Francis: 'Wasting food is like stealing from the poor'

Pope Francis became visibly moved Wednesday speaking to a packed audience in St. Peter's Square, saying that wasting food is like "stealing from the poor."  

With little doubt, Francis lives with deeply embedded images of hungry people, men, women and children in his native country and more specifically his former archdiocese.

Francis is revealing a habit of speaking directly to critical world issues.  I have not seen this in any other global leader in many years.

Yesterday he spoke about protecting the envirornment. In this context he spoke about food and hunger, saying it is more than a social issue; it is a moral issue.

Watch Francis' gestures as he addressed those gathered yesterday. And note the numbers coming to his weekly audiences. The crowds seem to grow by the week. He is filling an obvious need within the human - and Catholic - family.