Draft:Aid to the Church in Need USA

• Comment: We don't need promotional mission statements. Theroadislong (talk) 18:20, 20 December 2024 (UTC)

• Comment: More secondary sources are needed to show notability. -- NotCharizard ^🗨 07:14, 18 November 2024 (UTC)

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Aid to the Church in Need USA is the American branch of the international Catholic pontifical foundation, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). This organization provides pastoral and humanitarian aid to Christians experiencing religious persecution and other hardships worldwide. Recognized for its global impact, ACN operates in over 149 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.

History

The international Aid to the Church in Need was founded in 1947 by Dutch priest Father Werenfried van Straaten, in response to the humanitarian crisis following World War II. Originally named Aid to the Eastern Priests, the organization’s initial focus was providing assistance to refugees and displaced priests in Eastern Europe.

During the Cold War, ACN expanded its efforts, offering material and spiritual support to Christians living under oppressive regimes in the Soviet bloc. Over time, its mission extended to include support for persecuted Christians in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. In response to the growing violence against Christians in the Middle East, ACN significantly increased its activities in the region during the 21st century.

In 2019, ACN became involved in the Safeguarding Project, an initiative designed to help local churches implement measures to prevent abuse and to encourage safeguarding training for clergy and religious leaders worldwide.

Mission and Activities

Aid to the Church in Need’s mission is to support the Catholic Church in areas where it faces challenges, such as persecution, poverty, and the aftermath of war. ACN provides resources for building churches, training seminarians, supporting priests, and offering emergency relief to those in need.

Key initiatives include:

Courage in Faith: An annual event aimed at raising awareness of Christian persecution around the world. Aid to the Church in Need remembers today’s Christian martyrs and those faithful currently suffering persecution through prayer vigils, Masses, and other initiatives focused on Christian persecution.

One Million Children Praying the Rosary: A global day of prayer held every October, uniting children worldwide in a call for peace and unity. In 2024, a total of 1,135,945 children from over 150 countries officially signed up and took part in the rosary campaign, which took place on October 18th.

Child’s Bible: An illustrated children’s Bible that has been translated into over 193 languages to promote faith education for young Christians globally. The Child’s Bible was first produced by ACN in 1979 to mark the “International Year of the Child,” when it was submitted to the Third General Bishops’ Conference of Latin America.

Publications

ACN publishes comprehensive reports that document religious freedom issues and persecution worldwide. These include:

Religious Freedom Report (biannual): This report examines the state of religious freedom in countries across the globe, highlighting cases of oppression and violence.

Persecuted and Forgotten Report (triennial): This report provides a detailed regional analysis of violations against religious freedom, focusing on Christian communities.

These publications are frequently cited by international organizations, researchers, and media outlets as authoritative resources on religious persecution.

Governance and Recognition

Aid to the Church in Need is a pontifical foundation recognized by the Holy See, reflecting its close ties to the Catholic Church. The organization’s governance structure includes both international leadership and regional branches, ensuring a global yet locally informed approach to its mission.

In 2019, the organization was honored with the Path to Peace Award from the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations. This award recognized ACN’s efforts in promoting peace and supporting persecuted Christians worldwide.

External Recognition and Media Coverage

Aid to the Church in Need USA and its parent organization have been featured in numerous independent media outlets, including Catholic News Agency, PR Newswire, and BBC News, for their work in supporting persecuted Christian communities. Their emergency relief efforts in war-torn areas, such as Syria and Iraq, have been widely reported, shedding light on the challenges faced by vulnerable communities.