With deep joy and gratitude, the international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has received the news of the election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the new Supreme Pontiff, who has taken the name Leo XIV.
“ACN looks forward to continuing its service to the universal Church and working closely with Pope Leo XIV to strengthen the Church where it is most persecuted and in need,” said Philipp Ozores, Secretary General of the organization.
The new Pope is no stranger to ACN or its mission. During his time as Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru (2005–2013), the pontifical foundation supported him through various projects, mainly in the formation of seminarians, missionaries, and catechists. He also received Mass stipends, some of which were allocated to missionaries working in remote areas of the Andes.
Pope Leo XIV is the eighth pontiff under whose leadership ACN will continue serving the poor, persecuted, and suffering Church since its founding in 1947.
Although ACN has always been spiritually united with the successor of Peter, this relationship was institutionalized in 2011 when Pope Benedict XVI elevated the organization to the status of a pontifical foundation.
This close bond continued with Pope Francis, who on several occasions expressed his appreciation for ACN’s work. Among his actions, he welcomed women victims of terrorist violence who were supported by the foundation, promoted the global initiative “One Million Children Praying the Rosary,” and was informed of ACN’s historic Religious Freedom Report. More recently, Pope Francis had agreed to receive participants of an international pilgrimage to Rome, but sadly passed away just two weeks before the event.
In 2024, ACN provided Mass stipends to over 40,000 priests around the world, especially those carrying out their ministry under the most difficult conditions.
