Bulletin Announcements 1

Place these Bulletin Announcements in your weekly bulletin or newsletter and on your website or Facebook page to keep participants informed about how their participation in CRS Rice Bowl is making a difference in the lives of the poor. Bulletin Announcements can also help you remind participants when to pick up and return their Rice Bowls.

Sunday before Ash Wednesday Youre invited to participate in CRS Rice Bowl! Our parish will be participating in CRS Rice Bowl, Catholic Relief Services Lenten program, as a way to encounter Jesus through others, especially through the most vulnerable in our world. Rice Bowls will be available on [DATE]. Please be sure to take one home and use the easy and fun resources to deepen your familys Lenten experience. Your prayers, fasting and almsgiving this Lenten season will help Catholic Relief Services continue to provide life-saving assistance in nearly 100 countries. CRS works on our behalf to care for the poorest in our world and to end global poverty.

Third Week of Lent Helping Children in Lesotho This week we focus our prayers, fasting and almsgiving on Lesotho, where many children lack access to quality education. Only 73% of primary school-age children in Lesotho are enrolled in school. Give to your Rice Bowl this week to support communities working with CRS to provide educational opportunities for children.

First Week of Lent Growing Food in Burkina Faso In the small West African nation of Burkina Faso, 80% of the population are farmers. Frequent droughts make it difficult to produce enough food for the entire year. Often, farmers can only grow enough to feed their families for seven months. The rest of the year is called the hungry season. This week, we pray for families in Burkina Faso and give to CRS Rice Bowl to help small-scale farmers.

Fourth Week of Lent Fostering Community Banking in the Dominican Republic CRS Rice Bowl invites us to learn about the Dominican Republic this week, where CRS helps women form savings and lending communities that help them save money and access small loans for new businesses. Pray for these women who have the courage to start their own businesses, and make a contribution to your Rice Bowl to support people working to provide a better livelihood for their families.

Second Week of Lent Getting Healthy in East Timor CRS Rice Bowl invites us to learn about East Timor this week, where tuberculosis is a major health crisis. CRS works in communities where access to medical care is limited. This week, we pray for families in East Timor and give to CRS Rice Bowl to help people who are struggling with illness.

Fifth Week of Lent Drinking Clean Water in Pakistan This week we focus our prayers, fasting and almsgiving on Pakistan, where poor communities often do not have access to clean water. CRS helps communities build water pumps so they can have clean water nearby for use at home and on their farms. This week, consider fasting from all beverages except for water, and donate what you saved to your Rice Bowl.

2012 Catholic Relief Services. All Rights Reserved.

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CRS Rice Bowl.org

Bulletin Announcements 2

Place these Bulletin Announcements in your weekly bulletin or newsletter and on your website or facebook page to keep participants informed about how their participation in CRS Rice Bowl is making a difference in the lives of the poor. Bulletin Announcements can also help you remind participants when to pick up and return their Rice Bowls.

Palm Sunday Assisting our Neighbors 25% of contributions to CRS Rice Bowl remain in our diocese, helping to support local poverty and hunger alleviation programs. [CONTACT YOUR CRS DIOCESAN DIRECTOR TO

LEARN HOW THE 25% IS USED IN YOUR DIOCESE. INSERT INFORMATION HERE.]

This week, we pray for people in our own community who struggle with poverty and hunger. Give to your Rice Bowl to support programs that help the poor in our own community, as well as in communities around the world.

CRS Rice Bowl Collection Announcement #1 Thank you for participating in CRS Rice Bowl! Our parish helped make a difference in the lives of millions of people around the world suffering from poverty and hunger. To ensure that our donations will be put to use as soon as possible, please return your Rice Bowl by [DATE]. Please count the money in your Rice Bowls and make a check payable to [PARISH/SCHOOL NAME]. Please write CRS Rice Bowl in the memo line of the check. Your contributions can be placed in [LOCATION]. Thank you for your generous support.

Easter Sunday Alleluia! During the past six weeks, our parish community has prayed, fasted and given alms with a special focus on the poorest members of our global community. Our lives were touched by stories from Burkina Faso, East Timor, Lesotho, Dominican Republic, Pakistan and the United States. Through our Lenten prayers and donations, we have touched the lives of millions of people served by Catholic Relief Services, our representative to the poorest communities in the world. Please return your Rice Bowl [PROVIDE INSTRUCTIONS]. Thank you for your generosity.

CRS Rice Bowl Collection Announcement #2 Thank you for your generosity through CRS Rice Bowl this year! Our parish raised $[TOTAL] for Catholic Relief Services. Your participation in CRS Rice Bowl will continue to make a difference in the lives of those in need throughout the entire year. If you have not yet returned your contribution, you may still do so by [INSERT INSTRUCTIONS]. Thank you to all who have already returned your gifts.

2012 Catholic Relief Services. All Rights Reserved.

US12132

CRS Rice Bowl.org

Photo by Philip Laubner/CRS