Operation Rice Bowl: 50 Years of Feeding the Hungry and Uniting the Church in the Season of Lent

I would like to thank our friends at the Jesuitical Podcast for reminding me that this Lenten Season, in addition to being part of the Jubilee of Hope, also marks the 50th anniversary of Operation Rice Bowl, a program sponsored by Catholic Relief Services (CRS).

The CRS website states:

Fifty years ago, Catholics in Allentown, Pennsylvania, organized to bring help to families facing famine in Africa. That help came in the form of a small cardboard box, marking the beginning of “Operation Rice Bowl.” Today, as we celebrate CRS Rice Bowl’s 50th anniversary, the program is a tradition for millions of Catholics in the United States who continue to answer the Gospel call, supporting families experiencing hunger around the world. www.ricebowl.org