Reverend Larry Silva, Bishop | Diocese of Honolulu

Pope Francis, while recovering from a serious illness in the hospital, has issued a global Lenten message urging reflection on how to assist the most vulnerable. He draws a parallel between the 40 days of Lent and the Israelites' 40 years in the desert seeking the Promised Land. The pope emphasizes that as "fellow pilgrims in this life, we are called to conversion and to learn from one another’s trials by walking together in hope."

He stresses that Lent is a communal journey requiring solidarity so that no one is left behind. Pope Francis encourages participation in initiatives like the Rice Bowl campaign organized by Catholic Relief Services (CRS), which is part of Caritas Internationalis—a network of 162 Catholic relief organizations active in over 200 countries.

Caritas Internationalis recently condemned significant reductions in international development aid by some wealthy nations, warning these cutbacks could exacerbate hunger, war, and poverty. A letter from Caritas leaders highlights their concern about these developments.

Amina Bukar from Nigeria is among those affected by extreme hunger impacting over 25 million people there. After fleeing violence with her family and losing everything, she received support through CRS Rice Bowl to rebuild her life. Now she helps other mothers and caregivers nourish their families.

For more stories related to CRS's efforts during Lent, visit www.crsricebowl.org or https://officeforsocialministry.org/crs-rice-bowl-lent-2025-week-1/.