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Catholic Charity Currently Facilitating Ministry of Over “40,000 grateful Priests” Globally, Including in Africa: Report

By ACI Africa Staff

Nairobi, 26 October, 2024 / 11:49 pm (ACI Africa).

The Catholic Pontifical foundation, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) International, is currently facilitating the pastoral ministry of tens of thousands of Catholic Priests with Mass Stipends from across the globe, including those ministering in African countries.

In a report published on Thursday, October 24 in which ACN Slovakia samples letters from Catholic Priests ministering in various countries of the world, four of them African, the Catholic Charity that supports the suffering Church globally recognizes the role of its benefactors in responding to “basic needs” of some 40,767 Catholic Priests, “on average about every tenth priest in the world.”

ACN benefactors are supporting these Catholic Priests “and their work in service to the poorest and most persecuted Christians in the world with Mass offerings,” the report indicates, adding, “Without these gifts, many of them would not be able to fulfill their pastoral duties, because priests and laity lack the means to cover basic needs and their dioceses are unable to provide them with regular support.”

“The total number of Holy Masses celebrated in 2023 was 1,744,410. On average, every 18 seconds, a Holy Mass is celebrated somewhere in the world for the intention of ACN's benefactors,” the report further indicates.

From the West African nation of Burkina Faso, ACN shares the message of gratitude from a Catholic Priest identified as Fr. Aimé, who wrote on behalf of 114 colleagues ministering in the country’s Catholic Diocese of Koudougou.

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Fr. Aimé thanks the Catholic Charity foundation for helping Catholic Priests ministering in the Burkinabe Diocese to address their “many pastoral concerns”.

“In our many pastoral concerns, you have come to enlighten us and fill us with joy through your benevolent support,” Fr. Aimé is quoted as writing. 

Thanks to ACN support, the Catholic Priest says on behalf of his colleagues, “we have experienced the work of God's providence in our lives.”

“We thank you from the bottom of our hearts ... we, on the altar of the Lord, carry your intentions and your projects! God bless you!” Fr. Aimé further says and implores God to bless ACN’s “work in abundance”.

Writing on behalf of 23 Catholic Priests ministering in the Catholic Archdiocese of Maseru in Lesotho, ACN samples letters of gratitude from three members of the Clergy.

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In the October 24 ACN report, Fr. Simon Ratikane explains how the stipend “will be used”, including facilitating the traveling “to distant places where there are a large number of poor, needy and sick.”

Other funds, Fr. Ratikane says, are to go into covering “all basic expenses for the church, e.g. bread and wine for the celebration of Holy Mass.”

On his part, Fr. Martin Waïngué Bani lauds ACN for providing funds that have “contributed” to the mission of the Archdiocese of Maseru, and adds, “All the priests who have benefited from them join in expressing our deep gratitude.”

Fr. Bani goes on to thank “all the faithful benefactors” through whom ACN has been able to provide Mass stipends to Catholic Priests. “In every Eucharistic celebration, we are united to you by these common intentions and by our common faith,” he further says.

Meanwhile, Fr. Jacob Khamanyane expresses his “deepest gratitude for the generous financial gift you have made to me and to the Church of Lesotho, especially to the Archdiocese of Maseru."

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In the October 24 report, ACN also shares sentiments of appreciation from Catholic Priests ministering in Zambian Episcopal Sees, including the Catholic Archdiocese of Lusaka, the Catholic Archdiocese of Ndola, the Catholic Diocese of Kabwe and the Catholic Diocese of Chipata.

Fr. Michael Bova is thankful to ACN because the support facilitated the resolution of water challenges “and helped us buy a new pump.”

“We also used additional funds for the training program of new catechists for our 23 branches,” Fr. Bova is quoted as writing, adding that the ACN support also went into the purchase of food and fuel as well as paying electricity bills.

In the report, Fr. Carlo Thomas expresses gratitude to ACN on behalf of 14 members of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate serving in Lusaka Archdiocese and Chipata Diocese.

"Your love and solicitude with which you have supported the priests of Chipata enables us to provide pastoral and sacramental care to the People of God,” Fr. Thomas says.

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The Catholic Priest lauds ACN for the “friendship, generosity and sacrifice”, which he says “touch the lives of many people as we come together to celebrate the Lord's goodness and the gift of the Church.”

He confirms that all Mass intentions he was entrusted “were duly celebrated” and on behalf of his confreres, assures ACN of spiritual solidarity. 

“We are thinking of you, benefactors and associates, and praying that you will remain healthy," the ACN report quotes Fr. Thomas as saying in his letter.

The report also samples a letter of appreciation from “Stephen Tamba's father Cornelius Kumasi” in Sierra Leone on behalf of 29 Catholic Priests ministering in the country’s Catholic Diocese of Kenema. 

In the letter, the timeliness of the Mass intentions is acknowledged, the use that went beyond the primary beneficiaries to facilitating the reaching out to “needy parishioners” is highlighted. 

The letter concludes with a “promise to be faithful to the celebration of Holy Masses."

ACI Africa Staff

ACI Africa was founded in 2019. We provide free, up-to-the-minute news affecting the Catholic Church in Africa, giving particular emphasis to the words of the Holy Father and happenings of the Holy See, to any person with access to the internet. ACI Africa is proud to offer free access to its news items to Catholic dioceses, parishes, and websites, in order to increase awareness of the activities of the universal Church and to foster a sense of Catholic thought and culture in the life of every Catholic.