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.

Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need, Ireland has described as “remarkable” the interest that young people expressed in faith and especially prayer at the recent ploughing championships.

One year on from violence described as the worst ever outbreak of anti-Christian persecution in Pakistan, Church leaders say people are both terrified of more attacks and furious that culprits have not been brought to justice. The Christians of Jaranwala are grateful to ACN benefactors for making it possible for them to receive this very necessary aid from the charity.

The ACN Week of Witness from 25 November to 1 December will be held every year with talks and exhibitions throughout the country on the theme of Christian persecution.

Today, we will look at the deepening crisis in the other three countries where Christian persecution has worsened: the Central African Republic, India, and Sri Lanka.

Education in China is used for social conditioning. In some regions pupils were reportedly made to sign a statement saying they will “promote atheism, and oppose belief in God”.

Over the next few weeks, we will delve into the stories of these people and examine the state of persecution in these countries. As we do, I invite you to ponder what we in the West can do to make a difference for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ.