In the nine years that I have been producing my pastor's column, I believe I have only gone back a few times to previous columns to see if I had already done a column on a particular subject at an earlier time. I was tempted to do that this time before I composed this column on "Operation Rice Bowl" a Lenten program by Catholic Relief Services, CRS, that gives Catholics an opportunity to practice almsgiving in the area of helping to combat poverty, disease, hunger and injustice around the world.
I didn't go back to previous columns because I believe this Lenten (and year-round) effort of Catholic Relief Services is worth writing about every year. From its earlier years in which people were given an opportunity to take a rice bowl home and put money into it throughout the Lenten Season, including money that was saved by fasting from food and cutting back or eliminating eating out for Lent, the program now includes a calendar which gives the participants something to think about and do each day of Lent AND a link: CRSRICEBOWL.ORG which among other things shows how families around the world live, work and play as well as recipes for simple dishes that people in various regions make and eat so that we can connect with some of the people who will benefit from the money we save and give through our rice bowls (which will be collected starting on Holy Thursday).
PLEASE take the time to do more than just put money in the box and return it when indicated, and really see what Catholic Relief Services is doing year round to respond to natural disasters and ongoing needs of people who need a leg up and/or training to have a brighter future than they otherwise would have. Also, note that the second collection the weekend of March 21/22 benefits Catholic Relief Services. It's also good to know that 93% of every dollar given to CRS goes directly to help people in need. What a blessing to be able to help the needy not only in this area (as I know our parishioners and parish organizations do) but around the world where hunger and poverty is much more severe than here!
I didn't go back to previous columns because I believe this Lenten (and year-round) effort of Catholic Relief Services is worth writing about every year. From its earlier years in which people were given an opportunity to take a rice bowl home and put money into it throughout the Lenten Season, including money that was saved by fasting from food and cutting back or eliminating eating out for Lent, the program now includes a calendar which gives the participants something to think about and do each day of Lent AND a link: CRSRICEBOWL.ORG which among other things shows how families around the world live, work and play as well as recipes for simple dishes that people in various regions make and eat so that we can connect with some of the people who will benefit from the money we save and give through our rice bowls (which will be collected starting on Holy Thursday).
PLEASE take the time to do more than just put money in the box and return it when indicated, and really see what Catholic Relief Services is doing year round to respond to natural disasters and ongoing needs of people who need a leg up and/or training to have a brighter future than they otherwise would have. Also, note that the second collection the weekend of March 21/22 benefits Catholic Relief Services. It's also good to know that 93% of every dollar given to CRS goes directly to help people in need. What a blessing to be able to help the needy not only in this area (as I know our parishioners and parish organizations do) but around the world where hunger and poverty is much more severe than here!