Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has welcomed a new chapter in its leadership with the appointment of Cardinal Kurt Koch as president, a decision announced while Pope Leo XIV was traveling through Turkey and Lebanon. The moment linked ACN’s global mission with the Church’s pastoral attention to places where Christians form small, often vulnerable communities.
Cardinal Koch, 75, succeeds Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, who led the pontifical foundation for 14 years. A longtime collaborator with ACN, Koch brings extensive experience from his years as Bishop of Basel and his Vatican service in Christian unity and Jewish–Catholic relations.
The timing of the announcement coincided with Pope Leo’s first international trip, which drew attention to the Church’s quiet but steady presence in Turkey. During a gathering with bishops, clergy, and pastoral workers in Istanbul on November 28, the Pope publicly thanked organizations supporting the Church’s charitable outreach. He highlighted ACN — known in Germany as Kirche in Not — for its service after the massive 2023 earthquake that devastated southern Turkey and northern Syria. That disaster, a 7.8-magnitude quake, caused severe destruction, tens of thousands of deaths, and long-term economic strain on already fragile communities.
ACN has been active in Turkey for years, but its post-quake response made its support particularly visible. The foundation has funded church repairs, emergency assistance for Christian refugees, formation programs for seminarians, and catechetical materials for communities that often operate with limited resources. These initiatives form part of ACN’s wider global portfolio, which includes more than 5,000 projects across 138 countries each year.
Regina Lynch, ACN’s Executive President, greeted the cardinal's appointment with enthusiasm. She noted that his long-standing friendship with the organization and his insight into the challenges facing minority Christian communities will help guide ACN’s mission. Lynch also expressed gratitude to Pope Leo for choosing a leader already invested in the charity’s mission and work.
The transition also prompted tributes to Cardinal Piacenza, whose leadership helped stabilize and expand ACN after it became a pontifical foundation. His encouragement of global prayer initiatives and advocacy for persecuted Christians shaped the organization’s identity. Lynch emphasized that his support for campaigns like One Million Children Praying the Rosary and for projects in the Middle East will remain part of ACN’s ongoing story.
For travelers tracing faith routes in Turkey — from Istanbul’s ancient churches to regions still recovering from the 2023 quake — this leadership change underscores the Church’s continuing commitment to vulnerable communities there. Pope Leo’s acknowledgment of ACN during his visit highlighted how international solidarity supports even the smallest Christian populations, many of whom maintain their traditions in quiet, resilient ways.
