This year, Saint Mary’s Lenten Almsgiving Project will be Project Rice Bowl from Catholic Relief Services. For over 75 years, Catholic Relief Services has used its experience and technical abilities to help as many people as possible when disaster strikes. This year, the continued conflict in Ukraine and the disastrous earthquakes in Turkey and Syria have thousands of people in need.
On February 6, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake devastated large areas of central Turkey and northwest Syria. The death toll has surpassed 33,000 and continues to climb. The earthquake is the worst to strike Turkey this century. Later that day, the region experienced a second magnitude 7.7 quake. By giving to our Rice Bowl campaign, you will help CRS partners to provide safe shelter, and access to food, clean water and hygiene supplies.
Each Lent, through CRS Rice Bowl, families learn about how our sisters and brothers across the globe overcome hardships like hunger and malnutrition, and how through Lenten alms, we have the power to make the world a better place for all. The idea is for each family to have a simpler meal one day a week (Friday is obviously a good choice), and donate to help those in need. Please take a CRS Rice Bowl , which comes with a Lenten calendar with short reflections for each day of Lent. You’ll also find recipes for meatless meals from around the world and Stories of Hope from families that benefit from your donation to CRS Rice Bowl.
Catholic Relief Services is one of the most efficient organizations in the world. Ninety-two percent of the money they spend goes directly to programs that benefit the poor overseas. Additionally, they meet all 20 of the strict Charity Standards set by the Better Business Bureau’s charity rating arm, the Wise Giving Alliance, and they have an “A+” rating from CharityWatch.
Father Pat Mulcahy, Pastor
Pick up your rice bowls in the Narthex after mass to collect your change over the course of lent and return them to church on April 16th, Divine Mercy Sunday. OR Submit your donation to CRS using the envelope your will receive in your April envelope pack OR go to OSV Online giving and make an electronic donation: smip.org/ricebowl
