Pope offers special prayers for poor, urges governments to act

Published: 2005-10-17

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI offered special prayers for poor people "fighting courageously to live in dignity and care for their families." At his Oct. 16 Angelus address, the pope spoke about the Oct. 17 International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, asking Christians to increase their solidarity and calling on government leaders "to hear the cry of the poor." The pope also sent a letter to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, sponsor of the Oct. 16 World Food Day, praising the agency on its 60th anniversary. In his messages for both international observances, Pope Benedict said recognizing the value of human life requires efforts to defend human dignity from the threats of hunger and poverty. Pope Benedict, in a written message to the Food and Agriculture Organization, said hunger and malnutrition are among "the most serious scandals that still affect the life of the human family." In figures released for the 2005 observance, the FAO said some 850 million people in the world live with hunger and malnutrition.

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