ACN Break the Silence
Break the Silence is a podcast series by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) (UK), featuring discussions about faith, Christian persecution, religious freedom and advocacy. ACN is a Catholic charity supporting the suffering Church throughout the world and raising awareness of Christian persecution.
Episodes

Tuesday Jun 03, 2025
Tuesday Jun 03, 2025
Fr Remi spends much of his time visiting Christian communities displaced as a result of violent persecution in Makurdi Diocese, Nigeria. ACN is helping the diocese provide emergency aid, pastoral support and quality education to families in need.

Thursday May 15, 2025
Thursday May 15, 2025
Hundreds of churches have been burnt down and thousands of families displaced by anti-Christian violence in Manipur, India. Archbishop Linus Neli gives a harrowing account of the suffering endured by many Christians in the region, highlighting how the Faith thrives in the face of adversity.

Thursday May 01, 2025
Thursday May 01, 2025
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.

Friday Apr 11, 2025
Friday Apr 11, 2025
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.
Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) is a Catholic charity supporting persecuted and other suffering Christians globally.

Wednesday Mar 26, 2025
Wednesday Mar 26, 2025
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.

Thursday Mar 13, 2025
Thursday Mar 13, 2025
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. His final words were: “I will die but I will not let you go in.” John Pontifex, Head of Press & Public Affairs at ACN (UK), reflects on the 10th anniversary of Akash's martyrdom and recalls meeting the young man's family and friends months after his death.
Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) is an international Catholic charity supporting persecuted and other suffering Christians in 140 countries around the world.

Thursday Feb 20, 2025
Thursday Feb 20, 2025
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.
Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) is an international Catholic charity supporting persecuted and other suffering Christians in 140 countries around the world.

Thursday Feb 06, 2025
Thursday Feb 06, 2025
Vocations in Nigeria are booming, even in the northern states where Christians are frequently targeted by extremists. 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.

Thursday Jan 23, 2025
Thursday Jan 23, 2025
Fr Bonnie Mendes has been a priest in Faisalabad Diocese for over 60 years, witnessing the impact of anti-Christian persecution first-hand. He has many stories to share about both suffering and hope. He also highlights the importance of ACN’s work in Pakistan in this interview recorded before #RedWednesday in November 2024.

Thursday Jan 09, 2025
Thursday Jan 09, 2025
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.