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The Final Week of Rice Bowl’s Lenten Program

April 3, 2023

From the Office for Social Ministry

The 40 days we spend praying and doing penance help us prepare to celebrate some of the Church’s greatest feast days: Holy Week leading up to Easter Sunday. Jesus had to go through his passion and death before he could rise. Our sacrifices enable us to experience—in a small way—Christ’s suffering, and they lead us to the joy and wonder of his resurrection.

Over the last few weeks, through the Rice Bowl Stories of Hope, we’ve learned how people in Honduras, the Philippines and Kenya made sacrifices so their families and communities can thrive.

In Honduras, Rony fixed his reservoir and installed a low-cost system to water his fields. Although this work took time and effort, Rony’s hard work allowed him to provide nourishing food for his family and community

In the Philippines, Raul and Rhodora changed their jobs to ensure their granddaughters can be healthy and finish school. It was challenging for them to learn a new and different type of work—raising fish—but it was worth it to help support their granddaughters.

In Kenya, Rebecca learned how to use a new water system and different ways to farm. She also taught others in her community to use these new techniques. Rebecca spent time learning and teaching, but her sacrifice is now benefiting her family and entire community. 

The CRS Rice Bowl 2023 calls us to ask ourselves: How are we doing with our Lenten resolutions? How are our prayer, fasting and almsgiving going? Let us reflect on our Lenten journey and what we would like to accomplish or do differently during the final week of Lent to prepare for Easter.

Please remember and remind others to bring the results of your Lenten practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving in your Rice Bowls to your parish to be counted together with all the local Hawaii contributions. For more information on CRS Rice Bowl, please visit the website www.crsricebowl.org. Mahalo.