Almsgiving
The foundational call of Christians to charity is a frequent theme of the Gospels. During Lent, we are asked to focus more intently on "almsgiving," which means donating money or goods to the poor and performing other acts of charity. As one of the three pillars of Lenten practice, almsgiving is "a witness to fraternal charity" and "a work of justice pleasing to God." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2462).
There are several special opportunities for almsgiving through donations to Church ministries for which collections are conducted during the Lenten season including:- Collection for the Church in Central and Eastern Europe
- National Black and Indian Mission Collection
- Catholic Relief Services Collection
- Collection for the Holy Land
- CRS Rice Bowl
The USCCB Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development has a variety of Resources and Tools on the Church's social mission and the option for the poor, including an updated Poverty Tour.