Break the Silence podcast

Benue State is one of Nigeria’s most conflict-ridden regions, and Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of Makurdi is on a mission to tell the world about what is happening. Despite regular attacks on Christian communities, vocations are booming, and the bishop also has messages of hope to share.

Tammy Peterson reflects on faith, suffering and prayer as we discuss various stories about persecuted Christians from around the world. She also talks candidly about her journey to the Catholic Church and what the Rosary means to her.

Fr Francis Ikhianosime is one of many priests whose studies have been funded by ACN. He describes what it's like to be a seminarian in Nigeria and discusses the various challenges facing the Church in the country, such as the increase in Islamist extremism.

Akash Bashir sacrificed himself when he blocked a suicide bomber from entering a church in Lahore, Pakistan on 15th March 2015, saving up to a thousand lives. John Pontifex, Head of Press & Public Affairs at ACN (UK), reflects on the 10th anniversary of Akash's martyrdom.

In the 1980s, Gavin Ashenden helped to smuggle Bibles and theology books to Czechoslovakia and the USSR. He shares many fascinating personal stories and reflects on the ongoing persecution of Christians around the world.

Bishop Habila Daboh of Zaria Diocese gives a first-hand account of the persecution that seminarians, priests and other Christians face. He also explains how ACN's help is giving hope to the Church in Nigeria.

Fr Bonnie Mendes has been a priest in Faisalabad Diocese for over 60 years, witnessing the impact of anti-Christian persecution first-hand.

Fr Stephen Ojapah MSP describes the horrors he endured over 33 days of jihadist captivity in Nigeria and recounts his journey to working with trauma survivors.

Chaldean Catholic Archbishop Bashar Warda of Erbil describes his vision for the future of the Church in Iraq and how the Catholic University in Erbil will help ensure a continued Christian presence in the region.

ACN’s Dr John Newton and John Pontifex discuss the key findings and case studies in the 2024 ‘Persecuted and Forgotten?’ report, demonstrating that anti-Christian persecution has been worsening globally.

Archbishop John Wilson of Southwark talks to ACN's John Pontifex about the importance of the charity's work and what Christians in the West can learn from our persecuted brothers and sisters.

Fr Garry Jenkins has served the suffering Church in Liberia as a missionary priest for half a century. He tells ACN's John Pontifex about his memories of the civil war and other moving experiences in the “forgotten” country.

Bishop Alex Lodiong Sakor of Yei Diocese, South Sudan sits down with Dr John Newton, ACN (UK) Communications & Research Manager to discuss the present and future of the Church in the war-torn country.

ACN (UK) National Director Dr Caroline Hull and ACN Head of Nigeria Projects Kinga Schierstadt visited IDP camps and met Christians forced out of their homes by extremists in some of Nigeria’s most dangerous regions. They share some moving and inspiring stories about the suffering and persecuted Church.

Sir Stephen Timms, Labour MP for East Ham and Minister of State in the Department for Work and Pensions, sits down with ACN (UK) Parliamentary & Public Affairs Officer Daniel Beurthe to discuss Christian persecution, religious freedom advocacy and the role of faith in public life.

Dr John Newton, ACN (UK) Communications & Research Manager recently returned from a trip to rural India where he witnessed both the joys and difficulties experienced by the local Church. He sits down with John Pontifex, ACN (UK) Head of Press & Public Affairs to discuss the challenges facing Christians in India and what the charity is doing to help.

Margaret Attah is a survivor of the 2022 Pentecost Sunday church massacre in Owo, Nigeria, and the recipient of ACN (UK)'s first 'Courage to be Christian' award. On the second anniversary of the attack, Margaret discussed her experience of surviving the atrocity, the ongoing lack of justice and what faith means to her and her community.

A decade after Daesh (ISIS) invaded Mosul, Chaldean Archbishop Bashar Warda discusses his memories of the tragic events, highlighting the importance of keeping "the flame of the Christian faith shining” in Iraq’s historic Christian heartland.

Fr Mark Odion, MSP Regional Superior in the UK and ACN's John Pontifex discuss the challenges facing the Church in Nigeria and what ACN is doing to help.

Lord Alton of Liverpool, a House of Lords crossbencher, tells Daniel Beurthe, Parliamentary and Public Affairs Officer at ACN (UK), about his remarkable career advocating for freedom of religion and belief in the political arena.

Ribqa Nevash, an advocate for Christians in Pakistan, sits down with Amy Balog, Press Officer at ACN (UK), to discuss the situation of Christian women and girls in the South Asian country.

ACN (UK) National Director Caroline Hull and Head of Press & Public Affairs John Pontifex recently visited Liberia. They give a moving account of what life is like for Christians in one of the poorest countries in the world and what ACN is doing to help.