Bishop Barron’s new book

Bishop Robert Barron released a new book on April 14 that focuses on the persecution of Christians and sends its proceeds to a church aid group. (wordonfire.org) The book, *What Do Their Deaths Demand?: Christian Persecution Today*, was published by Word on Fire Publishing, the media ministry Barron founded, and Aid to the Church in Need said it helped supply research and testimonies. (wordonfire.org) (churchinneed.org) Word on Fire said it is mailing free copies to every member of the United States House and Senate and to every Catholic bishop in the United States, and it is offering bulk orders at $2 a copy. (wordonfire.org) The release lands as Christian advocacy groups and religious freedom monitors continue to document large-scale abuses. Open Doors said in its 2026 World Watch List that more than 388 million Christians face high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith. (opendoorsus.org) Aid to the Church in Need’s 2025 global religious freedom report said 24 countries fell into its worst category, “persecution,” and 38 more were classified for serious discrimination, affecting more than 5.4 billion people across all faiths. (rfr-acninternational.vercel.app) Barron’s publisher said the book includes cases from Nigeria, Syria, China, and North Korea, and the charity said the volume runs 70 pages and includes suggestions for action by American Catholics. (wordonfire.org) (churchinneed.org) Nigeria remains central to that discussion. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom said conditions there “remained poor” in 2024, citing killings, kidnappings, and attacks by Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province, and other armed groups. (uscirf.gov) The foreword is by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, linking the book to church leaders in the Holy Land as war and displacement continue to affect Christian communities there and in neighboring countries. (wordonfire.org) (churchinneed.org) Barron said the project is meant to push readers toward “concrete support” for Christians facing violence for their faith, and Word on Fire said the money will go directly to Aid to the Church in Need for material and spiritual relief. (wordonfire.org)