Aid to the Church in Need holds an assembly in Rome and elects Austrian Msgr. Friedrich Bechina as the Pontifical Foundation’s new coordinator.
By Piotr Kowalczuk
Founded nearly 80 years ago, Aid to the Church in Need now works in more than 140 countries. The Pontifical Foundation cooperates with over 1,300 dioceses and supports more than 5,000 projects each year.
It has National Sections in 24 countries, with Ecclesiastical Assistants who help foster the spiritual life of the foundation.
Pope Leo XIV’s ties with ACN go back to Peru
At their meeting in Rome, Ecclesiastical Assistants elected Msgr. Friedrich Bechina as the Pontifical Foundation’s new coordinator.
Speaking to Vatican News after his election, Msgr. Bechina recalled Pope Leo XIV’s longstanding connection with ACN.
“This time, we only attended the General Audience,” Msgr. Bechina said. “It was good to take a photo with the Pope and exchange a few words with him.”
“When he was a bishop in Peru, he was one of our project partners, so he worked with us. He wants us to take responsibility, especially in the area of evangelization.”
A deeper understanding of the universal Church
“We came here to meet one another and also our new president, Cardinal Kurt Koch, who heads the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity,” Msgr. Bechina said. “We also came so that each of us could gain a deeper understanding of the universal Church.”
Msgr. Bechina stressed that the foundation’s work is made possible by the generosity of its many benefactors. Its mission, he explained, is not simply to provide financial assistance, but to support projects that strengthen the life of local Churches through evangelization and pastoral assistance.
“We help local Churches and faithful in need. Part of our mission is to tell the story of people and Churches persecuted for their faith,” he said. “At the same time, we must remember that persecuted Churches have their own unique riches, which they share with us. They have hope.”
ACN’s focus is evangelization
Asked about specific projects and decisions, Msgr. Bechina explained that the meeting in Rome was not a business meeting.
He said Cardinal Koch gave a particularly valuable reflection on evangelization.
“His words were very important for us, because our main goal is to serve the Church and support evangelization. We build churches and help priests, lay people, and consecrated men and women prepare well for proclaiming the Word of God.”
“We do not work on water purification or provide medical aid, because other Catholic organizations do that much better than we do.”
Helping the Church survive
Speaking about where the Church currently needs the greatest support, Msgr. Bechina pointed to the Middle East, where many churches have been destroyed and Christian communities displaced.
“Thanks to our benefactors, we can support local Christian communities, give them some hope, and encourage them not to leave their homes and countries,” he said. “By supporting Church structures, as well as the priests and religious serving there, we help give the Church a chance to survive.”
Supporting priestly formation in Africa
Msgr. Bechina pointed to the large number of priestly vocations in Africa, where many candidates lack adequate opportunities for formation and study.
“We currently support 250 seminarians or priests studying abroad, including some in Rome,” he said. “They receive direct financial assistance from us.”
The foundation also supports local Churches in Venezuela, Colombia, and other countries affected by natural disasters, civil conflict, or other crises requiring a rapid response.
Advocacy for the persecuted Church
“We also spoke with several of the Pope’s closest collaborators,” Msgr. Bechina said.
“They told us that because our foundation also works in advocacy and awareness-raising for the persecuted Church, we can sometimes speak clearly and directly about issues that, for various reasons, the Holy See cannot always address publicly in the same way.”
