Pope Francis asks YOU to help NOW - Join the campaign to end world hunger

Are you participating in the Wave of Hunger campaign? The Holy Father, Pope Francis is asking every person to participate. Please watch the video from Pope Francis and join him in prayer.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - It is now an hour away from the time when our staff at the Catholic Online offices will pause to join with Pope Francis in his 'wave of prayer' campaign. Catholic Online through Your Catholic Voice Foundation has begun soliciting donations for the poor to send food aid where it is needed.

Already, we have ordered our first shipment of food thanks to you, the generous readers (and staff!) of Catholic Online.

Today, Catholic Online through Your Catholic Voice Foundation are joining with Pope Francis, Catholic Charities, and 164 other Caritas Internationalis organizations in 200 countries to help feed the world's poor. Our assault on hunger is a new approach, led by Pope Francis himself.

Instead of throwing just money, or just prayer at the issue, Pope Francis is asking us to do both, in a two-pronged assault on hunger. Prayer is a powerful weapon that serves like a shield, but action is the sword. We cannot defeat hunger with a shield alone.

Quoting Jesus, Pope Francis said, "I was hungry and you gave me something to eat."

The Holy Father mentioned the problem of global hunger in which he acknowledged that the world produces enough food, but distributes it scandalously. "We are in front of a global scandal of around one billion people who still suffer from hunger today. We cannot look the other way and pretend that this does not exist. The food available in the world is enough to feed everyone," he said.

He then explained a basic Christian truth. When we give, the Lord multiplies our giving so that all have enough. "If there is a will, what we have never ends. On the contrary, it abounds and never gets wasted," he explained.

Pope Francis then delved into a solution. People are not starving because of some global conspiracy, but because there is a lack of respect and charity around the world, as well as a culture of waste.

"Make space in your heart for this emergency. Respecting the God-given right of everyone to have access to adequate food," Pope Francis implored. "We share what we have in Christian charity with those who face numerous obstacles to satisfy such a basic need. At the same time we promote authentic  cooperation with the poor so that through their fruits of their and our work they can live a dignified life. This campaign is also an invitation to all of us to become more conscious in our food choices which often lead to a waste and a poor use of the resources available to us."

We are invited "as one single human family, to give a voice to all of those who suffer silently from hunger so that this voice becomes a roar which can shake the world."

The Pope powerfully said, "It is also a reminder to stop thinking that our daily actions do not have an impact on the lives of those who might suffer from hunger first-hand."

Pope Francis has asked everyone "from the bottom of his heart" to ensure this campaign is a success. He concluded by saying, "And asking for this grace, I give you my blessing."

Today, our Pope, Francis I, is asking each and every one of us to say a prayer and to act to end world hunger. Prayer alone is not enough. We must do more than pray. We must perform an act of charity and that act, in the words of the Vatican Almoner, "must cost you something."

To whisper a prayer, no matter how sincere is not going to feed anyone of itself. What is required is the actual work of gathering our little loaves and fishes and prayerfully offering those to God who then multiplies them and ensures none is wasted.

This is direct from the Holy Father. We at Catholic Online through Your Catholic Voice Foundation are very proud to partner with him in cooperation to end this crisis.

Please join with Pope Francis by clicking here and taking action.

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