VATICAN CITY (CNS) Adequate food supply is a fundamental right for all people, said Pope Benedict XVI. Working to ensure proper nutrition for all means bringing dignity to human lives and should be a top priority, he said in a speech Feb. 6 welcoming Alfonso Roberto Matta Fahsen, Guatemala’s new ambassador to the Vatican.
Beyond the need for appropriate policies and resources dedicated to ensuring food security for everyone, "it’s necessary to have men and women with feelings of compassion and solidarity who walk together toward reaching this goal," he said.
Adequate nutrition for the most vulnerable, like children, should be a primary international concern, he said.
Without proper nutrition, children’s physical and emotional health is compromised, he said. Often, he added, in exchange for food children are "exposed to work that is inappropriate for their age" or plunged into tragic situations.
Pope Benedict expressed his concern and prayers for increased episodes of drought in Guatemala, which have caused crop loss, malnutrition and poverty. He thanked those who have been working to solve these serious problems and alleviate the suffering.
He encouraged the country to continue addressing the many factors that lead to a number of social ills in Guatemala like drug trafficking, violence, emigration, illiteracy, sects, and the lack of a solid moral foundation for young people. He added that the government could count on the church to help.