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Augustinians Support UN World Food Day

Theme is ‘World Food Security:
The Challenge of Climate Change and Bioenergy’

October 16, 2008

Augustinians of the Midwest are encouraged to mark the United Nations' World Food Day, October 16, 2008, in their communities and ministries. The Augustinians invite and encourage all who identify with Augustinian spirituality and traditions to do likewise. This annual day meshes well with the themes of the Augustinian Campaign Against Hunger and Millennium Development Goals. (Opens new window)

“For I was hungry and you gave me no food.” - Mt. 25: 14

These words of Jesus enable us to understand the deep significance in God’s eyes of meeting the fundamental needs of every man and woman. Care for the hungry and needy is an essential part of the Christian message and of traditional Catholic moral teaching.

World Food Day for 2008 focuses on the theme World Food Security: The Challenge of Climate Change and Bioenergy.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organiazation estimates that 850 million people around the world remain undernourished. Soaring food prices are putting at greater risk the hungry and those on the brink of poverty, F. A. O. said.

“Rarely has World Food Day assumed greater meaning than at the present time, as rapidly rising food prices risk increasing the number of hungry people,” Sidaty Aidara, F. A. O. Chief of World Food Day events, said. Changing climate and a growing demand for fuels produced from corn and other agricultural commodities are challenges that must be addressed in the context of higher food prices and hunger.

World Food Day 2008 encourages us to become more aware of the factors that reduce food security and cause so many people to be hungry or malnourished. Among these factors are climate change and the demand for biofuels. The Day encourages us to move beyond the “benevolence model” of food aid and to emphasize actions that will empower people and make it possible for them to feed themselves. As St. Augustine said, “You give bread to a hungry person; but it would be better if no one were hungry.” - Tractate 1 John 8,8

The Day calls for efforts on many different fronts. We are called to take action to protect the environment, improve education, and support increased research and appropriate government policies that will effectively make food security a reality in all parts of the world, so that the common good of all - including our own country – will benefit.

World Food Day Prayer

       » World Food Day Prayer Service
             Suggested Augustinian prayers from International Justice and Peace Secretariate, Rome

More Information and Resources

From F.A.O.

       » High Food Prices Put World Food Day in Spotlight (Opens new window)
             2008 theme to consider challenges to food security

       » Climate Change: How the Vulnerable Can Cope (Opens new window)
             Emerging strategies from the U. N. Food and Agriculture Organization to alleviate weather-related consequences

       » Climate Change News (Opens new window)
             Reports from F. A. O. on how climate affects food security

       » June 2008 Food Summit (Opens new window)
             High-level conference on world food security: climate change, bioenergy, soaring food prices

       » F.A.O. Hunger Map (Opens new window)
             Map and statistics on undernourishment and progress in combatting hunger

From Other Sources

       » Food System in Crisis: Hunger and the Pursuit of Profit (Opens new window)
             How global food system fosters hunger and how to fix it

       » World Food Day U.S.A. (Opens new window)
             How you can use World Food Day more effectively

       » Feeding Minds, Fighting Hunger (Opens new window)
             For educators: Lesson plans and other resources for exploring hunger

       » Millennium Campaign (Opens new window)
             Goal 1 - Reduce by half by 2015 the number of persons who die of hunger

       » Hunger x Half
             Hunger facts and steps you can take to cut hunger in half

Other UN Days Reflect Christian Values

      » Augustinians Support International Days
             Seven U.N. Days reflect Catholic Christian values