As we prepare for Lent, we focus our hearts on its three most important aspects: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Catholic Relief Services’ Rice Bowl program encompasses all three parts of lent.

Nearly 14,000 faith communities in 180 dioceses around the U.S. will participate in the Rice Bowl program this Lent. Together, we canserve our brothers and sisters most in need around the world while forming families and faith communities in global solidarity. Take action to build the culture of encounter as missionary disciples with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) this Lent. According to Catholic Relief Services:

• Through prayer, we encounter Christ, present in the faces of every member of our human family, so often still walking that long road to Calvary.
• Through fasting, we encounter our own obstacles, those things about ourselves that prevent us from loving God and neighbor.
• Through almsgiving, we encounter our brothers and sisters around the world, asking what we can give up so that others might have life to the fullest.

75 percent of donations to CRS Rice Bowl supports programs around the world, including agriculture projects, water and sanitation projects, educations projects and more. 25 percent of donations go to hunger and poverty alleviation efforst in our very own community.

Most parishes will kick off this Lenten program on or after Ash Wednesday. Rice Bowl donations should be returned to your parish around Easter Sunday. For more information, visit https://www.crsricebowl.org/.