What to Do for Lent

+ Enlarge

For any who are casting about for Lenten activities, I have a suggestion that will fulfill all three Lenten pillars: Get involved with Catholic Relief Services’ Rice Bowl.

You may be familiar with the Rice Bowl because the little cardboard box has been a Lenten fixture for many years. The idea is that families place into the box the money they save by fasting during Lent, then send it in. The donations to CRS Rice Bowl help alleviate hunger in more than 120 countries around the world by teaching farmers to improve their agricultural practices for better harvests, digging wells and improving sanitation, offering health services to mothers and children, and education and microfinance projects. The program is run by Catholic Relief Services, the international humanitarian agency of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops; 94 percent of the money goes directly to programs that help those most in need.

During Lent, CRS Rice Bowl publishes what they call “Stories of Hope,” which feature people who have been helped by their programs. Most if not all of these stories highlight the self-sufficiency recipients have achieved after receiving help from CRS; our donations provide a hand up, they are not merely a handout.

CRS Rice Bowl is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year; since it began it has raised more than $350 million to help prevent hunger and poverty not only in other countries but also in the United States; 25 percent of donations stay in the diocese where they are given. Here in Utah, some of that money goes to food banks run by parishes.

The Rice Bowl is a good way to give alms, and fasting to provide these alms brings in the second pillar of Lent. As for the other pillar, there will be a virtual CRS Rice Bowl Prayer Night on March 20. Two sessions will be offered, one at 5 p.m. local time and the other at 8 p.m. During this time, “we will reflect on how our Lenten prayers, fasting and almsgiving support families in more than 120 countries to thrive,” states www.crsricebowl.org/prayer-night. “This will be a unique opportunity for us to come together as members of the body of Christ, lifting up our sisters and brothers around the world who are experiencing poverty and hunger.”

Visit the website to register for the event.

In addition to receiving donations through the Rice Bowl program, the USCCB also asks dioceses to host a collection for CRS during the fourth Sunday of Lent, which this year is the weekend of March 30. As Catholics we are called to witness Christ’s love for us to others, and Lent is a time for us to examine how well we do this. “Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me” – these are the words Jesus addressed to those who questioned why they would be condemned to the eternal fire; they are also a good guide for how well we are following in his way.

Marie Mischel is editor of the Intermountain Catholic. Reach her at marie@icatholic.org.