VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
YEAR XXII - # 205
DATE 20-11-2014

Summary:
- The Pope at the Conference on Nutrition at the FAO: "the hungry ask for
dignity, not charity"
- Intense work by the Ordinary Council of the Synod of Bishops
- The joy of the Gospel is a missionary joy
- Other Pontifical Acts

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 The Pope at the Conference on Nutrition at the FAO: "the hungry ask for
dignity, not charity"
 Vatican City, 20 November 2014 (VIS) - This morning Pope Francis visited the
headquarters of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, on the
occasion of the second International Conference on Nutrition, taking place in
Rome from 19 to 21 November.
 Upon arrival the Holy Father was received by the director general of the FAO,
Jose Graziano da Silva, the adjunct director, Oleg Chestnov and Archbishop
Luigi Travaglino, Holy See Permanent Observer at the FAO.
 The full text of the Pontiff's address, delivered in the Plenary Hall, is
published below:
 "I am pleased and honoured to speak here today, at this Second International
Conference on Nutrition. I wish to thank you, Mr. President, for your warm
greeting and the words of welcome addressed to me. I cordially greet the
Director General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr. Margaret Chan,
and the Director General of the FAO, Professor José Graziano da Silva, and I
rejoice in their decision to convene this conference of representatives of
States, international institutions, and organisations of civil society, the
world of agriculture and the private sector, with the aim of studying together
the forms of intervention necessary in the fight against hunger and
malnutrition, as well as the changes that must be made to existing strategies.
The overall unity of purpose and of action, and above all the spirit of
brotherhood, can be decisive in finding appropriate solutions. The Church, as
you know, seeks always to be attentive and watchful regarding the spiritual
and material welfare of the people, especially those who are marginalised or
excluded, to ensure their safety and dignity.
 "The fates of nations are intertwined, more than ever before; they are like
the members of one family who depend upon each other. However, we live in a
time in which the relations between nations are too often damaged by mutual
suspicion, that at times turns into forms of military and economic aggression,
undermining friendship between brothers and rejecting or discarding what is
already excluded. He who lacks his daily bread or a decent job is well aware
of this. This is a picture of today's world, in which it is necessary to
recognise the limits of approaches based on the sovereignty of each State,
intended as absolute, and national interest, frequently conditioned by small
power groups. Your working agenda for developing new standards and greater
commitments to feed the world shows this well. From this perspective, I hope
that, in the formulation of these commitments, the States are inspired by the
conviction that the right to food can only be ensured if we care about the
actual subject, that is, the person who suffers the effects of hunger and
malnutrition.
 "Nowadays there is much talk of rights, frequently neglecting duties; perhaps
we have paid too little heed to those who are hungry. It is also painful to
see that the struggle against hunger and malnutrition is hindered by "market
priorities", the "primacy of profit", which have reduced foodstuffs to a
commodity like any other, subject to speculation, also of a financial nature.
And while we speak of new rights, the hungry remain, at the street corner, and
ask to be recognised as citizens, to receive a healthy diet. We ask for
dignity, not for charity.
 "These criteria cannot remain in the limbo of theory. Persons and peoples ask
for justice to be put into practice: not only in a legal sense, but also in
terms of contribution and distribution. Therefore, development plans and the
work of international organisations must take into consideration the wish, so
frequent among ordinary people, for respect for fundamental human rights and,
in this case, the rights of the hungry. When this is achieved, then
humanitarian intervention, emergency relief and development operations - in
their truest, fullest sense - will attain greater momentum and bring the
desired results.
 "Interest in the production, availability and accessibility of foodstuffs,
climate change and agricultural trade should certainly inspire rules and
technical measures, but the first concern must be the individual as a whole,
who lacks daily nourishment and has given up thinking about life, family and
social relationships, instead fighting for survival. St. John Paul II, in the
inauguration in this hall of the First Conference on Nutrition in 1992, warned
the international community against the risk of the "paradox of plenty", in
which there is food for everyone, but not everyone can eat, while waste,
excessive consumption and the use of food for other purposes is visible before
our very eyes. Unfortunately, this "paradox" remains relevant. There are few
subjects about which we find as many fallacies as those related to hunger; few
topics as likely to be manipulated by data, statistics, the demands of
national security, corruption, or futile lamentation about the economic
crisis. This is the first challenge to be overcome.
 "The second challenge to be faced is the lack of solidarity; we suspect that
subconsciously we would like to remove this word from the dictionary. Our
societies are characterised by growing individualism and division: this ends
up depriving the weakest of a decent life, and provokes revolts against
institutions. When there is a lack of solidarity in a country, the effects are
felt throughout the world. Indeed, solidarity is the attitude that makes
people capable of reaching our to others and basing their mutual relations on
this sense of brotherhood that overcomes differences and limits, and inspires
us to seek the common good together.
 "Human beings, as they become aware of being partly responsible for the plan
of creation, become capable of mutual respect, instead of fighting between
themselves, damaging and impoverishing the planet. States, too, understood as
a community of persons and peoples, are required to act concertedly, to be
willing to help each other through the principles and norms offered by
international law. A source of inspiration is natural law, inscribed in the
human heart, that speaks a language that everyone can understand: love,
justice, peace, elements that are inseparable from each other. Like people,
States and international institutions are called to welcome and nurture these
values - love, justice, peace - and this must be done with a spirit of
dialogue and mutual listening. In this way, the aim of feeding the human
family becomes feasible.
 "Every woman, man, child and elderly person everywhere should be able to
count on these guarantees. It is the duty of every State that cares for the
wellbeing of its citizens to subscribe to them unreservedly, and to take the
necessary steps to ensure their implementation. This requires perseverance and
support. The Catholic Church also offers her contribution in this field
through constant attention to the life of the poor in all parts of the world;
along the same lines, the Holy See is actively involved in international
organisations and through numerous documents and statements. In this way, it
contributes to identifying and assuming the criteria to be met in order to
develop an equitable international system. These are criteria that, on the
ethical plane, are based on the pillars of truth, freedom, justice and
solidarity; at the same time, in the legal field, these same criteria include
the relationship between rights and food, and the right to life and a
dignified existence, the right to be protected by law, not always close to the
reality of those who suffer from hunger, and the moral obligation to share the
economic wealth of the world.

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 * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS=Huntsville AL=bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)