CAFOD calls for prayers as Pope Francis addresses world leaders at UN

CAFOD is calling on the Catholic community to stand with Pope Francis in prayer as he prepares to address heads of state gathering at the UN on Friday 25 September.

The Pope is only the fourth pontiff to address the UN General Assembly and this will be his first visit to the US. The timing couldn't be more important as world leaders are preparing to agree a new set of Sustainable Development Goals, which outline the framework for poverty eradication over the next 15 years.

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set 169 targets for every country, from ending poverty and hunger, to improving health and education. They also call on the world to combat climate change.

CAFOD is encouraging Catholics to pray a novena to St Francis in the nine days leading up to the Summit in New York. They will also be live-streaming the speech, which is at lunchtime (1.30pm BST) on 25 September.

"Francis is challenging us to realise that we cannot squander the earth's resources and ruin people's lives in the relentless pursuit of growth," says Neil Thorns, CAFOD's Director of Advocacy, who will be in New York for the summit. "He leaves us in no doubt that this is a moral issue."

Watch the Pope's speech live here: www.cafod.org.uk/News/Campaigning-news/Pope-Francis-speech-UN

For the Novena to St Francis see: - www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=28321