Young Catholics stirred by stories of Christians persecuted for their faith

‘It’s disheartening to hear about the horrors that are going on, but also it gives us a purpose.’

Young Catholics were inspired to “help others instead of just serving yourself” after hearing powerful stories of Christians being persecuted and kidnapped.

Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) held its inaugural Advocates Network meeting in London, attended by an “amazing group of engaged and passionate young people”, according to organiser Marie Fahy, resources development lead for ACN UK.

Fahy explained how stories of persecution in “Nigeria, Pakistan and across the globe” were shared, telling The Tablet: “We were focusing on the hope we receive from the witness of the persecuted Church.”

Oscar Forshaw, 20, a gym worker from Hampshire, was motivated by the reports, telling The Tablet: “It’s really just a matter of crawling out of ourselves because my generation, we’re quite self-absorbed.

“Why not put those hours to better use? Dedicate your life to helping others instead of just serving yourself.”

Forshaw, who is preparing to enter the Catholic Church at Easter 2025, added: “I come from an atheistic household, so it definitely lifted my spirits to be around so many other people on fire for God.”

The sold-out conference took place on 22 March 2025 at St Mary Moorfields Church in the City of London, hosted by its parish priest Fr Chris Vipers.

Forshaw was moved by the shocking story of Nigerian priest Fr Stephen Ojapah, who was kidnapped by Boko Haram in 2022 and offered his life to save companions. Forshaw said: “It’s disheartening to hear about the horrors that are going on, but also it gives us a purpose.”

Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of Makurdi said killings in Nigeria created “a traumatised people”, and described how ACN provided help for the traumatised.

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, March for Life UK co-director, shared how she was arrested for praying silently outside a Birmingham abortion clinic. For ACN UK head of press and public affairs, John Pontifex, the event was timely to gather “young people with a shared passion for witnessing to Christ at a time of so many challenges in our world today”.

Prayer included adoration and the recitation of the Angelus, and an Aramaic choir sang the Lord’s Prayer in the original language, a “significant moment” for Nicole Tan, 27, an aspiring business start-up owner from Malaysia.

Tan told The Tablet: “It was a significant moment for me as a Christian who grew up in other parts of the world to know and see in real life for myself that people today are still speaking and singing in the language that the Lord Jesus Christ used.”

Attendees were able to browse school and youth resources, watch videos on ACN UK’s mission, meet the speakers and ask questions.

Feedback suggested young attendees benefitted from strength in faith and numbers. Lena-Marie Kidd said: “A real sense of fellowship was created around the response of younger generations to increasing Christian prosecution globally.” Derin Dominic called the speakers’ testimonies “both heartbreaking and inspiring, reminding me of the strength found in Christ”.

Christianity under siege in Nigeria

Christians around the world facing rising levels of persecution, according to World Watch List

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