Holy Week reflection
April 2, 2026
Mary’s Meals provides life-changing school meals to children living in some of the world’s poorest communities.
On the papal flight to Africa this month, Pope Leo XIV was presented with a T‑shirt and mug from the organisation, which is now serving meals to more than 3 million children every school day.
Already familiar with their mission, the Pope smiled warmly when he heard how much the initiative had grown over the years.
National Lead of Mary’s Meals Australia, Lachlan Mitchell, said, “I remember when I first visited Africa, Asia and India as a 16 year old – my first exposure to extreme poverty. It was a stark contrast from my life in Australia, where I ordered a hamburger from my local takeaway after a short flight home!
“Although sometimes hunger can feel a long way from home, for millions of children it is a daily reality. Yet something as simple as a shared act of generosity can begin to change that story—costing as little as $34.80 AUD to feed a child for a whole school year.”
Food insecurity, child hunger, and malnutrition continue to be persistent and critical global challenges. Globally, one in four children are living in severe child food poverty in early childhood, amounting to 181 million children under five years of age. Additionally, 78 million children of primary school age (about 6 to 11 years) are out of school.
The school feeding programs provide a lifeline and social safety net for children and their families. With only 27 per cent of schoolchildren in low-income countries benefitting from school meals, the need for effective and reliable nutrition in places of education is acute.
Donations to Mary’s Meals provides a child with daily school meals for an entire school year.
Last year, Mary’s Meals Youth Ambassadors were invited to represent Mary’s Meals on stage at the Youth Jubilee, an event presided over by Pope Leo.
More information is available at Mary’s Meals Australia
