago.

SUDAN: Don't abandon us to our fate, pleads bishop – 18 September 2009
A bishop has called for outside help to stop guerrilla attacks, including crucifixions and abductions, on Christians in the south of Sudan.

PAKISTAN: Young Christian's suspicious death sparks national outcry – 16 September 2009
Bishops have written to Pakistan's president demanding a public inquiry into the death of a Christian man in custody.

PAKISTAN: Teenage love match ends in disaster for Christians – 15 September 2009
Hundreds of Christians in Pakistan have narrowly escaped with their lives after extremists went on the rampage in protest at an alleged love affair between a Muslim girl and a Christian boy.

HOLY LAND: Patriarch's plea to UK Catholics – 11 September 2009
The most senior Catholic leader in the Middle East has said that the future of the Church in the Holy Land is in doubt unless fellow Christians around the world step up efforts to help them.

NIGERIA: Church enjoying growth in Islamic state – 3 September 2009
A bishop in north-west Nigeria has hailed Aid to the Church in Need's help at a crucial moment in the country's struggle against extremism.

August 2009

UNITED KINGDOM: A-level student pedals his way to success for suffering Christians – 28 August 2009
An A-level student has cycled more than 200 miles from London to Swansea to raise money forAid to the Church in Need.

IRAQ: Situation for Christians going from bad to worse – 27 August 2009
The worsening security crisis in Iraq is to blame as Christianity's struggle for survival intensifies, says an Iraqi bishop.

BANGLADESH: We are victims of global warming, says bishop – 26 August 2009
Global warming is frustrating efforts to tackle extreme poverty in Bangladesh, according to a leading bishop.

INDIA: Victims of anti-Christian attacks left to rot in slums – 20 August 2009
One year on from anti-Christian attacks in Orissa, India, many are still too fearful to return home, despite many refugee camps being forcibly closed.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Clinton visit shines spotlight on Africa's forgotten region – 19 August 2009
Aid to the Church in Need has endorsed Hillary Clinton's call for sexual violence to stop in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

GUATEMALA: Is anyone safe from crime crisis? – 12 August 2009
Guatemala is being crippled by lawlessness with up to 20 murders taking place in the Central American country every day, an Aid to the Church in Need investigation has concluded.

PAKISTAN: Hope rises from the ashes of despair – 11 August 2009
Unparalleled public outrage at attacks in Pakistan which left eight Christians dead has prompted new hopes of urgent changes needed to protect minority groups.

PAKISTAN: Aid to the Church in Need speaks out against Blasphemy Laws – 7 August 2009
Aid to the Church in Need has called for action to abolish Pakistan's Blasphemy Laws after 8 Christians died in extremist attacks.

PAKISTAN: Christians burned alive in extremist attacks – 3 August 2009
A Pakistani bishop has voiced his anger at police inaction after eight people, including two children, were killed in anti-Christian attacks in Pakistan.

July 2009

UKRAINE: Grass roots ecumenism – 30 July 2009
A leading Latin Rite Bishop in Ukraine has reported that relations with the Russian Orthodox are getting increasingly warmer.

NIGERIA: Priest warns of "Talibanisation" amid violent clashes – 29 July 2009
More than 500 people die in clashes between extremists and the Nigerian army.

INDIA: Catholics targeted by fellow Christians – 24 July 2009
A bishop in north-east India has told Aid to the Church in Need that attacks carried out by evangelical sects are intimidating people who want to become Catholic.

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