It is with profound sadness that ACN has received the tragic news of the brutal murder of Father Donald Martin Ye Naing Win, a 44-year-old priest of the Catholic Archdiocese of Mandalay, in central Myanmar. His lifeless body, mutilated and bearing numerous stab wounds, was found by members of his community on Friday morning in the grounds of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, where he served.

Following a heartfelt plea from a missionary and ACN’s project partner in Aleppo, the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need calls on all people of faith to unite in prayer for the safety and peace of this war-torn region.

The world’s tallest statue of Ireland’s much-loved patron saint in Co. Down will be illuminated in red for a week to highlight the plight of persecuted religious minorities. The imposing 32-foot statue on Slieve Patrick will be lit in red from November 17-24 to mark what is described as the ‘Week of Witness’ by the charity Aid to the Church in Need, Ireland. ACN supports 6,000 vulnerable communities in 140 countries.

All twenty ACN offices will participate in our annual Week Of Witness campaign, aimed at highlighting the suffering of persecuted Christians. On the 20th November, 24 of Ireland’s 26 cathedrals will be illuminated in red, as well as the national Marian and Eucharistic Shrine in Knock.

Bishop Antonio Juliasse says ACN continues to be a “friendly hand” which has stuck with the local Church since the beginning of the conflict which has already killed over 5,000 people and displaced over one million. The Bishop of Pemba, in Mozambique, recalled the seventh anniversary of the beginning of the Islamist insurgency which has devasted the province of Cabo Delgado in the African country.

Pope Francis expresses great concern at growing attacks on religious freedom, after receiving ACN report . The Holy Father thanked ACN for its report which points to a decrease in religious freedom, and said he is praying for all those who are persecuted for their faith.

ACN continues to help Christian communities to survive in Israel and Palestine, supporting projects developed by the local Church to overcome the difficulties resulting from the continuing war. Currently, ACN directly supports 602 families in the Holy Land.

This year more than 1,600 summer camps for young people are taking place in 18 countries ─ from Egypt and Jordan to Iraq, Georgia and Kazakhstan – thanks to funding by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) in the amount of almost 2 million euros. These camps hope to provide hope and joy, and teach a reliance on faith in the most difficult situations.