Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has published an online Lenten Calendar for this year’s Lent and Easter to honour and remember modern martyrs who heroically offered their lives for God and their communities.
ACN also collectively calls-to-mind those who have been abducted and remain in captivity by sharing their stories in the Lenten calendar.
Containing 47 powerful stories, the calendar tells a new account or martyrdom or religious persecution each day and has been created to show gratitude and admiration to those martyrs.
All the testimonies featured in the ACN Lent Calendar are from the 21st century and are witnesses to the love and dedication of our brothers and sisters in faith.
National Director of ACN Australia, Bernard Toutounji, expressed that reading and watching the stories on the Lenten calendar of these modern martyrs was a “powerful, emotional and spiritual experience”.
“To read of those that loved Christ so much, who followed his Word so closely that they have given their own lives to share Christ with others causes you to reflect on your faith,” Mr Toutounji added.
“What can I learn from these extraordinary examples of love? How will reading these stories change my priorities in life? In the Season of Lent where Catholics are encouraged to pray, fast and give alms.
“I hope this Lent calendar will be a catalyst for prayer and action. Also, I would encourage you if you have the means to give a financial gift to ACN this Lent so we can continue to support the communities that these martyrs were forced to leave behind,” he continued.
In addition to the Lenten calendar, ACN Australia will also launch an online campaign featuring powerful videos that share the stories of a Nigerian woman Chorister Sarah Yohanna, 18-year-old Akash from Pakistan, Fr Frans from Syria, and Fr Ragheed Ganni from Iraq.
All of the individuals featured in the videos suffered a martyrdom of blood by defending or publicly celebrating their Christian faith.
Being a Christian can mean death at the hands of fanatical extremists in countries including Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, India or Somalia.
Martyrs featured in the ACN Lenten calendar knew that they were putting their lives in danger, yet chose to stay, living a heroic charity with some were serving the poorest of the poor or fighting injustice for the love of Christ and murdered as a result.
Those murdered include priests and nuns in Haiti, Mexico and El Salvador, who willingly risked their lives to follow Christ’s call.
“Their stories are present-day examples that can inspire and increase our dedication and love for others,” Mr Toutounji explained.
“Through the Lent calendar, we also want to encourage prayer for the liberation of those Christians that have been abducted and are still being held captive, or unjustly imprisoned because of their faith.”
ACN has also created Stations of the Cross resources to journey through Lent.
To view the calendar and/or make donations visit: www.aidtochurch.org/lent2020