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.

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Follow Zimmermann on Twitter: @carolmaczim.