RED WEDNES-

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WHAT IS
RED WEDN
Freedom to believe or not believe is a fundamental human right.
Today however, Christians and many others around the world face threats,
punishment, torture and death for their faith. Christian communities
continue to live in fear especially in China, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan,
Saudi Arabia, Sudan and even in the Philippines. Surely, in this day and age,
it is not acceptable that a person should be denied work, housing, their
liberty or their life because of their faith.

Religious Freedom matters to us all old and young. Why? Because by

supporting religious freedom, you are supporting your own right to
conscience and peacefully held beliefs. In calling for religious freedom,
you are also speaking out against governments and regimes that treat faith
groups unfairly and those who invoke faith to justify hatred towards others.
Together we can make a stand against coercion, exploitation and violence
carried out in the name of religion.

RED IS THE COLOR OF MARTYRDOM IN THE
CHRISTIAN FAITH.
NESDAY
Red is the color of martyrdom in the Christian
faith. Christians are the most persecuted faith
group in todays world. The Red Wednesday
campaign remembers all Christians who have
suffered and died for their Christ. It is an aware-
ness campaign to highlight religious persecution
and injustice against Christians. It aims to wake
up all Christians to what is happening and to
encourage them to take action by standing up
for faith and religious freedom while maintain-
ing respect and tolerance for all faith traditions.
It calls for respect and tolerance faith traditions
and for people to stand up for faith and freedom.
In solidarity with Christians who suffer for their
faith, people are asked to make a visible state-
ment by wearing red or lighting their churches or
key buildings in red.
In the Philippines, a concrete manifestation of
solidarity with persecuted Christians will be held
on November 22, Feast of St. Cecilia, a martyred
Christian in the 2nd Century when we celebrate
Red Wednesday for the first time. The Catholic
Bishops Conference of the Philippines has
requested all cathedrals, basilicas and national
shrines be illuminated in red to honor the blood
of the Christian martyrs from the earliest days of
Christianity up to the present time.
#RedWednesdayPH
Let Red Wednesday be the start for all Filipinos
to call the worlds attention about the persecu-
tion of Christians so that protect Christians and
find solutions to the global problem of religious
intolerance. Our collective prayers and action can
give persecuted Christians a voice.
Let us create a world where every faith thrives in
the spirit of mutual respect and inter-religious
harmony
#RedWednesdayPH
brings together Christians and other
faith communities in the Philippines
in a positive and united vision of
religious belief which:
UPHOLDS the right of individuals
to follow their faith and conscience
without coercion or reprisals
PROMOTES respect and tolerance
for those of other religious traditions
CONDEMNS acts of violence
carried out in the name of religion or
by regimes against religion
COMMITS to helping victims of
persecution
COURAGE
& FAITH
80 percent of all acts of
religious discrimination
in the world today are
Rebecca is so glad to be safe now.
directed at Christians.
International Society for Human Rights

Around the world today, huge

numbers of Christians and others
courageously witness to their faith,
despite the consequences.
Nigeria
Extremist group Boko Haram is waging a
campaign of terror against the government,
Christians and faith groups killing men and
boys and kidnapping women. Rebecca was
kidnapped, sold and forced to marry a Boko
We cannot show their faces.
Haram fighter who raped her, resulting in a child.
Escaping eventually, she found her husband
who, believing her dead, was on the point of
re-marrying. He was overjoyed to be reunited but
uneasy about accepting the child. Rebecca says,
I told him that whatever he does to this child he
does to Jesus Christ, if he shows love to this child
then he shows love to Jesus Christ.
China
The communist regime tolerates Christianity but
maintains control through spies and fear. They
arrest and imprison priests, bishops and other
Christians; some are not heard of again. Last year,
trying to stop their Church from being torn down
by a digger, a Pastor and his wife were buried alive. The burning of St Teresas Church in Assiut, Egypt
He managed to escape. Unfortunately, she didnt. following an anti-Christian attack.
 #RedWednesdayPH

PLEASE TELL
THEIR STORIES
Syria
During intensive bombing, 80-year-old Jesuit,
Father Frans Van der Lugt chose to stay in the
Old City of Homs with his elderly congregation
who were too frail to escape. He would ring the
church bells to give his people hope, but also to
keep Christ present amidst the suffering. Sadly,
he was targeted and shot dead.
Fr Van Der Lugts grave is tended
lovingly by his parish.
Pakistan
Falsely accused of blasphemy, Asia Bibi,
British Pakistani Christian Association
a peasant worker and mother of five was
sentenced to death. Although her sentence
has been suspended, years later she remains
unjustly imprisoned in solitary confinement and
without the comfort of the Sacraments. She was
accused of drinking from the village well, and as
a Christian, making it unclean.

AROUND THE WORLD

Your prayers will bring comfort to Asia Bibi.
The parents of Akash Bashir proudly show his
photo. Akash was killed in Youhanabad,
Pakistan protecting Sunday Mass-goers
against a suicide bomber.
In some countries, apostasy
denying your faith can result in
imprisonment or a death sentence.
In North Korea, just owning a
Bible or religious leaflet could
cost you your life.
According to The United Nations,
Rohingya Muslims in Burma are
one of the worlds most persecuted
minorities.
Anti-semitic attacks in many countries
are on the rise.
Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) supports
Christians wherever they are persecuted,
oppressed or in pastoral need. Every year, the
charity responds to more than 5,000 requests for
aid from bishops and religious superiors in around
140 countries. Areas of assistance include: training
seminarians, supporting priests and religious in
difficult circumstances, printing of childs Bibles
and religious literature, building and restoring
churches and chapels, broadcasting religious
programmes and helping refugees.
Will you join the Aid to the Church community
today and help make a difference through your
prayers and acts of service?
YOU CAN PLEDGE YOUR
SOLIDARITY BY:
Praying for persecuted Christians
Sharing ACNs film and Christian
persecution stories and facts with your
parish, organization or school.
Volunteering for ACN events, activities
and campaigns
Signing up for ACN Newsletter to find out
more about our work with persecuted
Christians
Making a donation
CHRIST IS CALLING YOU
TO HELP HIS CHURCH
Say YES and become part of the ACN global community of benefactors.
Your generosity will help support oppressed and suffering Christians around the world.
Please be assured of their prayers and ours in gratitude for your generosity.

You may send this page to our office via post, fax or email indicated at the back and we will gladly
communicate with you.

I WOULD LIKE TO BE PART OF THE ACN COMMUNITY

Name: _____________________________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________________________
____________________________________ Email: _______________________
Landline: __________________________ Mobile: ________________________
Birthday: _______________________

I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A DONATION OF:

I will be glad to donate/pledge a total of ______________________
[ ] One time only [ ] Monthly [ ] Quarterly [ ] Yearly

Mode of Donation
[ ] Check [ ] Cash [ ] Bank Deposit

DONATION INFORMATION
For checks, please make them payable to Aid to the Church in Need Philippines
For bank deposits
Metrobank (Intramuros Branch) UnionBank (Intramuros Branch)
Account Name: ACN Philippines Account Name: ACN Philippines
Account Number: 6327632026699 Account Number: 102440009889

We ask donors to kindly send a copy of the deposit slip and contact information (name and
contact number) via fax or email indicated at the back for issuance of official receipt.

To know more about #RedWednesdayPH, kindly visit www.acn-philippines.org.

To receive regular updates about ACNs work and events by post or email, please go and sign-up at the
ACN booth in your church.

To become a volunteer, kindly like us on Facebook ACN Aid to the Church in Need and send us a
private message.