Rice Bowl record set
By Kevin Reavey
Correspondent
EDISON — During the past Lenten season, 28 parishes participated in Operation Rice Bowl raising a diocesan record of $61,141. The 2006 effort beat the previous record set in 2003 in which 20 parishes raised $58,789.
Father Joseph J. Kerrigan, director of Catholic Relief director of Catholic Relief Services Metuchen, attributed this year’s success to several factors including: a luncheon that was held for non-participating pastors to encourage them to take part in the program; a greater knowledge for the development projects in Guatemala that this project helps fund; and a greater awareness of the help that is provided for local food pantries.
Twenty five percent of the money raised remains within the diocese to aid local food pantries. The remaining funds are used by Catholic Relief Services to help fund development projects overseas.
CRS Metuchen awarded $6,000 in Operation Rice Bowl grants to food programs within the local community on June 13. The Warren Food Pantry, operated by Catholic Charities Diocese of Metuchen, received $3,000. Sacred Heart Food Pantry, South Amboy; Sacred Heart/St. Vincent de Paul, New Brunswick; and Community House, Old Bridge, each received grants of $1,000. These grant winners and the top parish contributors will be recognized Sept. 29 at the annual Harvest of Hope Dinner.
A good cause
Our Lady of Mount Virgin Parish, Middlesex, was one of the top five Operation Rice Bowl contributors in the diocese. Father Patrick Kuffner, pastor, said they made a conscious effort this year to get more families in the parish involved. In past years the parish had minimal participation; only the school or the religious education program took advantage of the opportunity. His goal this year was “to educate the parish,
especially the young parishioners, about the need of Third World countries.”
As a seminarian, Father Kuffner worked with CRS in Cambodia where he saw poverty and hunger first hand. He feels that this experience has helped him to educate people about the Rice Bowl philosophy. “The youth need a sense of sharing and understanding” he said.
Father Kuffner believes that the coordinated effort of all parish ministries made a big difference. He hopes the awareness of CRS and Operation Rice Bowl will continue to grow and that Our Lady of Mount Virgin’s contribution doubles next year.
Immaculate Conception Parish, Spotswood, participated in the program for the first time in several years and raised $1,488. Msgr. Joseph M. Curry gave credit to Father John F. Primich, who headed the parish’s effort.
Msgr. Curry believes that, when asked, Catholics are very generous people. “The parish was still receiving contributions well after the program was over,” he said. What is necessary is to educate people about how they can help and where the help is needed.
It’s a start
Father Kerrigan called the record breaking numbers of this year’s Operation Rice Bowl “a great start.” However, with only 28 of the diocese’s 108 parishes participating, he feels there is much room to grow. He hopes this year’s success will build momentum to gain more participation in the years to come. “What are these parishes doing during Lent?” he asked.
He plans to target more non-participating parishes and follow up with current parish contributors to maintain and surpass this Lent’s success. Greater parish involvement will result in greater help that can be given to the local community as well as abroad.
For more information, visit the CRS website.
Operation Rice Bowl’s Top Five Contributors
Diocese of Metuchen
| St. Helena, Edison | $15,548 |
| Nativity of Our Lord, Monroe Township | $8,916 |
| St. Bartholomew, East Brunswick | $6,700 |
| Sacred Heart, New Brunswick | $4,000 |
| Our Lady of Mount Virgin, Middlesex | $3,441 |
| Source: Catholic Relief Services Metuchen |
*The attached/referenced article was originally published in The Catholic Spirit, the official newspaper of the Diocese of Metuchen, and is protected under U.S. and international copyright law