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To: Priests, Deacons and Catholic School Principals
From: The Most Reverend Joel M. Konzen, S.M.
Dear Friends in Christ,
I am finding out just how many Catholic organizations there are in the United States through the stacks of mail and periodicals that arrive daily on my desk. One, though, is a very familiar name, Catholic Relief Services. This Lent, CRS Rice Bowl – Catholic Relief Services’ Lenten faith-in-action program – provides an opportunity for us to connect with a host of good people whose needs are significant, day in and day out.
Among the resources that CRS Rice Bowl provides to bring Lenten spirituality to life for families and parish and school communities, this year there is a unique opportunity to assist with the global migration campaign, Share the Journey, launched by Pope Francis and the Church in 2017. Through stories, videos and lesson plans, you can include migrants and refugees in your Lenten prayers, and we can demonstrate solidarity with families who have suffered much as we fast from food and other activities.
I am inviting you to order a CRS Rice Bowl and Lenten Calendar for each family in your community. These materials are available in both English and Spanish and are free of charge. You may also visit crsricebowl.org or crsplatodearroz.org to find additional resources, including:
• Lenten devotions and prayers
• Lesson plans, videos and activity sheets for Catholic school teachers and religious educators
• Ideas for community gatherings and simple Lenten meal events
• A Lenten app that delivers prayers and resources directly to your mobile device
Thank you for inviting families in your faith community to an enriched Lenten journey through CRS Rice Bowl. It is one way that we can accompany all of those whom Jesus would have us claim as our neighbors and fellow travelers.