OFFICE FOR SOCIAL MINISTRY
“In the complex and often dramatic situations of today’s world, may the Risen Lord guide the steps of all those who work for justice and peace.” (Pope Francis Easter Message 2017)
This past Lent, Catholic Relief Services Rice Bowl provided a path for Catholics in the United States to engage in what Pope Francis calls “a culture of encounter.” Weekly “stories of hope” presented opportunities for Catholics to reach out and foster dialogue and friendship in their Lenten practice of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. We saw ourselves in the faces of our neighbors, especially in those who are neglected and ignored by society. We are called to cultivate a spirit of global solidarity to encounter God’s love anew.
Many holy men and women who have come before us journeyed to the margins of society so that every member of our human family might know the love of God. This season, Catholics across the U.S. read the story of breadfruit planted by Micaela and other Chuukese women on Hawaii Island. Catholics also came to know our two saints, Damien and Marianne, who selflessly cared for men, women and children with leprosy, banished to live out their days in Kalaupapa on the island of Molokai.
This Lent, 32 classes from 11 Catholic schools on Oahu, Kauai and Hawaii Island said “yes” to a challenge. Throughout the season, 615 sixth, seventh and eighth grade students took a journey around the globe to encounter others through their stories of hope. The students’ weekly challenge was to use the CRS Rice Bowl app on their smart phones or other devices to view a video or read a story. Their assignment was to write a letter to, and a prayer for, the person featured in the story. They also wrote reflections on the focus of Catholic social teaching for that week. For the kids in our classrooms, an “encounter” was just a click away.
We were thrilled to see a large jump in the number of classes accepting the app challenge this year and the notable increase in class scores and percentages.
This year two schools stood out above the rest with the highest percentages of submitted entries from week one through week five.
At St. Anthony School in Kalihi, Sister Jennifer Dayday’s eighth graders scored 100 percent (the first to do so) and Joanne Calaycay’s seventh graders scored 99.33 percent.
At Holy Family Catholic Academy, Michelle Izon’s sixth grade religion class scored 97.88 percent, her eighth grade religion class scored 94.89 percent and her seventh grade religion class scored 93.33 percent.
This is our third year using the Rice Bowl app challenge with our Catholic schools. Congratulations one and all for a job well done! To view a complete list of participating classes and scores, go to http://catholichawaii.org/catholic-living/charity- justice/food-security-sustainable-development-global-solidarity/rb-app/.
We are one ohana embraced by Akua. May we continue to encounter the risen Christ with expressions of care and compassion in solidarity with our vulnerable brothers and sisters who are struggling to overcome poverty and work for justice and peace.
Mahalo!
Your friends at the Office for Social Ministry.
