“WHOEVER WANTS TO BE MY DISCIPLE€¦ · Tara, Fernando and Elyse. Cross Catholic Outreach...

Front and inside cover photos: Father Raul Monterroso of Caritas Santa Rosa de Lima in Guatemala has been working with Cross Catholic Outreach to bring food, education,

housing and Jesus’ love to the poor throughout the Diocese of Santa Rosa de Lima.

“WHOEVER WANTS TO BE MY DISCIPLE

MUST DENY THEMSELVES

AND TAKE UP THEIR CROSS

AND FOLLOW ME.”

MATTHEW 16:24 (NIV)

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As Catholics, our marching orders are clear: Follow Jesus!

This journey is not for the faint of heart, but is a joy for those who are devoted to our Lord.

When Jesus walked the earth, his footsteps blazed a trail into troubled territory. He reached out to beggars, lepers, sinners and outcasts. He broke with tradition and confronted hostile, self-absorbed religious leaders who challenged his merciful ways. Most amazing of all, he surrendered himself to torture and a brutal execution for the sake of sinners and those who rejected him.

Jesus gave all because he loved all. Then, he asked his disciples to do the same, calling them to follow in his footsteps and have a similar impact on the

world. That’s the true meaning of Matthew 16:24 (NIV), “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”

My prayer is that you will see this 2014 Annual Report as a travel log of your walk in the Savior’s footsteps. When you supported our outreaches to the poor, you showed yourself to be a fellow traveler on our shared pilgrimage away from worldly pursuits and toward Christ-like compassion. Through your generosity, our Catholic ministry partners were empowered to fi ght poverty in the trenches and manifest Jesus’ love to those who needed it most.

This report is also a celebration. It recalls the rejoicing of the shepherd who left 99 sheep to recover the one lost in the wilderness (Luke 15:3-7) and the blissful tears of the woman who searched every corner of her house until she found her lost coin (Luke 15:8-10). And of course, in your case, the prize won is greater than any rescued animal or recovered coin. Through your faithfulness and generosity, struggling families have been helped, desperate communities have had hope restored, and lost souls have been saved.

This report’s facts and fi gures are signposts of lives touched and communities transformed as a result of your compassion. Thank you for joining Cross Catholic Outreach on this amazing journey, and may God bless you for all you have done! In the year ahead, may we all continue to seek his face, straying neither left nor right from the true path of the Gospel.

In Christ,

James J. Cavnar

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CROSS CATHOLIC OUTREACH

At a Glance

36the number of countries

that received aid

267the number of projects we supportedwith the help of generous Catholics

$6,939,218the total value of grants in aid

given to the poor

$220,684,312the total value of goods shipped

to the poor

4.74%the percentage of expenses

used for overhead costs

$227,623,530total aid provided to the poor

From Our PresidentA M e s s a g e

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CONTENTS

the Hungry page 4

You delivered nutritious meals to the tables of needy families and students who would otherwise ache with hunger.

the Thirsty page 5

You brought clean water to the parched lips of poor, rural villagers threatened by chronic dehydration and waterborne illness.

the Fatherless page 6

You rescued orphans and vulnerable children from the streets and gave them refuge in Jesus’ arms.

the Sick page 7

You extended life-saving medications and care to the sick, the injured, the elderly, and pregnant mothers surviving on the margins of society.

the Uneducated page 8

You brought hope to the children of the poor by enriching their hearts and minds at Catholic schools.

the Homeless page 9

You moved the destitute out of fragile mud huts and crumbling shanties and gave them sturdy new homes where they can feel safe and secure.

the Working Poor page 10

You restored dignity and empowered families to rise out of poverty through livelihood support.

the Displaced page 11

You went into disaster-stricken communities and helped survivors rebuild their shattered lives and crippled livelihoods.

A Message From Our President page 1

Cross Catholic Outreach at a Glance page 1

Together, We Are Walking Among...

Countries where Cross Catholic Outreach served the poorest of the poor in 2014.

CONTENTSA Message From Our President t page 1

Cross Catholic Outreach at a Glance e page 1

Countries where Cross Catholic Outreach served the poorest of the poor in 2014.

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Belize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $105,520 Bolivia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $102,850 Bosnia & Herzegovina . $147,000 Cameroon . . . . . . . . . . . . $13,000 China . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $66,373 Dem. Republic of Congo. $51,300 Dominican Republic . $8,819,882 Ecuador . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $86,400 El Salvador . . . . . . . $42,121,370 Eritrea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $69,700 Ethiopia . . . . . . . . . . . . . $468,373 Grenada . . . . . . . . . . . . . $192,570 Guatemala . . . . . . . . $72,563,086 Guyana . . . . . . . . . . . $13,353,193 Haiti . . . . . . . . . . . . . $40,998,121 Honduras. . . . . . . . . $10,344,777 India . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $55,000 Jamaica. . . . . . . . . . . . . . $105,318 Kenya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $734,883 Kyrgyzstan . . . . . . . . . . . $25,000

