INTERNATIONAL: 122 priests and religious seized or killed in 2024

A total of 38 Catholic priests, seminarians and religious were abducted, 13 killed and 71 unlawfully arrested worldwide last year.

The number of Church personnel kidnapped in 2024 increased from 23 in 2023, according to data collected by Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).

Most abductions – 18 cases in total – took place in Haiti due to the widespread gang violence that has paralysed part of the country for nearly a year.

Nigeria continues to be one of the most dangerous countries to be a priest, seminarian or religious, but the situation improved since 2023, with 11 kidnappings reported in 2024 – down from 28 in the previous year.

Other countries with reported abduction cases include Cameroon, Brazil and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

All those seized in 2024 have been freed. Four clergy kidnapped in previous years remain in captivity – three in Nigeria and one in Burkina Faso.

Killings of priests took place in countries including Cameroon, South Sudan, South Africa, Venezuela, Mexico, the United States, Spain and Poland.

The number of Catholic clergy and religious held under arrest by authoritarian regimes was lower than the year before, but still “extremely worrying”, according to Dr Caroline Hull, national director at ACN (UK).

Nicaragua had the highest number of ongoing unlawful detention cases at 25, followed by China with nine and Belarus with seven public cases.

Dr Hull said: “These figures of murdered and kidnapped priests and religious highlight the importance of the main principles of ACN’s work – information, prayer and action.

“The situation in Nigeria is especially concerning. This is one of the countries ACN (UK) will be focusing on throughout 2025.

“We are immensely grateful to our generous benefactors who pray with us and make it possible for us to – wherever possible – provide aid and advocate for the suffering and persecuted Church throughout world.”

With thanks to Filipe d’Avillez and Maria Lozano