Cross Catholic Outreach

Delivering food, shelter, and hope to the poorest of the poor

Delivering food, shelter and hope to the poorest of the poor.

Bishop Earl K. Fernandes Joins the Board of Directors

A bishop smiles in his vestments.
Bishop Earl K. Fernandes.

Cross Catholic Outreach welcomes Bishop Earl K. Fernandes of the Diocese of Columbus to its board of directors. Bishop Fernandes was confirmed to the board of directors unanimously earlier this year. In 2022, Bishop Fernandes endorsed our ministry, writing, “I am pleased to endorse Cross Catholic Outreach for its demonstration of authentic charity and its strengthening of the bonds of solidarity and human fraternity.”

Before he was ordained, Bishop Fernandes became familiar with Cross Catholic Outreach’s Box of Joy® ministry, personally witnessing the participation of his previous parish, St. Ignatius of Loyola in Cincinnati. He mentioned this in his endorsement, saying, “I saw first-hand how the ‘faith in action’ of children inspired a greater spirit of solidarity among adult members of the parish.”

Bishop Fernandes joins seven other bishops and archbishops on the board of directors. Together, the board guides our ministry in its solidarity with Catholic dioceses and missionary projects around the world.

Box of Joy is a registered trademark of Cross Catholic Outreach.

Monsignor Ted Bertagni

Monsignor Ted Bertagni

Monsignor Bertagni is the Director of Clergy and Diocesan Relations for Cross Catholic Outreach, He was ordained a priest in 1978 in Omaha, NE and invested as Monsignor in 1999. He was a Conventual Franciscan in Our Lady of Consolation Province and is presently incardinated into the Diocese of Mandeville Jamaica. Msgr. Bertagni has an international background having studied and lived in Europe and Caribbean. He holds STL and STD degrees from Sant’ Anselmo, the Pontifical Liturgical Institute in Rome. He served 20 years as a parish priest, pastor and professor, before dedicating himself full time to the service of the poor. In 2016, he was commissioned as a Missionary of Mercy by Pope Francis.
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