Catholics in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis donated $248,893 for relief for the hundreds of thousands suffering following earthquakes earlier this year in Nepal. The Center for Mission in the archdiocese has forwarded the funds to Catholic Relief Services, which is partnering with Caritas Nepal for emergency relief and rebuilding over the next three years.

The mission office has also sent $57,392 from Catholics in the archdiocese to Catholic Relief Services, money collected last Lent for CRS’ Operation Rice Bowl.

As in past years, 75 percent of Operation Rice Bowl gifts supports CRS’ programs around the world for, for example, agriculture projects help farmers improve harvests; water and sanitation projects; microfinance projects support small businesses; mother and child health projects which offer health and nutrition services and education projects which provide resources and training.

Three local efforts of Catholic Charities will receive funds from the 25 percent of Operation Rice Bowl donations that are designated to remain in the archdiocese, according to Mike Haasl, the Center for Mission’s global solidarity coordinator.

The three are the Northside Child Development Center and the Opportunity Center, both in Minneapolis, and the Dorothy Day Center in St. Paul.