Malawi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $15,000 Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $100,500 Madagascar . . . . . . . . . . . $10,000 Mozambique. . . . . . . . . $250,031 Nicaragua . . . . . . . . . . . $360,736 Not Country Specifi c . . $50,500 Pakistan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $30,000 Papua New Guinea . . . . $24,000 Peru. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $107,484 Philippines . . . . . . . $35,748,004 Solomon Islands . . . . . . $25,000 Trinidad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $63,473 Uganda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $98,620 United States. . . . . . . . . . $11,660 Vietnam . . . . . . . . . . . . . $182,118 Zambia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $122,688

TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . .$227,623,530

Financials pages 12-13

In-Kind Gifts: Charity Done Wisely page 14

Walking in Faith and Prayer page 15

A Message From Our Board page 16

Cross Catholic Outreach2015 Board of Directors page 16

A Box of Joy page 17

TOTAL AID2014 Cash Grants and Goods Distributed

Cross Catholic’s Project Offi cers of 2014: Sarah, Zach, Sandy, Claudio, Tara, Fernando and Elyse.

Cross Catholic OutreachProject Offi cers act as the

liaison between Cross’s mission partners

and those in need around the world.

Financials pages 12-13

In-Kind Gifts: Charity Done Wisely page 14

TOTAL AID2014 Cash Grants and Goods Distributed

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hen Jesus encountered the need of the 5,000, he called on his disciples to satisfy their hunger. Today, Christ’s path leads

us to forsaken lands where poor farmers reap a harvest of dust and desperation, and he calls us to open wide our storehouses and share God’s bountiful blessings. Your support in 2014 helped advance the Church’s fi ght against hunger by supporting vital feeding programs, many of which are an integral component of local parish ministries. Each time you saved a child from chronic hunger or provided school lunches that helped a student complete his education, you manifested God’s love. As mouths were fed, hearts and minds were nourished with the everlasting Bread of Life.

In 2014, the impact of your gifts toward hunger relief and prevention spanned from Africa to Latin America to East Asia. For example, in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley, where poverty and drought-like conditions threaten traditional animal herders and their families, we ensured that the more than 100 students at Ewuaso Kedong Baraka Catholic Kindergarten were able to enjoy a daily nutritious meal. And in Ecuador, we partnered with Jesuit Father John Halligan to feed about 200 needy children, ages 1-6, who attend a daycare program at his Working Boys’ Center.

the HungryTo g e t h e r We A r e Wa l k i n g A m o n g

W2014 Food Aid

• 28 – Projects that received cash grants

• 25 – Partners who received in-kind goods

• 20 – Total countries reached

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esus defi ed social taboos when he, a Jew, approached the Samaritan woman at the well and offered her “living water…

a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” That spiritual fountain, the free gift of God, still fl ows to the ends of the earth. We can express this boundless grace through the literal delivery of clean, abundant water. The installation of tap water or a pump-operated well in a remote village, far off the beaten path, is an incredible gift that manifests Jesus’ love while radically transforming people’s daily lives. In such villages, this resource you helped provide has eradicated chronic thirst, prevented cholera and other waterborne illnesses, and eliminated the need for women and children to spend hours each day fetching dirty water.

With your support last year, clean water fi lled the buckets of the poor around the world. Among the projects that received grants was a collaboration with the Society of Missionaries to Africa to build three wells in a remote region of Kenya where families’ primary livelihood — animal herding — has been threatened by drought-like conditions. Also, in Nicaragua, we funded an effort to install fi ve solar-powered water and sanitation systems that, when fully completed, will deliver an abundant supply directly to the homes of 210 families.

To g e t h e r We A r e Wa l k i n g A m o n g

J

e r We A r e Wa l k i n g A

the Thirsty

2014 Water Aid


• 10 – Water systems constructed


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the FatherlessTo g e t h e r We A r e Wa l k i n g A m o n g

ike Jesus the Shepherd who searched out lost sheep, we are called to fi nd and embrace the orphaned, abandoned and

vulnerable children who have fallen through society’s cracks. Our ministry partners identify local boys and girls in especially harmful circumstances of poverty or neglect and welcome them into a new extended family — the family of God’s people — where their needs can be effectively, lovingly met. Our heart is for programs that not only meet the children’s urgent material needs, but also heal their emotional scars, restore their childhoods, prepare them academically for the future, and introduce them to the priceless treasures of the Catholic faith.

Last year, you equipped Christ’s shepherds in developing countries to rescue orphans and vulnerable children. Among our recipients of grants and in-kind goods was a newly formed ministry called the Association Cross Mozambique (ACM). Your gifts through Cross Catholic Outreach helped ACM provide monthly food staples for 240 children, feed daily meals to 23 children, support the education of 200 students and administer basic medications under the direction of a nurse. ACM also demonstrated the Heavenly Father’s love through an after-school program that offered classes in music, crafts, hygiene and rosary-making.

