South African Catholic Archdiocese Organizes Weekend of Prayer for Persecuted Christians

“For those suffering because of their Christian faith, that the Holy Spirit may fortify them with the courage to remain strong in faith, as well as with the charity to forgive their persecutors,” he directs.

The Archbishop of Cape Town who was among the three Africans named Cardinal on July 9 says that the prayer intentions are for persons suffering for the name of the Lord “that you would grant  them a spirit of patience and charity, that they may be found true and  faithful witnesses to the promises you have made.”

The people of God under his pastoral care are also to pray, he continues, “for those who follow your Son in bearing their cross, that they may, in every trial, glory in the name of Christian.”

In June, a report on Christian Persecution painted a grim picture of Africa.

Published on June 22 by the Catholic pontifical and charity foundation, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) International, the report listed the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Somalia, Eritrea, Libya, as some of the African countries where Christians are persecuted the most in Africa.

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Other African countries listed in the persecution category included Mozambique, Cameroon, Chad, and Sudan.

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.