Meaning and Use of “Rice Bowls”

Each Lent, we put out cardboard “rice bowls” for our parishioners to take home as one way to practice “almsgiving” for the poor. This tradition is part of Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) Rice Bowl program and allow Catholics across the country to unite and make the world a better place for all by putting our faith into action through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

CRS is the official international humanitarian relief and development agency of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Donations through Rice Bowl support CRS’s lifesaving support of more than 140 million people in more than 100 different countries each year.

How To Use:
• Each person in the household makes a daily/weekly contribution to the ‘bowl’ based on what they ‘gave up’ (meal, snack, shopping) as a Lenten sacrifice.
• It comes with a calendar that guides us through the 40 days of Lent with activities, reflections and stories of hope from CRS’ work around the world, including how our impoverished sisters and brothers, with our help, have overcome hardships like hunger and malnutrition.
• These stories are accompanied by a simple, meatless recipe that we are encouraged to prepare on Fridays (or other day) during Lent to show solidarity with those who have so little to eat.
• Based on the calendar, each day/week you can create prayers at your mealtime for the people in that country/region.

For more information and resources related to CRS Rice Bowl, go to www.crsricebowl.org. Thank you for your generosity and solidarity with those who suffer most in our world. May God bless our works of almsgiving for those in need.

Peace,
Fr. Jim Deiters