Pope Francis has told crowds in St Peter’s Square today that hunger is a scandal and he urged them to support the Caritas "One Human Family, Food for All" campaign.

“The scandal that millions of people suffer from hunger must not paralyze us, but push each and every one of us to act: singles, families, communities, institutions, governments, to eliminate this injustice,” said the Pope, speaking at his weekly Wednesday audience in St Peter’s Square.

One Human Family, Food for All is the Caritas confederation’s first ever global campaign. Launched Tuesday, the campaign says that hunger can be eliminated by 2025 if resources are shared.

“Caritas launched a worldwide campaign against hunger and food wastage, with the motto ‘One Human Family, Food for All’,” said Pope Francis. “The Gospel shows us the way: have faith in the providence of the Lord and share your daily bread without wasting it.

“I encourage Caritas to take forward this commitment and I invite everyone to join this ‘wave of solidarity’.”

Caritas organisations and people of faith across the world took part in a “wave of prayer” to launch the campaign. People prayed and reflected on hunger at midday in countries across the world.

Pope Francis recorded a video message for the launch of the campaign in which he denounced the fact that there’s enough food in the world yet people go hungry.

Pope's Homily at Mass Concelebrated With the Patriarch of Alexandria of the Coptic Catholics

Participating in the Holy Mass celebrated by Pope Francis this morning at 7 o’clock in the Domus Sanctae Marthae Chapel was the Patriarch of Alexandria of the Coptic Catholics, H.B. Ibrahim Isaac Sidrak, who received the ecclesiastica communio from Pope Benedict XVI last January 18. Concelebrating also with the Holy Father and the Coptic Patriarch was Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.