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La Parroquia de San Carlos Borromeo

Operation Rice Bowl Questions and Answers

 Operation Rice Bowl, Catholic Relief Services
What is Operation Rice Bowl?
Operation Rice Bowl is the official Lenten Program of Catholic Relief Services. The program asks participants to eat simpler meals during Lent and donate the money they save to Operation Rice Bowl. 75% of the funds collected go to CRS’s work overseas, and 25% stay in the Diocese. It began in 1975 in the Diocese of Allentown, PA. Since then, Operation Rice Bowl has called participants to pray with their families, fast in solidarity with those in need, learn about our global community, and give to those in need.

How do I participate?
Participation in Rice Bowl is fairly simple. Pick up a Rice Bowl after one of the masses or at one of the Lenten Soup Suppers. During your Lenten fasting place the money you save from what you have sacrificed or saved on eating a simple Friday meal in the bowl. After Lent, count the money you have saved. An envelope comes with your Rice Bowls; please use it to hold a check (made payable to "St. Charles Church" with "Rice Bowl" on the memo line) for the amount you’ve saved. Place the envelope in the collection basket during Mass, or drop it off at the church office no later than 1 week after Easter Sunday. Please, do not give us coins. We do not have the number of workers needed to count all the coins we usually receive, and the coin counters at grocery stores or the bank charge seven percent. We would much rather save that money and give it to those in need.

Where does the money go?
75% of the money raised by Operation Rice Bowl goes to fund the works of Catholic Relief Services, and 25% stays in the Diocese. Because we are such an active parish, St. Charles is allowed to keep the 25% that would usually go to the Diocese, and instead it goes to one of our global solidarity ministries. This year the Rice Bowl funds are going to our Africa Outreach Ministry.

Catholic Relief Services chooses different projects each year to receive Operation Rice Bowl support. In 2007 Operation Rice Bowl is funding 5 different projects. Your donations will go to development projects helping small business owners in Mexico, community based schools in Pakistan, a polio vaccination campaign in Angola, farming assistance in Cambodia, and water development projects in Niger.

Where can I find more information?
If you would like more information about Rice Bowl, including a Lenten calendar and recipes for simple Lenten meals, you can go to the Catholic Relief Services website. For more information about St. Charles’ participation in Operation Rice Bowl, call Marisa Vertrees, (703) 527-5500, ext. 126, or e-mail at mvertrees@stcharleschurch.org.

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Related link: Lent at St. Charles
Last modified: 03 March 2008
St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church
3304 Washington Blvd, Arlington, VA 22201, USA
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