Although the word almsgiving does not come up much in regular conversation, Catholics hear it plenty during Lent since it is one of the three pillars of the church's Lenten practices along with prayer and fasting.
Although the three practices work together, almsgiving can sometimes get the short shrift because people might be more apt to pray and fast -- in private or at church -- than they might reach out to those in need.
The church defines almsgiving as donating money or goods to the poor and performing other acts of charity. The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes it as "a witness to fraternal charity" and "a work of justice pleasing to God."
There is plenty of biblical support for this practice in both the Old and New Testaments. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus urged his disciples not to brag about helping others saying: "When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others."
An Old Testament passage puts almsgiving at the top of the Lenten practices: "Prayer with fasting is good. Almsgiving with righteousness is better than wealth with wickedness. It is better to give alms than to store up gold, for almsgiving saves from death, and purges all sin. Those who give alms will enjoy a full life" (Tobit 12:8-9).
Father John Riccardo, pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Plymouth, Michigan, takes the Bible passage at its word, saying: "I always think almsgiving atones for a multitude of sins."
"It's a simple way to respond. God's been generous to me; clearly I can do this with the poor," he told Catholic News Service March 1.
The priest, who hosts the radio program "Christ is the Answer" for Ave Maria Radio, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, said a good way to tie in almsgiving to fasting is by putting aside the money one might spend on a purchase not bought during Lent and give it to the poor.
Another idea, he said, is to make a conscious effort not to dodge those on the street looking for money but to pray that they will be put in your path and then be generous with them not only with money but by taking the time to look at them, ask them what their name is and tell them you will pray for them.
"Simple things like that are astounding, because they don't often hear their names," he said, stressing that Catholics should use the time of Lent to "be on the lookout for opportunities to be generous with the poor."
Paulist Father Larry Rice, director of the University Catholic Center at the University of Texas at Austin, says he encourages almsgiving with Catholic Relief Services' annual Rice Bowl program for Lent. College students don't use the Rice Bowl's cardboard box of old, which is still used in parishes around the country, but are more likely to use program's app which takes online donations because they "never carry cash," the priest said.
The Rice Bowl, now in its 42nd year, has been a Lenten staple to raise awareness about hunger and funds to combat hunger and poverty. Last year, more than 13,000 faith communities participated in the annual collection.
In a Lenten message posted on Ascension Presents website, Father Mike Schmitz, director of youth and young adult ministry for the Diocese of Duluth, Minnesota, stressed that donations to the CRS Rice Bowl should be more than spare change. Donations shouldn't be "leftovers," but cash, he said.
He also said almsgiving could take on forms other than just monetary donations and could even involve writing a note to someone different each day of Lent.
What's key, he said, is that almsgiving is "not about us" but about others.
— Carol Zimmermann, Catholic News Service
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Many people looking at their February calendars are doing a double-take with Ash Wednesday falling on Feb. 14, Valentine's Day.
The two days, steeped in tradition, don't have too much in common beyond their religious roots. Valentine's Day, named after St. Valentine, a third-century martyr, is all about romance with its emphasis on cards, candy, flowers and nice dinners, where Ash Wednesday takes a more somber tone as the start of 40 days of prayer, fasting and almsgiving of Lent.
Ash Wednesday also is one of two days, along with Good Friday, that are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholic adults -- meaning no eating meat and eating only one full meal and two smaller meals. In other words, not a day for consuming candy hearts, chocolate cakes or fancy steak dinners.
And for those who wonder if Catholic bishops might grant a dispensation from the day's fasting requirements, as they sometimes have with the no meat rule when St. Patrick's Day falls on a Friday in Lent, they should probably think again.
Bishop Peter Jugis is not issuing a dispensation from the Ash Wednesday fast due to the Valentine’s Day holiday. He suggested that people celebrate Valentine’s Day the day before (Feb. 13 – Mardi Gras), or enjoy a nice fish dinner together on Valentine’s Day.
Researchers at the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, or CARA, based at Georgetown University, point out that the two days will overlap again in 2029 and that in 2096, Ash Wednesday will occur on Leap Day – Feb.29 for the first time in the Church's history.
Despite the rarity of this year's Ash Wednesday date, an article on the CARA website notes that it is unlikely the U.S. bishops would give an Ash Wednesday dispensation as some of them have on St. Patrick's Day mainly because not much is known about St. Valentine. It points out that he is said to have been killed at the command of Emperor Claudius in the year 278 for marrying Christians at a time when the emperor was trying to recruit single men for the army.
Not only are there few details of the saint, there are also mixed accounts of possibly three different martyrs named Valentine that share a Feb. 14 feast day. The confusion and lack of details led the church to remove the liturgical feast of St. Valentine from the general church calendar in the late 1960s.
Instead, Sts. Cyril and Methodius, brothers known as the "Apostles of the Slavs" for their work in spreading the Gospel throughout Eastern Europe in the ninth century, have the Feb. 14 feast day spot on the church calendar, although this year their day is superseded by Ash Wednesday.
These brothers – who developed an alphabet and translated the bible and other works in a Slavic language – have just as much to say about love on a day when that is celebrated because of their emphasis on communication, which is so key to relationships, said Father Leo Patalinghug, who has a cooking show on the Eternal Word Television Network called "Savoring our Faith."
The priest, who knows a thing or two about making a good Lenten meal, and also writes and talks about couples keeping their relationships strong by celebrating with good meals once a month, sees no conflict in the Ash Wednesday, Valentine's Day overlap. Instead, he views it as a great teaching moment.
"Love is not just sweets and chocolates," said the priest who wrote the 2012 cookbook: "Spicing Up Married Life" which includes recipes, prayers and conversation topics. "You can have chocolate cake anytime," he added.
As he sees it, the bigger lesson is to think about "going without and where that will lead you."
"So often people treat love like fast food when love – and all things of God – take time," he added.
He said this Valentine's Day couples have the "perfect day to start Lent and to have that discussion of what love means." And, they can also have a modest meal that is delicious.
Overall, it's "absolutely a win-win," he noted because couples can have a "Lent appropriate menu" essentially infused with the day's reminder "to know humbly we are from dust."
— Carol Zimmermann, Catholic News Service