Aid to the Church in Need - Stop Christian Persecution & Donate To Our Church

Catholic Charity helping those suffering Christian persecution worldwide

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An international Catholic charity dependent on the Holy See, providing pastoral relief to needy and oppressed churches.

"Persecuted and Forgotten?" - ACN Report on Christians oppressed for their faith 2007/2008

The grainy image pictured on the cover of our latest report is a still taken from footage filmed in secret in 2005 of Chinese 'Underground' Bishop John Han Dingxian of Yongian (Hebei province) in police custody. Bishop Han died in September 2007 after two years in isolation and a total of 35 years in prison.

Largely unknown to the outside world, Christians today suffer physical and verbal abuse, imprisonment and even murder. In the last few years, acts of persecution have suddenly escalated. More Christians are persecuted than any other religious group.

Focusing on nearly 30 countries including China, Iraq, Sudan and Zimbabwe, Persecuted and Forgotten? shows the reality of life for people denied the freedoms many of us take for granted.

Drawing on the very latest research and first-hand accounts, the book bears testimony to the heroic struggle of so many people determined to remain true to their Christian faith.

Religious liberty as a fundamental human right is being neglected by world public opinion, above all by politicians and the media. And yet religious liberty is one of the most vital preconditions for democracy. You will find no better summary about your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who are persecuted for their faith. Please pray for them.

Please click on the front cover of the book to read the report.

To obtain a hard copy of the report please write to our office at Aid to the Church in Need PO Box 6245 Blacktown DC NSW 2148 (02) 9679-1929 OR order your copy on our On-Line store under the Other Books and Items category . The Report is available for a donation of $4.00

*Australian residents only. Overseas visitors please download the report

This week's featured project

January 4, 2009

MADAGASCAR: Help to build a convent for the sisters of Our Lady of La Salette

One of the sisters giving religious instruction

Morondava lies on the west coast of Madagascar, some 450 miles (700 km) from the capital Antananarivo. In 1993 the bishop invited the Sisters of Our Lady of La Salette ("Soeurs de Notre Dame de la Salette") to come to the diocese and look after the diocesan library, among other things. The community responded to his invitation and since then three Sisters have been living in temporary accommodation close to the library. In 2006 the Sisters purchased a plot of land and they now want to build a convent, which will not only serve as their living quarters but also contain a formation centre for young women. The apostolate of the sisters includes not only the education of young people but also the care of beggars, prostitutes, the physically and mentally handicapped and single mothers. Sister Berthine Rasoanandrasana, the Superior of the community has turned to the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) for help with this project, with the full backing of Bishop Donald Pelletier of Morondava.
ACN has promised a grant of $20,000. To help this cause please contact the Sydney office of ACN on (02) 9679-1929. e-mail: info@aidtochurch.org or write to Aid to the Church in Need PO Box 6245 Blacktown DC NSW 2148. Web: www.aidtochurch.org

Click here for past weeks' featured projects

2008 World Youth Day - A great Festival of Faith!

Thank you to all our benefactors who helped support over 1,000 poor and oppressed youth attend World Youth Day. They came from Sudan, Laos, Myanmar, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Cuba, Haiti, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and from the remote indigenuous community of Wadeye in the far Northern Territory.

Through your most generous support and prayers they were able to partake in this faith filled event.

We pray that the witness of Pope Benedict XVI with these young people be a cry of hope for the universal Church.

Click on the individual countries below for detailed information on the help ACN gave youth delegations that travelled to Sydney for WYD 2008

Wadeye (Northern Territory) - Papua New Guinea - Sudan - Laos - East Timor - Turkey - Turkmenistan - Bosnia-Herzegovina - Cuba - Haiti

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Please click links below to read pictorial reports on the assistance given by Aid to the Church in Need, to help youth delegations from poor and oppressed countries, attend WYD 2008.

- Annex WYD 1 (PDF) - Annex WYD 2 (PDF)

Reports for you to read about the work of Aid to the Church in Need

Please note that you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader (AAR) to view these reports. You can download AAR free of charge from the net by going to the Adobe website. To open a report simple click on the cover of the report you are interested in.

Aid to the Church in Need PO Box 6245 Blacktown DC NSW 2148 ABN: 62 418 911 594
Ph/Fax (02) 9679-1929 e-mail: info@aidtochurch.org web: www.aidtochurch.org