In Fight against Hunger, "Be vigorous and resilient like legumes": Pope Francis

They are a simple and nutritious food with the power to overcome geographical and cultural barriers, he said, in the message signed by Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican secretary for relations with states.

Decrying the “deadly scourge” of hunger in many parts of the world, he urged countries to “feed everyone in a healthy way, so that everyone has the same opportunities and we can build an inclusive and just world.”

Pope Francis also referenced the Latin root of the word “legumes,” which he said is “legumen.”

The Latin word “refers to the fruits or pods, which are harvested not by reaping but by pulling the plants by hand,” he said, emphasizing the importance of the rural workers who harvest these plants.

He also highlighted the fact that many of these workers are women, and said that “specifically, rural women and indigenous women have much to teach us about how effort and sacrifice allow us to build…”

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He added: “Let’s imitate the beautiful and good acts of those rural women who do not give up their mission of feeding their children and the children of other families.”

“We value the commitment to feel part of the common home where there should be room for everyone, without ruling out anyone,” he said.

Hannah Brockhaus is Catholic News Agency's senior Rome correspondent. She grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, and has a degree in English from Truman State University in Missouri.