Posted by ACN News on 23/7/2012, 11:30 am
Board Administrator

Prayers for peace in Syria • ACN supports call for prayer by the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences (CCEE) “We call on all benefactors of ACN throughout the world to pray for peace in Syria.” With these words by its Executive President, Johannes Freiherr Heereman, the international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) gives its support to the urgent call for prayer by the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences (CCEE). Heereman adds: “Please respond to this call. The situation is serious. The Council of European Bishops’ Conferences reminds us that the coming days may be decisive. ACN therefore unconditionally supports this appeal.” In their appeal on Thursday (19 July 2012), the Bishops of Europe took a stand against the further escalation of violence in Syria: “This conflict can only bring inevitable grief, destruction and serious consequences for the noble Syrian people. War is a dead end. Happiness can only be achieved together, never through the misuse of power by one group against another.” (Johannes Freiherr Heereman, Executive President of Aid to the Church in Need International) In its declaration, the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences also emphasised: “Our faith leads us to hope that a solution to the crisis is possible, a solution which is fair and constructive, respectful of everyone’s interests. It is necessary to find once again the room for a dialogue of peace; it is never too late to understand each other, to negotiate and build together a common future.” In view of the looming humanitarian disaster, ACN had already provided Caritas Syria and the Christians in Homs emergency aid amounting to a total of $150,000 in recent weeks. Further emergency aid measures are planned. (A displaced Syrian family being sheltered at the house of the Jesuits in Homs) Editor’s Notes Directly under the Holy See, Aid to the Church in Need supports the faithful wherever they are persecuted, oppressed or in pastoral need. ACN is a Catholic charity – helping to bring Christ to the world through prayer, information and action. The charity undertakes thousands of projects every year including providing transport for clergy and lay Church workers, construction of church buildings, funding for priests and nuns and help to train seminarians. Since the initiative’s launch in 1979, Aid to the Church in Need’s Child’s Bible – God Speaks to his Children has been translated into 162 languages and 48 million copies have been distributed all over the world. While ACN gives full permission for the media to freely make use of the charity’s press releases, please acknowledge ACN as the source of stories when using the material. For more information or to make a donation to help the work of Aid to the Church in Need, please contact the Australian office of ACN on (02) 9679-1929. e-mail: info@aidtochurch.org or write to Aid to the Church in Need PO Box 7246 Baulkham Hills NSW 2153. On Line donations can be made at www.aidtochurch.org