The heads of Christian Churches in the Holy Land have officially protested against a renewed attempt to force them to pay certain taxes in the State of Israel. The most pressing case at the moment is related to the Armenian Church, but there are many cases involving Catholic institutions.

The bishop of the Diocese of Kafanchan in Kaduna State, Nigeria, has expressed his “deep sorrow and righteous indignation” over the abduction and subsequent murder of one of his priests. Fr Sylvester Okechukwu was abducted from his residence on 4 March, and found murdered in the early hours of 5 March. The Diocese of Kafanchan has seen at least one pastoral agent murdered each year since 2021.

In South Sudan, a land where walking long distances is usually a sign of distress, an annual pilgrimage for peace is raising questions and changing attitudes.

On International Women’s Day, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) spoke to Sister Marie Akl, a religious from the Congregation of the Good Shepherd, about her valuable work in the shelter for vulnerable young people in Nabaa, Lebanon, where children and adolescents manage to overcome their trauma through workshops, integral care and even personal defence classes.