In a letter written to Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., and dated Oct. 30, Catholic Relief Services extended their appreciation to the faithful of the Trenton Diocese who contributed $12,245.21 to the Baltimore-based charity’s CRS Rice Bowl program.

“For 75 years, Catholic Relief Services has been providing expertise and compassion to the very poorest of our brothers and sisters in more than 100 countries,” wrote Sean L. Callahan, president and CEO of the Baltimore-based charity. “Your support strengthens our capacity to do lifesaving work where families face devastating odds.”

CRS Rice Bowl is a program of Lenten prayers, fasting and almsgiving. Participants journey through the 40 days of Lent with a collection of daily reflections and activities included in the CRS Rice Bowl calendar. The program originated in 1975 to ease famine in Africa in 1975, and grew from a small initiative in the Diocese of Allentown, Pa., to adoption by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops as a national program the following year. In 2018, nearly 14,000 Catholic parishes and schools across the United States participated in CRS Rice Bowl.

“Your gift will have a profound impact on Catholic Relief Services’ ability to rebuild livelihoods, restore hope and heal suffering beyond words for those in need,” Callahan’s letter continued. “On behalf of all of us at CRS and those who benefit from your compassionate generosity, I am grateful for your steadfast support to ensure that human dignity is upheld and that every person is respected and treated as a child of God.”