Support for Caritas campaign to end ‘scandal’ of hunger

Pope Francis has given a huge boost to Caritas Internationalis (CI) by personally endorsing its worldwide campaign to end the “global scandal” of hunger by the year 2025, writes Robert Mickens.

“I am happy to announce to you the launch of a campaign against global hunger by our very own Caritas Internationalis and to tell you I intend to give my full support,” the Pope said in a four-and-a-half-minute video message for Tuesday’s start of the effort. The personal endorsement was seen as a sort of rehabilitation of Caritas, which has been criticised for being more focused on social programmes than the Gospel.

The Pope maintains there is enough food in the world to feed everyone if we so choose. “One Human Family, Food for All” marks the first time the Caritas confederation has launched such a global campaign. It includes a “wave of prayer” that will cross every continent.

A campaign is mounting to urge that the Philippines’ debt be cancelled to release money for post-typhoon recovery, writes Ellen Teague. Two Philippines-based groups, Freedom from Debt Coalition and Jubilee South, point out that, while aid pours in, more than £12 million a day leaves the country as interest payments.