OFFICE FOR SOCIAL MINISTRY
“Lord Jesus, You call us to a conversion of heart during Lent, and you give us the tools to do this through prayer, fasting and almsgiving. When we pray, help us remember the needs of our sisters and brothers. When we fast, help us offer our sacrifice in union with you. When we give, help us recognize our gifts are from you so that we are generous with others. Amen. (CRS Rice Bowl prayer, Lent 2022)
Much like our New Year’s resolutions, Lenten resolutions can often be challenging. But instead of focusing on “giving up” our favorite things, the annual Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Rice Bowl Lenten program helps us reflect more on ways of “giving and sharing” our abundance with those less fortunate.
Beginning March 2, Ash Wednesday, more than 14,000 Catholic communities across the United States are pledging to go on a transformative 2022 Lenten journey with CRS Rice Bowl, a program that addresses global hunger and encourages people to take action against this social injustice. Folks across America are placing small cardboard boxes on their table to collect Lenten alms. This tradition, in place since 1975, is strongly supported by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). The CRS Rice Bowl journey involves the three traditional Lenten practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
Money raised is sent to countries on the margins worldwide, while 25% of the donations stay in Hawaii to support the “One Ohana: Food and Housing for All” initiative, which is carried out in large measure by parish social ministries across our diocese.
CRS Rice Bowl 2022 focuses on “Stories of Hope” from three countries: Guatemala, Bangladesh and Rwanda. Participants can watch and learn how people on the margins are overcoming the factors that lead to hunger and forced migration. (Please see the Rice Bowl Story of Hope on this page.)
Here in Hawaii, this Lenten season coincides with our church’s synodal journey experience of listening and learning from each other. Our recent social ministry listening sessions have provided a unique opportunity to encounter Jesus and hear local “stories of hope,” including those from persons on the margins, who are transforming vulnerabilities into solidarity.
For example, last month, the listening sessions including talking story with formerly incarcerated persons on Oahu who shared their struggles with trauma, abuse and addiction, with the hopeful experience of forgiveness, healing and transformation. Their current efforts to give back to their community were awe-inspiring, as was the listening session with the Oahu Going Home Consortium, which includes prison wardens, guards, parole officers, social workers and prison ministry volunteers who have been blessed to be part of a journey from trauma to transformation.
The listening session involving persons with disabilities and their families also revealed how Christ is experienced today. During the virtual listening session that included sign language, all were able to “hear” from a gifted, single, deaf mother raising her teenage daughter and son during this difficult pandemic; and from other parents describing their children with disabilities as “angels in our midst” whose prayers are a direct line with God to whom they all draw closer.
These Lenten Stories of Hope are a great way to deepen our connections as one human family. Children and adults can benefit from the CRS Rice Bowl lesson plans on the CRS website, crsricebowl.org/1-8. Participants will find meatless Lenten recipes from different countries and reflections for Holy Week. CRS will also host virtual events throughout the Lenten season, including prayer nights in Spanish and English.
For more resources to support family time during Lent, visit crsricebowl.org/families. For more on Rice Bowl Stories of Hope and on the synodal listening sessions, please visit the OSM website officeforsocialministry.org.
Mahalo,
Your friends at the Office for Social Ministry
Talk Story of Hope
Lilian and Raul with their 5-year-old son Dylan. (Photo courtesy of CRS)
Guatemala
“We all need food to nourish us and keep us healthy. Without food, we find it hard to concentrate, study, do our work or even play. Jesus often shared meals with friends and even strangers, and he teaches us to be generous in sharing what we have to eat with others. All things are achieved when one sets out to do so.” (Raul Chanchavac, Guatemala)
It’s 5 a.m. in the village of Xequemeya, Guatemala, and Raul and Lilian Chanchavac are already starting their day. First, they thank God for all he has given them — their two sons, a field full of plants and a successful business. They certainly have a lot to be thankful for. It all started with a dream to flourish and to help others do the same.
“All things are achieved when one sets out to do so,” Raul says.
In their village, malnutrition is high, which is especially dangerous for children. The community also struggles with water scarcity, poor education, poverty and a changing climate. But Raul and Lilian believe all this can be overcome.
They started working toward change by growing tomatoes. They dedicated long hours in their field, but plant diseases and other problems destroyed their crops. They felt defeated and humiliated, Raul said. But they pushed onward.
Then Lilian heard about Catholic Relief Services’ SEGAMIL program and how they could receive agriculture training and nutrition education for their children. Raul and Lilian learned to manage and care for their crops. From there, they began growing their business, adding onions, chili peppers and oranges to their crops. Produce was plentiful, but they continued to struggle, this time with selling it at markets.
Still determined, they entered CRS’ Nuestra Cosecha program that helped them register with the government to begin selling their produce to 16 local schools. Soon, they hired family and community members to harvest and pack the food. Today, they are proud to be able to help others in their community — especially children.
“It helps them be stronger and to learn better … and to avoid malnutrition in our village,” Lilian says.
Today, Lilian and Raul are looking forward to the future.
Raul said, “Now that I am living a dream, other dreams come. Now, my dream is to expand the business so other people can benefit too.”
For more on this Story of Hope please visit crsricebowl.org/stories-of-hope/week-2.
