CRS Rice Bowl Program marks 50 years of assistance to poor

This Lenten season, parishes throughout the Diocese of Metuchen will unite with faith communities worldwide as they participate in the CRS Rice Bowl program. Now celebrating 50 years of practicing the pillars of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, CRS Rice Bowl benefits Catholic Relief Services, the relief and development agency of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and its good works in more than 120 different countries. Since its inception in 1975, CRS Rice Bowl has raised more than $350 million.

A rice bowl is a simple cardboard box used to collect Lenten alms. It comes with a Lenten calendar that guides families throughout the 40 days of Lent with activities, reflections, stories and opportunities to put alms in their rice bowl. The bowl and calendar, distributed by parishes, dioceses and Catholic schools across the United States, are staples on the tables of Catholic families across the country each Lent.

Seventy-five percent of gifts support CRS’ international humanitarian programs. Some examples include: agriculture projects to help farmers improve harvests; water and sanitation projects to bring clean water to communities; micro-finance projects to support small businesses; mother and child health projects which offer health and nutrition services, and education projects to provide resources and training. The other 25% of Rice Bowl gifts collected in the Metuchen Diocese remain there and are given to hunger and poverty alleviation efforts locally.  

In celebration of this 50th anniversary, the Hispanic Chapter of CRS of the Diocese of Metuchen is available beginning this month to visit parishes and speak with the Hispanic community about this important Lenten initiative to promote solidarity with our brothers and sisters in need around the world.

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. It is motivated by the example of Jesus Christ to assist poor and suffering people in more than 120 countries on the basis of need, not creed, race or nationality. CRS is efficient and effective: in 2023, 94% of their expenditures went to CRS programming that benefits people experiencing poverty around the world, touching more than 210 million people.

For further information on CRS Rice Bowl, see crsricebowl.org.
For more information about the diocesan Hispanic Chapter of CRS, please contact Luz Escobar at [email protected]