More efforts needed to end hunger, says head of Bread for the World

Published: 2004-09-23

CRANSTON, R.I. (CNS) -- The leader of one of the nation's largest anti-hunger organizations told interfaith leaders Sept. 15 that charity and social justice advocacy are needed to eliminate global hunger and poverty. The Rev. David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World and an ordained Lutheran minister, spoke at a breakfast at the Rhode Island Community Food Bank in Cranston. He urged his audience to heed the message emphasized in two documents issued by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops: "A Place at the Table," published in 2002 and "Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility," released in October 2003 for the 2004 elections. The bishops urge Catholics to become informed, active and responsible participants in the political process while helping meet the temporal needs of those less fortunate through activities such as contributing to food drives and assisting in soup kitchens. "Both documents call on the Catholic community to do yet more to make a place at the table for everyone," Rev. Beckmann said in an interview with The Providence Visitor, the diocesan paper, prior to the breakfast. The anti-hunger activist later called on his listeners to empower their constituencies to "move" government leaders to pass legislation that will benefit the poor.

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