CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES (CRS) is the official organization of the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB) for serving those in need overseas.
The CRS Club at Santa Margarita Catholic High School has been operating for about three years and is accomplishing great things.
The purpose of this article is to introduce and highlight CRS’s work, political advocacy and hope for growth.
WHAT DOES CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES DO?
Overcoming world hunger is one of CRS’s key goals. As Pope Francis highlighted on World Food Day 2021, “Overcoming hunger is one of humanity’s greatest challenges.”
This is why CRS pursues a multi-sectoral approach to tackling hunger and malnutrition. Additionally, CRS continues to expand its global footprint, touching the lives of more than 140 million people in need across 115 countries worldwide in 2020.
I originally thought that education about people’s needs in other countries and giving money for Rice Bowl was mostly what CRS did. While those are central ways of participating, I found its scope of work to be so much more.
A huge emphasis of CRS is inspiring and equipping high school and university students to engage in advocacy. We all understand the need for relief services for those suffering from war or natural disaster.
However, what is even more challenging is to build long term local solutions to hunger, food insecurity and poverty. I have heard firsthand conversations between CRS representatives and local farmers, ranchers, educators and program managers. CRS is making the world more just by helping people create solutions to food insecurity, education attendance and climate change.
About a year after we started our club, I found myself at lunch with Congresswoman Young Kim when she visited the community. I was asked by CRS to represent its advocacy for the Farm Bill. While the great majority of the Farm Bill – up for renewal every five years – is about domestic policies, CRS advocates for the Title III portion of the Bill which funds programs aimed at assisting people experiencing hunger and poverty around the world to develop long term solutions.
HIGH SCHOOL HISTORY: CRS AT CORNELIA CONNELLY
Before coming to Santa Margarita Catholic High School, the only Catholic High School to work with CRS that I could find in research, was Cornelia Connelly, an all-girls school which is now closed. Bishop Vann was a hearty proponent of CRS Rice Bowls there, which is the Lenten Alms program.
SMCHS CRS CLUB – RICE BOWL INTERNATIONAL AND LOCAL NEEDS PLUS ADVOCACY
For the last 50 years, CRS has asked Catholics in the United States to give Lenten Alms to support people and programs in different countries. Starting in November 2021, our CRS Club gathered 10 to 15 core student leaders to bring CRS Rice Bowl to SMCHS. This past Lenten season, the countries supported were El Salvador, Uganda and Indonesia. Theology classes asked students for alms which the CRS Club collected, counted and deposited with the school. Over the past three years, SMCHS has given $10,436 in Lenten Alms. Also, every year CRS returns 25% of the alms to the Diocese for people locally in need. This year, our alms resulted in $500 being given to San Francisco Solano Catholic Church for its food pantry.
Our Club also had the honor of visiting with Congresswoman Young Kim on-line in May of 2023 and then in person on our campus in January 2024 to discuss the United States Farm Bill and an alternate Bill called American Farmers Feed the World. Our advocacy with CRS supports Title III parts of the Farm Bill and opposes AFFW, because “that could make Food for Peace long-term development programs inoperable and could reach 2.3 million fewer people with support.” (CRS)
Students from Mock United Nations and club leaders joined in the discussion with the Congresswoman. Our club has also led Fair Trade Fridays several times at school. We purchase free trade hot chocolate and give it out free. Our educational hope is to promote fair trade practices.
FOR THE FUTURE
Building Lenten Alms through CRS Rice Bowl and advocacy for legislation such as the Farm Bill is what we hope to do. Personally, I think it’s a matter of calling. Which students feel called to learn about and engage in changing the world for the better?
Will you join in supporting CRS by Lenten Alms to Rice Bowl? We Catholics speak enthusiastically about solidarity with the poor and subsidiarity (local solutions to local problems) as guiding principles of justice. If we do join in supporting CRS for its international work, we will put both into action.