CRS Rice Bowl 2026

CRS Rice Bowl is the Lenten program of Catholic Relief Services, the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Through CRS Rice Bowl, faith communities in every diocese throughout the United States put their faith into action through prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

CRS Rice Bowl was started in 1975 by Catholics in Allentown, Pennsylvania who were looking for a way to help families experiencing drought and famine in the Sahel region in Africa. Participants fasted, ate simple meatless meals and donated the money they saved through these sacrifices.

This Lent, our community is joining more than 11,000 parishes and schools across the U.S. to continue putting our faith into action to help our sisters and brothers around the world.

You are invited to take home one of these Rice Bowls and place it on your family’s dinner table or in another place where you’ll see it every day. Then, incorporate the daily reflections and actions found in the Lenten calendar each day.

As you pray, please pray for people facing hunger around the world and here at home. 

As you fast, please remember those for whom fasting is not voluntary. 

As you prayerfully discern giving alms, please consider how your gifts will support the global work of the Church through CRS Rice Bowl, particularly at this moment when so many of our sisters and brothers are experiencing hunger and poverty.

For more information, please visit: www.crsricebowl.org