More than 130 parishes, schools, a university and a religious order in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati are participating in the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Rise Bowl program during Lent this year.

The program, according to archdiocesan CRS Director Pam Long, previously known as Operation Rice Bowl, has been renamed CRS Rice Bowl in order to help people become more aware of CRS as their hearts and hands in action in more than 100 countries worldwide. Every year, the Catholic community in the United States, through Catholic Relief Services, assists more than 100 million of the world’s poorest people. CRS is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States.

“For Lent, For Life: What you give up for Lent Changes Lives,” the theme of this year’s program, offers Catholics Year of Faith activities. Pope Benedict XVI has declared the Year of Faith as an intentional time for Catholics to deepen our faith in Christ. New and engaging activities for families, individuals and classes can help bring Lenten spirituality to life while providing participants an opportunity to make an important difference in the lives of people in need both in the United Sates and around the world.

“In light of this time of spiritual renewal,” Long said, “CRS invites all Catholics to animate their Lenten season through CRS Rice Bowl. This faith formation program highlights the beauty of the Lenten trio: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving,” she said.

CRS Rice Bowl is a way to get people excited about their Catholic faith, and about helping people in need around the world. Through this Lenten program, Catholics: pray together; give things up or fast, in solidarity with those who hunger; learn about the global community, hunger and poverty around the world; convert their sacrifices into gifts for those in need.

Twenty-five percent of the gifts collected for CRS Rice Bowl remain in the archdiocese to alleviate hunger and poverty.