Catholic Relief Services' Rice Bowl is faith formation program

“Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40).

Last year was one of many sacrifices; it is hard to think that we will soon enter a season of intentional sacrifice, Lent. A season that challenges us to allow our pain and struggle to guide us toward a deeper spirituality. Pope Francis’ recently released encyclical, Fratelli tutti, calls us to a particular spirituality, one which acknowledges that everyone in this world is my brother or sister deserving of a life of dignity. A spirituality that sheds its light on those most vulnerable, marginalized and discriminated against. Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) Rice Bowl, the Lenten faith formation program of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, is the perfect tool to guide us through a process to reach this spirituality during Lent 2021.

CRS Rice Bowl gives us everything we need, in one tiny cardboard box (and an accompanying website), to pray, learn and make a difference. This year, the program centers its daily prayers and reflections on the Gospel of Matthew 25:40: “ Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” The CRS Rice Bowl website then takes us a step further with a weekly opportunity to connect our prayers to concrete examples of Catholic social teaching exemplified through stories of families from Madagascar, El Salvador and Timor-Leste. These are stories of resiliency and triumph, not heartbreak. We may see people who look different from us, eat different food, live in different homes, or work different jobs, but we will also most certainly see ourselves and the light of Christ present in others. With age-appropriate activities, lessons, videos and meatless recipes, children and adults alike will have the opportunity to learn something new about the transformational power of our faith. 

As Pope Francis repeatedly reminds us, our prayers and faith-formation should stir us to take action on behalf of our universal family. This Lent that may look like choosing to give up your daily cup of coffee and giving those few dollars to CRS Rice Bowl instead, where 75 percent of the funds go directly to CRS programs that serve the poor and vulnerable in other countries. The remaining 25 percent of the funds stay in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux to assist our various parish social ministries that serve those in need here. In South Louisiana we often feel like we haven’t done any meaningful action if there isn’t sweat dripping down our backs afterward. However, we should never underestimate the fact that simply donating money can be truly lifesaving. CRS works in over 100 countries. Parish social ministries exist throughout the diocese. Our donations allow us to reach places we will likely never physically go ourselves, especially this year, when it is safest to stay at home. Our donations allow those in need, many of whom are recovering from disasters, to create a life for themselves, one that is beautiful and acceptable to them.

Bishop Shelton J. Fabre sits on the board of CRS and can attest to the countless examples of lives transformed by the funds collected through CRS Rice Bowl.

Today, I will give you an example. Over the years, CRS Rice Bowl has provided U.S. Catholics with inspiring stories from around the world that exemplify elements of Catholic social teaching. Many of these stories have involved the Food for Education program, which allows CRS to provide school lunches for children. Pictured above is seven-year-old Paulina Alicia Chan Sacche eating her CRS lunch at a rural school in Guatemala. With funds from Catholic donors and grants from the U.S. government, CRS provides the school with basic food commodities and the local community provides supplemental ingredients to make the meal more nutritious and delicious, typically parents or grandparents of children in the school then cook and serve the meals. CRS and local partners make the most of increased school attendance and more attentive minds by pairing the school feeding program with activities to improve reading and writing skills.
But we must wonder, what happened to all these school lunch programs when COVID-19 hit? Schools around the U.S. closed down in the spring, and we were left to scramble to find solutions to carry our children through the rest of the school year, and the same thing happened elsewhere. When Paulina’s school, and countless others around the world, closed, CRS stepped in to ensure that children still had access to food and education. Funds from CRS Rice Bowl were essential in allowing CRS the flexibility to quickly adapt and provide immediate and effective solutions. Below is an image of a COVID-19 food ration distribution at a school in Guatemala, many schools also distributed take-home workbooks so that children could continue their studies.

While CRS programs look different this year, and our lives here certainly look different, too, we must remember that our global family needs to support one another now more than ever. The Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux has participated in CRS Rice Bowl for decades. However, given the COVID-19 context, that participation will likely look different for many parishes, schools and families this year. CRS, like all of its programs, has intentionally adapted Rice Bowl to fit our COVID-19 needs. For example, there is now a DIY label that families can print out at home rather than pick up a physical Rice Bowl at church/school. There will be national virtual events to engage Catholics throughout Lent – such as a meatless cooking class. All the tools to dig deeper into our spirituality are available online as digital resources—such as a virtual Stations of the Cross. And of course, donations can be made online – just be sure to indicate which school or church you are associated with.

Talk to your parish or school secretary about how they would like you to pick up, participate in, and return your CRS Rice Bowl this year. Check out www.crsricebowl.org to see everything available to your parish, your classroom or your family!

(Amélie Desormeaux is the community engagement manager for Catholic Relief Services, Southeast Region.)