Encounter Lent.

We are called to build a culture of encounter.

Jesus made that clear from the way he lived, the message he preached. Pope Francis makes that clear by his own daily example. And we have a host of holy men and women who have come before us, who have gone to the margins of society so that every member of our human family might know the love of God.

Now, it’s our turn. With the spiritual pillars of Lent at our disposal, we set out on a 40-day journey, a journey of encounter with ourselves, our neighbors and our God.

• Through prayer, we encounter Christ, present in the faces of every member of our human family, so often still walking that long road to Calvary.
• Through fasting, we encounter our own obstacles, those things about ourselves that prevent us from loving God and neighbor.
• Through almsgiving, we encounter our brothers and sisters around the world, asking what we can give up so that others might have life to the fullest.

Lent is our time to encounter, to cultivate a spirit of global solidarity. CRS Rice Bowl is our tool, Catholic Relief Services‘ Lenten faith-in-action program for families and faith communities, a vehicle through which the stories of communities around the world can be shared, an invitation through which our prayers and Lenten sacrifices can change lives.

Through CRS Rice Bowl, we hear stories from our brothers and sisters in need worldwide, and devote our Lenten prayers, fasting and gifts to change the lives of the poor. Each day of Lent, individuals are invited to use the Lenten Calendar—included with every CRS Rice Bowl—to guide their Lenten almsgiving. These daily almsgiving activities—for example, give 25 cents for every faucet found in your home—help families reflect on the realities of our brothers and sisters around the world and how they can be in solidarity during the Lenten season.

Make it easy for CRS Rice Bowl to accompany you on your Lenten journey by downloading the app and setting a daily reminder to pray with it each day.

How will you contribute to the culture of encounter this Lent?
 

The Sixth Week of Lent - A Story of Hope from the Diocese of Honolulu

Global Solidarity

Catholic social teaching inspires and guides how we are to live and work in the world. In this principle, Global Solidarity, Jesus tells us to love our neighbors, even though they may be different than us. That means the neighbors who live next door and also those who live on the other side of the planet. Jesus reminds us that we are all part of God's great family.

Encounter Micaela

You are born with breadfruit, you grow up with breadfruit and you die with breadfruit. This popular saying from the Micronesian island of Chuuk, thousands of miles off the coast of Hawaii, captures the importance of this starchy fruit. It’s a staple both for the Chuukese living in Micronesia, and for people like Micaela, who were forced to migrate to Hawaii due to a changing climate and rising seas.

Though Micaela moved to Hawaii seeking a better life, she instead found a community of Chuukese struggling with hunger. Through the One ‘Ohana: Food and Housing for All program, Micaela organizes groups of women to learn farming techniques. Together, they gain the knowledge to plant breadfruit trees and feed their communities.

For Micaela, the project is a way to look to the future while remembering the past. “It’s been many years since I dug my hands in the ground. We are reconnecting back to our home, even though it’s not the soil from where we came from,” she says.

Read more...
 

The Fifth Week of Lent - A Story of Hope from Ethiopia

Care for God's Creation

Catholic social teaching inspires and guides how we are to live and work in the world. In this principle, Care for God's Creation, we remember that God created every plant, every mountaintop, every animal-everything. And God said that these things are good. We find God in these good things, and so we must take care of creation-both for ourselves and for all of our human family.

Encounter Dita

Dita, her husband and their seven children depend on the money they earn selling crops from their small farm in Ethiopia. But frequent droughts often mean that families like Dita’s who depend on home-grown crops go hungry. And amidst the current, historic drought, more than 10 million people are struggling with hunger. Read more...




 

The Fourth Week of Lent - A Story of Hope from Mexico

Call to Family, Community and Participation

Catholic social teaching inspires and guides how we are to live and work in the world. In this principle, Call to Family, Community and Participation, we remember that human beings are social by nature-we need each other. We, like the early disciples, are called to come together and grow as a community-whether that community is in our classroom, workplace or family.

Encounter Maria

Maria de la Luz Lugo Martínez remembers what it was like growing up in Ejido Hidalgo, Mexico. “We said we were rich because we had a lot of corn, beans and animals.” But now, with few jobs and even less rain, young people—including Maria’s children—are leaving the community in search of a better life. To help families like Maria’s, CRS launched a greenhouse project empowering women with meaningful work and community. Watch the video, below, for more.

The Third Week of Lent - A Story of Hope from El Salvador

Dignity of Work and Rights of Workers

Catholic social teaching inspires and guides how we are to live and work in the world. In this principle, Dignity of Work and Rights of Workers, we remember that Jesus spent years working as a carpenter. Work is important to help people live good lives, and so people must be paid a fair wage to provide for themselves and their families.

Encounter Fernando

Fernando dreams of becoming a businessman. He also dreams of a better future for his family, and this motivates him to sell cookbooks on San Salvador’s buses. It’s dangerous work for $10 a day—gangs frequently stop and harass drivers and passengers—but he keeps going, determined to achieve his dreams. Watch the video, below, about how he found YouthBuild, a six-month, CRS-sponsored program that trains young people in business. 

 

The Second Week of Lent - A Story of Hope from Zambia

Sacredness and Dignity of the Human Person

Catholic social teaching inspires and guides how we are to live and work in the world. In this principle, Sacredness and Dignity of the Human Person, we remember that, when God created us, he made us in his image and likeness. That means that every human being has a special value and purpose. We need to care for each other so that we can be the people God calls us to be.

Encounter Evelina

Evelina Banda, like generations of Zambians before her, used to survive on meals made from corn flour, usually a porridge called “nshima.” Unfortunately, nshima has very little nutritional value—and relying too heavily on it has led to high rates of malnutrition. Many in Zambia have full bellies, but little nourishment. Watch the video below for the rest of Evelina's story...