We are called to love our neighbor.
But, like the scholar in the scripture passage, we may find ourselves asking, “Who is my neighbor?” This Lent, CRS Rice Bowl—Catholic Relief Services’ Lenten faith-in-action program—will help us answer that question.
We are invited to reflect on how an encounter with our neighbor can be transformative. We will see how our prayers, fasting and alms can support those worldwide who are forced to flee their homes to find safety or better opportunities. We will learn what it means to be companions on the journey.
CRS Rice Bowl makes it easy for educators to integrate Lenten spirituality and Catholic social teaching into their classrooms. And most importantly, it gives educators tools and tips for bringing Lenten spirituality into the home – where the foundation for a lifetime of faith begins.
We hope you will use CRS Rice Bowl this Lent! Here are some easy ways to get started:
1.
Visit
crsricebowl.org/schools
to find all the Lenten resources available for Catholic school teachers and parish religious educators, including lesson plans and activity sheets.
2. Order FREE English or Spanish materials online (
crsricebowl.org/order
) or by calling 1-800-222-0025.
- Order CRS Rice Bowls (one per student) – these cardboard bowls are used to collect each family’s Lenten alms. Each CRS Rice Bowl comes with a Lenten calendar with a reflection for each day of Lent that families can do together.
- Order CRS Rice Bowl Educator’s Guides – these guides are for teachers/religious educators who would like to bring Lenten spirituality or Catholic social teaching into their 1st-8th grade classrooms.
3. Plan a CRS Rice Bowl Kickoff Event to distribute CRS Rice Bowls to students and prayerfully begin Lent. You can use the Prayer Service to Begin Lent (found in the Educator’s Guide) as a template.
Thank you for considering inviting CRS Rice Bowl to be a part of your students’ faith journey this Lent!
Eric Weydt
Catholic Social Justice Coordinator
