Photo: Dann Ebina
Dear Friends in Christ,
Peace be with you!
The season of Lent calls us to draw closer to Jesus, the Son of God, who shared and redeemed our vulnerable humanity. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops invites us to participate in the Lenten journey of prayer, fasting and acts of mercy through Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Rice Bowl and to encounter Christ with others in need around the world, transforming vulnerability into stories of hope.
Throughout Lent this year, the CRS Rice Bowl journey reflects on the hopeful Gospel story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 with just a few loaves and fishes. At the heart of this miracle, a poor youth offers to share his humble food with others who are hungry. Christ transforms his sacrifice into abundant nourishment.
The CRS Rice Bowl is full of opportunities to transform our Lenten sacrifice into abundant nourishment through sharing with others in need. This year’s Rice Bowl Stories of Hope focus on the lives of three youths and their families in Honduras, Kenya and Vietnam, who are thriving because of CRS support. Sharing their journey can “bring to life” a Lenten spirituality of prayer, fasting and almsgiving for families, parishes, and schools in our diocese, connecting us all as one ‘ohana.
Through the CRS Lenten Rice Bowl journey, we can become companions with others in need worldwide, including here in Hawaii. One fourth of the funds collected in our diocese through Rice Bowl goes to our diocesan social ministry initiative “One ’Ohana: Food and Housing for All,” working with vulnerable persons and families in our communities. Participating in the CRS Lenten Rice Bowl is also an excellent way to implement our Stewards of the Gospel diocesan plan which focuses on leadership, family, faith formation, youth and young adults.
I strongly encourage all to participate in the CRS Lenten Rice Bowl program and witness to Jesus through the miracle of transforming sacrifice into hopeful nourishment with others in need.
Mahalo, and God bless you always!
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Larry Silva
Bishop of Honolulu
