by Br. Daryl Charron, C.PP.S.
Pope Francis released a message in support of a worldwide effort to end hunger through a “wave of prayer” on Tuesday of this week. A multitude of Catholics rallied by Caritas Internationalis and millions of other Christians and people of other faiths around the world raised their voices in prayer to end hunger in our time. Bread for the World acknowledged this clear and loud message and they hoped it will touch the heart’s of our nation’s leaders in Congress when they are finalizing a decision on the farm bill and harmful cuts to nutrition programs. After you pray, please take action and call (800-826-3688) or (1-888-410-0619) to talk to Rep. Sam Graves and Sen. Roy Blunt and Sen. Claire McCaskill. Tell them not to cut SNAP (formerly food stamps) but to take actions that will help end hunger in our country and around the world. NETWORK also acknowledged the Pope’s message and suggested you say the following to your congress persons: As a person of faith and your constituent, I call on you to do everything you can to prevent any further cruel cuts to SNAP beyond the ones families already experienced in November. The SNAP program is a lifeline for struggling families, as 76% of the people the program serves are children, seniors, or people with disabilities. As you prepare to make decisions about the Farm Bill and the federal budget, I pray you will prioritize people who are most vulnerable in our nation, remembering that the measure of our nation’s greatness is how we treat those who are struggling.
