Pope Leo XIV lifts up his voice in prayer in a world in which millions of people do not have access to adequate food.
His intention for the month of May, “That everyone might have food,” focuses on the most urgent challenges of our time: hunger and wasted food.
Through the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network’s “Pray with the Pope” campaign, the Pope invites the faithful and people of goodwill to join him each month in praying for the intentions he carries in his heart.
In his prayer, Pope Leo XIV recognises, sadly, “that millions of brothers and sisters continue to suffer from hunger, while so many goods are wasted at our tables”.
The Holy Father invites all believers to come to a new awareness: to learn to be grateful for each meal, to eat simply, and to share with joy, with the understanding that the fruit of the earth is a gift from God, “destined for all, not just a few”.
The Pope begs the Lord that communities might be capable of transforming “the logic of selfish consumption into a culture of solidarity,” promoting concrete action such as “awareness campaigns, food banks, and a sober and responsible lifestyle”.
His prayer concludes with a petition rooted in the Gospel: “May no one be excluded from the common table.”
A growing global food crisis
The most recent statistics from United Nations agencies paint a picture showing a growing crisis. According to the World Food Program’s 2026 Global Outlook, 318 million people will face food crisis or even worse situations this year.
The same agency warns that the conflict in the Middle East could push an additional 45 million people into facing dire hunger before the middle of this year. In 2025, two famines were simultaneously confirmed in parts of Gaza and Sudan – the first of this century
The report, entitled The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2025, jointly published by the FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO, estimated that 673 million people suffered from hunger in 2024 and that 2.3 billion people had experienced moderate to severe food insecurity. Around 2.6 billion people could not afford a healthy diet in 2024. FAO and the WFP also warn that throughout 2026, food insecurity will continue to worsen in at least 16 countries and territories identified as hotspots.
This reality is even more scandalous when contrasted with the amount of food wasted globally. According to the UN Environment Program’s (UNEP) Food Loss and Reduction Program, more than a billion tons of food are wasted worldwide every year.
In addition, food loss and waste contribute to a serious climate problem, accounting for between 8 and 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. This is a global paradox that Pope Leo XIV places at the centre of his prayer during the month of May.
Acting decisively before an injustice
The international director of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, Father Cristóbal Fones, emphasises the importance of this prayer intention and the Pope’s personal connection to this cause.
“This intention comes from the Pope’s heart. It pains him deeply that so many people in the world cannot access something as essential and human as food. This is why he is asking everyone not to remain indifferent but to take decisive action, first with prayer, then with concrete gestures of solidarity.”
The Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network wants to remind everyone that this intention is not just a call to contemplation, but to action.
Pope Leo XIV is inviting every community to promote concrete initiatives such as food banks, awareness campaigns, and efforts to reduce domestic food waste, recognising that food is “not an object of consumption, but is a sign of communion and care”.
About the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network
The Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network is a Pontifical Work entrusted to the Society of Jesus. It is present in over 92 countries, forming a spiritual community of more than 22 million people who seek to live each day with availability to God’s mission. At the centre of its mission are the monthly prayer intentions of the Pope, inviting its members to focus on the pressing challenges facing humanity and the Church’s mission.
It was founded in 1844 as the Apostleship of Prayer. In December 2020, Pope Francis established this Pontifical Work as a Vatican Foundation and approved its final statutes in July 2024.
