Ash Wednesday, February 22 8:30 AM at St. Michael, Greensboro Bend 6:30 PM at St. Norbert, Hardwick ALMSGIVING COLLECTION There will be a special collection on Ash Wednesday to support Vermont Catholic Charities. This agency provides financial and emotional support to individuals and families throughout Vermont through the programs offered which include Counseling, Emergency Aid, Prison Ministry, and Residential Care Homes. The work that you will support will help transform people’s lives. Please know that every gift makes a difference. DONATE GUIDELINES FOR LENT Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are the most important penitential days of the liturgical year. They are days of both fast and abstinence. All Fridays in Lent are days of abstinence. The rule of fasting states that only one full meal a day can be taken. Two small meals sufficient to maintain strength, are allowed, but together they should not equal another full meal. Eating between meals breaks the fast, but drinking liquids does not. The rule of fasting obliges all Catholics from 18 to 59. Abstinence refers to not eating meat on Fridays. The rule of abstinence binds all Catholics 14 years or older. CRS Rice Bowl The CRS Rice Bowl is the Lenten program of Catholic Relief Services, the official relief and development agency of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Through CRS Rice Bowl, faith communities in dioceses throughout the U.S. put their faith into action through prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Lenten alms donated through CRS Rice Bowl support the work of CRS in more than 100 different countries each year. Twenty-five percent of donations to CRS Rice Bowl stay in the local diocese, supporting hunger and poverty alleviation efforts. Since its inception in 1975, CRS Rice Bowl has raised more than $320 million dollars. You may pick up your family’s Rice Bowl in the back of the church today.