Archdiocese of Philadelphia Launches 48th Annual Rice Bowl in Conjunction with Catholic Relief Services
This year, Rice Bowl will officially begin on Ash Wednesday (February 22) and conclude on Holy Saturday (April 8).
Last week at the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia kicked off its 48th annual Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) Rice Bowl initiative. Rice Bowl is a nationwide Lenten program providing people of all ages with a way to put their faith into action through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
Most Reverend John J. McIntyre, Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia, presided over this year’s blessing of the cardboard Rice Bowl containers.
In addition to the blessing, Ms. Anne H. Ayella, CRS Diocesan Director and Sister Maggie Gannon, OSF, Director of Access Community Center, delivered remarks. Access Community Center is a community center serving the City of Chester with an active food cupboard supported by Nutritional Development Services (NDS), an agency of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. It benefits in part from Rice Bowl contributions illustrating how Rice Bowl reaches those in need locally and globally.
“Rice Bowl has a profound effect on our global brothers and sisters. What we do here in the Greater Philadelphia Area impacts people all around the world,” said Anne Ayella.
In 2022, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s raised over $370,000 through Rice Bowl. Approximately seventy-five percent of those funds, or $280,921.81, supported CRS’ humanitarian response and development programs in nearly 100 countries where it operates. The remaining twenty-five percent of the funds, or $93,640.61 went to NDS supporting hunger and poverty alleviation efforts through its network of 50 food cupboards throughout the Greater Philadelphia region.
“Because of NDS’ faithful goodness to us since day one, we have food to give to those in need. Never have our cupboards been bare because of NDS,” said Sister Maggie.
For additional information and resources for CRS Rice Bowl, please visit https://archphila.org/crsricebowl/.
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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/.
For pictures from Friday’s event for publication purposes, please contact the Office for Communications at [email protected].
Contact: Katie Rogers
Communications Assistant
215-587-3747 (office)