VATICAN: Pope praises charity’s report on religious freedom
Pope Francis expressed great concern about religious freedom violations in countries around the world after receiving a report on the topic from a Catholic charity.
The pontiff described Aid to the Church in Need (ACN)’s Religious Freedom in the World report as “very important” and pledged to continue praying for all those persecuted for their faith.
ACN’s report found that religious persecution had increased during the period 2021-23, with religious liberty being violated in 61 countries.
Marcela Szymanski, Head of International Advocacy at ACN (International), revealed the pope’s response after she handed him a copy of the executive summary of the Religious Freedom in the World report during the annual conference of the International Catholic Legislator’s Network.
More than 100 politicians from across the globe gathered in Rome for the meeting entitled “The World at War: Permanent Crises and Conflicts — What does it mean for us?” on 24th August.
ACN’s report examines the state of religious liberty in all 196 countries and is published in six languages.
The charity’s biennial Religious Freedom in the World report was first published in 1999 and is written by university research teams, members of national research centres and other experts. The next edition is due to be published in 2025.