One of the most impactful things the Catholic Church does is serve the poor. For nearly 2,000 years, Christ’s followers have obeyed his command in Matthew 25:31-40 to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty and visit the sick.
In 2025, the Vatican continues to be a leader in global charitable work — and faithful American Catholics are making a huge difference by joining these efforts.
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Pope Gregory X officially established the Office of Papal Charities 750 years ago, but the Catholic tradition of helping the poor dates back even further to the earliest years of the Church. In those days, deacons were responsible for collecting alms and distributing them with a special preference for widows and people with disabilities or illnesses.
From the beginning, the Catholic Church has stood for justice for all who are impoverished, oppressed or excluded from society. The Church practiced the mercy it preached, to the amazement of a culture that often excluded the poor and the weak. The charity shown to the less fortunate was very attractive, and new members joined the fledgling Church.
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The Catholic Church is an ancient institution, but its approach to fighting poverty has developed over time to meet today’s modern needs — without sacrificing the distinct values of Catholic social teaching.
In fact, in 2022, the Office of Papal Charities became known as the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, one of the most important of the 16 dicasteries, or departments, within the Roman Curia.
Currently, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski is prefect of the dicastery and serves as the papal almoner. In this role, he is responsible for carrying out acts of charity on behalf of the pope. This includes providing alms to people living in extreme poverty, helping communities after natural disasters, and supporting people who are marginalized or excluded from society.
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To better serve the poor throughout the world, Cross Catholic Outreach maintains a strong connection to the Vatican, and the fruits of the collaboration continue to be transformative. When Cross Catholic Outreach President Michele Sagarino met with Cardinal Krajewski in 2024, she reflected that he was a first responder for the Lord.
The papal almoner is known for having an incredible heart of service and is willing to risk life and limb in service to the poor and marginalized. For example, in 2022, he came under fire near Ukraine’s front lines while delivering rosaries and humanitarian aid. He also climbed down a manhole in 2019 in Rome to restore electricity to the homeless!
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Cross Catholic Outreach began supporting Cardinal Krajewski’s efforts in Ukraine in 2022. Early efforts included providing funding for ambulances, food, wheelchairs and prosthetic limbs. We have also addressed “invisible” wounds by funding counseling and treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for those who have endured the horrors of war.
In 2024, Cross Catholic Outreach President Michele Sagarino visited Rome to present Cardinal Krajewski with funds for the charitable works of the Holy Father, Pope Francis.
At that time, Cardinal Krajewski updated her on the continued works of charity that are being done in the name of the Holy Father throughout the world, including in Ukraine. Cardinal Krajewski explained that there was a great need at that time because of the severe winters in eastern Europe.
Related: Disaster Relief Impact
Cross Catholic Outreach also partnered with Cardinal Krajewski and the Dicastery for the Service of Charity following a devastating earthquake in Morocco’s High Atlas Mountain region in late 2023.
According to UNICEF, the 6.8 magnitude temblor caused many buildings to collapse, leaving nearly 3,000 people dead and thousands more injured.
Through this partnership, Cross Catholic Outreach rushed a solidarity grant to the dicastery, which then worked with the papal nuncio of Morocco to ensure local churches and communities could distribute aid to those most in need.
As always, Cross Catholic Outreach’s goal has been to empower local Catholic workers who are already familiar with the area and trusted by their neighbors. These individuals have a better understanding of the most urgent needs in the area and have a keen sense when challenges arise or needs shift.
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These initiatives of the Holy Father through the Dicastery for the Service of Charity are just some of the countless acts of kindness, charity and compassion for the needy that lie at the heart of Cross Catholic Outreach and our Church as a whole. Like the early Church, our ministry is committed to promoting integral human development through our aid, both materially and spiritually, to all people, especially those in greatest need.
To learn more about how you can support the selfless work of Catholic bishops, priests, sisters and lay ministry workers around the world, be sure to visit our project catalog. There you’ll find a full listing of projects in need of your generosity in order to uplift children and families in poverty.
Donations from this campaign will be used to cover any expenditures for this project incurred through June 30, 2027, the close of our ministry’s fiscal year. In the event that more funds are raised than needed to fully fund the project, the excess funds, if any, will be used to meet the most urgent needs of the ministry.
