St Benedict's parish Aid to the Church in Need group are hosting a fundraiser for persecuted young Christians in Pakistan. We are providing a soup and home-baked bread lunch on Friday August 9th, at 1pm in our home in W5. The event is not ticketed, but donations are appreciated (places limited).

Christians (2% of the population) in Pakistan face abduction, forced marriage and conversion. Last year, 26 churches and many homes were torched in Jaranwala district, in east Pakistan (see photo above). In May this year a mob killed a Christian, in Sargodha. As with the Jaranwala attack, this was triggered by false claims of blasphemy.

Conditions for religious minorities have worsened in Pakistan over the last few years.

ACN has provided ongoing support to the Catholic church there. It has helped fund their schools, many of which seek to promote inter-religious understanding. It works closely with the National Commission for Peace and Justice to help Christian girls and young women who are threatened by abduction, sexual abuse, forced marriage and conversion. The NCPJ also advocates for victims of injustices inflicted under the blasphemy laws. ACN also provided emergency relief to hundreds of people whose livelihoods were destroyed by the attacks in Jaranwala.

(For further details please contact Annie & Patrick Martin or one of the members of St Benedict's Parish Aid to the Church in Need Group.)