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Annual Lenten Program Begins Ash Wednesday

February 22, 2022

From the Office for Social Ministry

March 2, 2022 marks Ash Wednesday, the official start to the Lenten Season. It’s also a time when Catholic Relief Services kicks off its annual CRS Rice Bowl campaign to raise funds for humanitarian efforts around the world. This year, CRS Rice Bowl will share Stories of Hope from families in Guatemala, Bangladesh and Rwanda. Parishes are encouraged to distribute Rice Bowls to every family. By bringing Lent to Life at home, you’re taking the opportunity to grow closer to God while staying connected with those in need through traditional Lenten practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. While donations help make a difference for families in distant lands, 25% of funds also remain in our local diocese to help feed the hungry here in the islands. For more resources to support family time during Lent, go to: https://www.crsricebowl.org/families

CRS Rice Bowl has also prepared weekly lessons and activities for school children experience Lent in meaningful ways. The lessons are prepared for three separate groupings: grades 1-3, grades 4-6 and grades 7 and 8. To download lessons for each of the grade levels by week, go to: https://www.crsricebowl.org/1-8. Youth Ministry high schoolers will also have an age-appropriate study session where they will learn more about Food Security and Catholic Social Teaching. CRS Rice Bowl offers resources for each of the 40 days of Lent. Our prayer intentions integrate CRS Rice Bowl themes into weekly liturgies. For more help in navigating the Rice Bowl resource pages or for additional Rice Bowls, contact the Office for Social Ministry at itamashiro@rcchawaii.org.

As we approach the final Sunday before Lent, we invite all parishes to share the following announcement in their bulletin, website, or from the pulpit:

LENT IS COMING!

Join our faith community—and more than 14,000 Catholic communities across the United States—in a transformative Lenten journey with CRS Rice Bowl. Pick up your family’s CRS Rice Bowl and Lenten calendar after Mass on Ash Wednesday, March 2, 2022. During the 40 days of Lent, we will reflect on global hunger and take action to help our sisters and brothers impacted by this injustice.