In recent years, Christian persecution has been sharply on the rise, and its terrible impacts have only begun to be felt. In fact, according to Pope Francis, conditions for Christians are worse now than they were in the days of the early Church.
The merciless targeting of Christians—driven by hatred of Christians and the faith itself—emerges as a common denominator in hundreds of testimonies of persecution received by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) from countries around the world. As a Catholic charity providing emergency aid and pastoral support to the persecuted and suffering Church in 140 countries, ACN is committed to chronicling and assessing the evolving phenomenon of the persecution of Christians around the world today.
Today, according to ACN research, almost 340 million Christians around the world—or 1 out of every 7—live in a country where they suffer some form of persecution, such as arbitrary arrest, violence, a full range of human rights violations and even murder.
“It is difficult to be chained. It is difficult to be hit. But I lived in the moment as God presented it to me, and I wished no harm to my captors,” said Sister Gloria Cecilia Narváez after being released from captivity in Mali, where she was tortured by Islamic extremists for four years. “Let’s see if your God gets you out of here,” one of her captors had said. She couldn’t believe their hatred.
Sadly, Sister Gloria is not alone. She is one of the many thousands of Christians around the world who suffer because of their faith. Aid to the Church in Need is committed to comforting and supporting these innocent victims. Our mission is twofold. First, we provide persecuted Christians with pastoral and humanitarian aid. Second, we document and report on the hardship they face. Through our fundraising, advocacy, and journalism, we highlight and provide for the needs of these endangered faithful.
Read more at: www.churchinneed.org