Archdiocese of Philadelphia to Kick Off 45th Annual Rice Bowl Initiative

Rice Bowl is a Lenten almsgiving program of Catholic Relief Services, the official relief and development agency of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

For the 45th consecutive year, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia will kick-off Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) Rice Bowl, the nationwide Lenten program that provides people of all ages with ways to put their faith into action through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

Friday, February 21, 2020
11:00 a.m.
Our Lady of Hope Food Pantry (Rectory Basement)
5200 North Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19141

Most Reverend John J. McIntyre, Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia, will preside over this year’s Rice Bowl blessing and kick-off. In addition, Ms. Anne H. Ayella, CRS Diocesan Director, and Ms. Maureen McCullough, CRS Regional Director and Ms. Ella Guimond, CRS Relationship Manager will be joined by Mr. James Amato, Secretary for Catholic Human Services, and Ms. Lizanne Hagedorn, Executive Director of Nutritional Development Services, in offering remarks regarding Rice Bowl’s impact locally and globally.

Through CRS Rice Bowl, participants are invited to devote their Lenten prayers, fasting and alms to change the lives of those who suffer in poverty. Lenten alms donated through CRS Rice Bowl support the humanitarian response and development programs of CRS in nearly 100 different countries each year. Twenty-five percent of all donations to CRS Rice Bowl benefit Nutritional Development Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia (NDS) supporting hunger and poverty alleviation efforts locally.

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Editor’s Note: Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic Community in the United States. It is dedicated to improving the lives of poor and vulnerable families through humanitarian programs and services. For more information on CRS’ Rice Bowl please visit http://www.crsricebowl.org/.