Cross Catholic Outreach was recently blessed to receive a visit from His Eminence Álvaro Leonel Cardinal Ramazzini Imeri. Elevated to the College of Cardinals just a few months ago by Pope Francis because of his love for the poor, Cardinal Ramazzini led devotions at our office, met individually with our staff and concluded his visit with a Mass at St. Coleman’s Catholic Church in Pompano Beach, Florida.

The mission of Cross Catholic Outreach is to mobilize the global Catholic Church to transform the poor and their communities materially and spiritually for the glory of Jesus Christ. Our work is accomplished with the support of local Catholic bishops in the developing world who supervise Catholic missionaries serving the needy.

Last year, Cross Catholic Outreach partnered with Bishop José Grullón Estrella in the Dominican Republic to build six water systems to serve disadvantaged communities throughout the Diocese of San Juan de la Maguana.

Tens of thousands of children living in poverty in Central America and the Caribbean are being blessed each year with Cross Catholic Outreach’s Box of Joy® ministry. In 2019, 908 church and school groups signed up to participate. Tens of thousands of Catholics from around the United States packed our Boxes of Joy, which were then shipped to our Miami warehouse to be prepared for overseas shipment.

In everything we do, Cross Catholic Outreach remains focused on the Gospel message of mercy. With our Catholic missionary partners around the world, we put Catholic social teaching into action by feeding the hungry, giving care to the sick and housing the homeless.

Each year, the Box of Joy ministry sponsors a Christmas gift program on behalf of the poor, organized by local Catholic schools, parishes and groups across the United States and facilitated by Cross Catholic Outreach. Box of Joy provides teachers, parish leaders and other Catholic groups a unique opportunity to participate in a simple and tangible service experience that has both a material and a spiritual impact on the poorest of the poor in developing countries.