OFFICE FOR SOCIAL MNISTRY
“Today the cry of so many of our oppressed brothers and sisters rises to heaven and moves the heart of God. Lent is a time to ask ourselves: Do we hear that cry? Does it trouble us? Does it move us?” (Pope Francis, Message for Lent 2024)
Pope Francis’ 2024 Lenten message raises provocative questions about how we respond to those who are hungry — both physically and spiritually. This year, U.S. Catholics’ Lenten journey comes amid the third and final year of the U.S. Bishops National Eucharistic Revival, which culminates in July at the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis. In our Lenten reflections, it’s vital to recognize the centrality of the Eucharist for our faith and the role of Eucharistic Congresses in our church history, including the roots of the CRS Lenten Rice Bowl program now used in parishes throughout the U.S.
On the 200th anniversary of the United States of America in 1976, the 41st International Eucharistic Congress was held in Philadelphia exploring the theme “Hungers of the Human Family” as suggested by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen and approved by the Vatican. Thousands of pilgrims from the U.S. and around the world gathered for this historic event. Among the speakers were Cesar Chavez, union leader of the farmworkers; social reformer Dorothy Day; human rights advocate Archbishop Dom Helder Camara of Brazil; Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Cardinal Karol Wojtyla of Poland, who became Pope John Paul II.
As part of the congress’ hunger symposium, parishes in nearby Allentown, Pennsylvania, donated 2,000 tons of rice, which was loaded at Philadelphia Pier, bound for Bangladesh. That shipment was one of the first “Operation Rice Bowl” donations. It was around this Eucharistic Congress that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) adopted “Operation Rice Bowl.” In 1977, the bishops made Rice Bowl a program of Catholic Relief Services (CRS), their official relief and development agency.
Since then, CRS Rice Bowl has become a cherished Lenten tradition for millions of Catholics across the United States to support people struggling with hunger and poverty at home and around the world. In 2023, nearly 13,000 parishes and schools participated in CRS Rice Bowl, supporting the work of CRS in more than 120 countries. CRS Rice Bowl is more than a simple cardboard box; it symbolizes a commitment to solidarity and compassion. As families gather around their dinner tables, they are reminded of the shared responsibility to alleviate suffering and foster hope worldwide.
The Rice Bowl box also serves as a path for spiritual growth, helping us practice the Lenten pillars of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. The box comes with a Lenten calendar that guides us through the 40 days with activities, reflections and stories of hope — examples of communities where Rice Bowl almsgiving is changing lives. The stories are accompanied by recipes from these places for meatless meals to serve on Fridays during Lent.
Twenty-five percent of donations to CRS Rice Bowl stay in the local diocese to feed and house those in need, for example through our “One ‘Ohana: Food and Housing for All” social ministries initiative here in Hawaii. For more on CRS Rice Bowl please visit www.crsricebowl.org.
As we go through Lent together this year of Eucharistic Revival, let us remember the words of Jesus: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst (John 6:35).” May we be nourished by the Eucharist to walk as one global family, praying: “Dear Jesus, you call us, as members of the body of Christ, to serve one another. This Lent, may we be your eyes, to see with compassion. May we be your hands and feet, to serve with love. By encountering you in the Bread of Life, may we joyfully share bread for life with all members of our global families. Amen.”
Mahalo, your friends at the Office for Social Ministry
In Uganda, Florence Omara weeds and clears her garden in preparation for the rainy season. She has learned from CRS about climate change adaptation techniques. (Photo by Stuart Tibaweswa for Catholic Relief Services )
CRS RICE BOWL STORY OF HOPE
Adolf Omara and his wife, Florence, are farmers in Uganda. The couple fight hunger by farming, which ensures that their family can eat three nutritious meals a day, and by helping others in their community grow successful crops. Each member of their household has a role gardening, cleaning, preparing meals or caring for the animals. In the evenings, they enjoy time together as a family.
Where they live is very dry. The rainy season has been arriving later than it used to. Sometimes “it rains so heavily and destroys things,” Adolf says. “The goodness of rain is taken away.” In addition, people steal their food or tools. This makes farming difficult and food harder to come by.
To overcome these obstacles, Adolf and Florence joined a Catholic Relief Services program where they learned new farming methods to grow crops even when it is hot and dry. They plant seeds that grow quickly, producing vegetables to harvest, even if there isn’t much rain, enough to feed the family and to sell at the market. Adolf says, “I have seen my children are happy because they are well fed.” The couple share what they learned with their neighbors, helping them increase their harvests, improve the land and build a safe and thriving community.
