By Lindsay Steele The Catholic Messenger Many Catholics are familiar with CRS Rice Bowl, a Lenten fundraiser for Catholic Relief Services (CRS), but fewer may be aware of the scope of its humanitarian work. CRS, founded in 1943, is the overseas relief and development agency of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. CRS is more than a yearly Rice Bowl collection and more than “a big organization doing things thousands of miles away,” said Deacon Joe Welter, who was assigned at his 2017 ordination to support diocesan CRS efforts.