Aid to the Church in Need is to open a new branch in Scotland that will act as a Scottish base for its work with persecuted and oppressed Christians around the world.

The expansion to Motherwell, near Glasgow, will be formally announced by the Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, Cardinal Keith O’Brien, at a Mass next Monday.

ACN said the move north was one of the most important milestones in the charity's 35 years of work in the UK to serve the worldwide persecuted church.

Neville Kyrke-Smith, ACN UK director, said the office would become the hub of ACN's activity in Scotland and "the main point of contact between Scottish benefactors and those they are helping”.

He added that the initiative would “bring the reality of the suffering Church closer to the people of Scotland who in the past suffered so much for their faith”.

Next Monday's Mass is part of an ACN event featuring eye-witness accounts and an in-depth analysis about persecuted Christians in the Middle East and India.

The Cardinal will say in his homily: “The bishops of Scotland have readily agreed to the opening of an office in Scotland for Aid to the Church in Need enabling it to more effectively fulfil its mission to the suffering Church throughout the world.

“ACN has had the encouragement of the bishops of Scotland over the years. This has meant that, along with the faithful support of priests, people and many benefactors of other denominations and faiths, the work of this Catholic charity has indeed grown in Scotland.”

Underlining the increase in aid paid by ACN UK’s office in recent years, he will go on to add: “As Aid to the Church in Need would readily acknowledge, the compassion of the Scottish Catholics has been quite outstanding.”

A Scottish administrator will be appointed to co-ordinate events, meetings and other gatherings as well as encourage support and prayer for the charity’s work. The administrator will work alongside a team of regional secretaries led by ACN Scottish Secretary Dr John Watts in liaison with Fr Paul Morton, parish priest of St Bride’s Church, Cambuslang, near Glasgow, who recently appointed to ACN UK’s board of trustees.

Since he started working for ACN in Scotland in 1996, Dr Watts has liaised with parishes and schools, encouraging the prayers and support of Catholics.

ACN supports thousands of persecuted Christians worldwide each year. ACN said an increase in benefactor support had enabled it to give even more financial support to the persecuted church, rising from £1 million in aid in 1991 to £4.2 million last year.

Outlining the vision and appeal of ACN, Dr Watts said: “There are so many different kinds of charities, but one of the great strengths of ACN is that it’s a straight-down-the-line Catholic charity, you know what it stands for and what it does.

“Looking after our Church and our faith, making sure it can thrive even in adversity – there cannot be a more important cause to support.”