Aid to the Church in Need events

I received notice today from Aid to the Church in Need UK of two forthcoming events that I recommend highly.

LEEDS, Saturday 9 June
Mass celebrated by Bishop Arthur Roche in St Anne's Cathedral. Talks afterwards.

Fr Samer Nassif
In Search of a Future: The Lebanese Church
As a Lebanese priest, Fr Samer has had to witness an exodus from his homeland as the people fled from the tragedy of conflict. With tensions in the Middle East at boiling point, the Lebanese Church is once again facing a crisis. Fr Samer examines how the Church is bringing the hope of a brighter future to a flock that has been the innocent victim of violence, political instability and the rise of militant Islam. He asks what the future hold for the Faith in the lands of the Bible, where extremism and fear reign.

Neville Kyrke-Smith
The Soviet Fall-out
Under Soviet communism, the faithful in nations where Christianity once flourished were forced to worship in secret, or under strict controls, to preserve their spiritual heritage. With the collapse of communism, millions hoped for religious freedom.

Recently returned from a project trip to Georgia and Armenia, ACN UK's National Director examines how religion in the former Soviet states is recovering from decades of brutal oppression and asks how free these newly-independent countries really are from Russia. Join us to hear stories of faith, hope and courage - from the heart of the Caucasus to the former Soviet border.

BIRMINGHAM Sunday 17 June
Talks at 2pmn at the Birmingham Oratory. Mass celebrated by Bishop William Kenney at 5.30pm

Fr Saad Sirop Hanna
Christianity in Iraq: a shattered heritage
Returning home from saying Mass in Baghdad last August, Fr Saad was kidnapped at gunpoint. One of a spate of attacks on Iraqi priests, his capture was part of a militant campaign to force Christianity out of Iraq. Freed after a terrifying month in captivity, Fr Saad vowed to pray for his captors. hear how a courageous faithful, led by heroic priests like Fr Saad, is keeping alive Iraq's historic Church

Fr Samer Nassif
In Search of a Future: The Lebanese Church
(see above)

John Pontifex
An Ancient Faith Renewed
years of famine, civil war, dictatorship and extremism threatened to crush the ancient Faith of the Horn of Africa. Yet ACN witnessed a flourishing Church there. Hear their inspiring stories.

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