ACN celebrates Benefactors Day

On the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which we will celebrate this year on 24 June, the Pontifical Foundation Aid to the Church in Need celebrates "Benefactors' Day". On this feast, the staff, together with the Foundation's project partners, which include thousands of bishops, priests, religious and laypeople engaged in pastoral ministry, would like to thank in a special way all ACN's benefactors for their faithful support. On this special day, Masses and prayers will be offered by ACN's project partners for the 350,000 benefactors worldwide who support the mission and work of Aid to the Church in Need in supporting persecuted Christians. 

The benefactors, from the smallest to the largest, form the spiritual family of the Pontifical Foundation. They are the "hidden heart" and the "driving engine" of its pastoral mission and activity. Without the heart, the inner source of love, we cannot do anything truly good. Only love opens our heart so that we bear fruit and so that our fruit remains (cf. Jn 15:16). The benefactors of ACN, in their help to the needy and the poor, imitate the love of the Heart of Jesus, which conquered evil in the world and gives us eternal life.

Below are thank you notes from some of our project partners:

Bishop Agapitus Nfon (Cameroon): 

“We remain ever thankful to our Benefactors of the Church in Need for the wonderful support they have been giving us to train our Major Seminarians for the past years since the socio-political crisis that has almost escalated into a war, broke in Southern Cameroon, comprising the Ecclesiastical Province of Bamenda. The formation of our future priests especially in Kumba would have been impossible without your financial assistance. I wish to assure you that the funds shall be used specifically for the formation of our Major Seminarians and the grant shall be forwarded accordingly to the Formation Houses where our Seminarians are. As a token of our profound gratitude, rest assured of our daily prayers for God's blessings upon our Benefactors”. 

“Greetings from Bishop Paul Simick (Nepal):

This is to acknowledge with a deep sense of indebtedness to your ever generous help made available to the Vicariate of Nepal during the pandemic. Your help somehow seems to reach us at a time when our people need them most. Thank you from the depth of our hearts for the present and the past generous help as well. Be assured of the beneficiaries' grateful memento in their prayers. Kindly let all the supporters of ACN know that we hold them very close to our hearts and assure them of grateful prayers always. The Vicariate now looks eagerly forward to disbursing the amount accordingly with the recalculation and in order of priorities to be considered with regard to the application we have received. Kindly keep our small Catholic flock and this country, which is going through difficult times these days, both in the political scenario and natural calamities, in your prayers. Although there appears no immediate relief from both difficulties, we know that God is with us and that He is guarding us and this Nation. With the assurance of grateful prayers and good wishes”

Director of the Eparchial Development office (Lebanon): 

“Dear friends, hope you are doing well. We want to convey our heartfelt gratitude to all the members of the Church in Need who work tirelessly to make the world a better place for individuals who need to be supported. And to all those great souls who provide their unconditional support for the great cause of your association. You may not get to see the smile you put on all of their faces but know for sure that all you do every day has a tremendous impact on their happiness and success! Thank you again and constantly for all your contribution to help make all our projects happen! We are blessed and forever grateful!! Always remembering you in our prayers.  Asking God to bless you and those you serve.”

ACN Australia thanks all our benefactors and is very appreciative of your support in our work. With your help we are able to help others and for that you will be greatly rewarded. 
 
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MEDIA INQUIRIES:

Contact:
Teresa Hodal
Communications Coordinator – Aid to the Church in Need
E: media@aidtochurch.org
P: (02) 9167 9517 (direct)
www.aidtochurch.org