L2014 Orphan Support




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the SickTo g e t h e r We A r e Wa l k i n g A m o n g

hen Jesus touched the unclean leper, he didn’t just prove his power to heal — he demonstrated that our Gospel journey

has no boundaries. Cross Catholic Outreach’s medical projects often target individuals who are outcasts in their own communities. We strive to tear down the stigmas and superstitious fears that add to the suffering experienced by AIDS victims and people with handicaps or birth defects. Your support brought acceptance, dignity and quality care to these individuals and to many others who would otherwise lack access to the medicine and professional treatment they so greatly needed.

Our 2014 medical support included cash grants plus millions of dollars’ worth of goods shipped to partners worldwide. For example, in the Philippines, the Daughters of Wisdom relied on Cross Catholic funds to provide health care for poor families living in urban slums and rural mountain villages. In Haiti, we supported a rural health outreach of the Haitian Health Foundation by covering the costs to send a health agent, equipped with medicines and other needed medical supplies, to live in a poor village and provide basic care and education.

W2014 Medical Aid




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the UneducatedTo g e t h e r We A r e Wa l k i n g A m o n g

esus devoted his life to teaching, and he called his disciples to spread his divine teachings to all people. Today, education is

both a spiritual exercise and a pathway out of poverty. You helped us stand in the gap for families who cannot afford to give their children the academic tools necessary for a better future. With your support, our overseas ministry partners welcomed the poorest of the poor into Catholic grade schools, vocational programs and other educational programs that have opened their eyes to a world of possibilities beyond the slums. A new generation is moving from despair to hope, from dependency to self-reliance, and from the negative infl uences of the streets to the life-giving knowledge of Catholic faith and values.

In 2014, you helped us advance the education of the poor through cash grants and in-kind gifts that made quality schooling a more affordable option. One especially vulnerable group served by these efforts was the vision and hearing impaired student body of the Chisombezi Deafblind Center, run by the Servants of the Blessed Virgin Mary and located in Malawi. You also helped more than 1,200 Haitian children receive an education and daily nutritious lunches at a Catholic primary school in Haiti’s rural Central Plateau.

J2014 Education Support




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the HomelessTo g e t h e r We A r e Wa l k i n g A m o n g

pproached by a man who said: “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go,” our Lord replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests,

but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” Christ was willing to walk among the homeless because he was intent on serving them in their hour of need. Today, we fi nd his footsteps among crumbling shanties, littered back alleys and off-the-grid, dusty lots, and we respond by bringing hope and renewal. Your support, given in Jesus’ name, funded durable shelters providing safety, dignity and peace of mind to poor families who previously lived in deplorable conditions, exposed to rain and the elements. Through this outreach, the homeless poor are fi lled with gratitude, calling the Lord, “my refuge, and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust” (Psalm 91:2).

Last year, you helped us give shelter to the needy in countries ranging from Haiti in the Caribbean to the Philippines in East Asia. Among our efforts was a house-construction project run by Fr. Raul Monterroso (pictured on front cover) in the Diocese of Santa Rosa de Lima, Guatemala. The three-room houses were built with concrete foundations, cinder block walls, galvanized steel roofs and non-corrosive aluminum windows and doors. These houses also included amenities the poor often lack: latrines, sinks, electrical outlets and environmentally friendly stoves.

A2014 Housing Aid


• 194 – Houses constructed

• 112 – Houses repaired


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the Working PoorTo g e t h e r We A r e Wa l k i n g A m o n g

s the son of a craftsman, Jesus likely earned his bread doing stonemasonry — a skill that provides a fi tting backdrop for

the many construction-based metaphors he used in his teachings. Human beings were created to work, and that is why we strive to be co-laborers with the poor. The Church must work alongside them, encouraging and bolstering their personal efforts to overcome economic adversity and provide for their families. These efforts often take the form of small, home-based income-generating activities such as raising chickens or running a variety store. Our partners also add a deeper dimension — the spiritual. True success takes place in a context of good stewardship, moral values and a fi nish line set in eternity.

With your support last year, Cross Catholic provided grants that encouraged and enabled poor families to achieve better lives. For example, in Ethiopia, the Daughters of Charity used your gifts to provide single and widowed mothers with income-generating farm animals — fi ve sheep, fi ve goats or 10 chickens per family. A similar program at the Kobonal Haiti Mission distributed animals and offered free vaccinations and veterinary services. The Mission’s program achieved partial self-suffi ciency through the requirement that each family give back one of the resultant offspring, which could then be given to another family.

A2014

Livelihood Investment


• 321 – Families that received animals


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the DisplacedTo g e t h e r We A r e Wa l k i n g A m o n g

hen a storm threatened the disciples’ boat, Jesus was right there with them in the midst of the danger. Today, when

an emergency such as a typhoon or earthquake strikes, we turn to our network of trusted overseas partners to reach those affected and deliver much-needed aid. With their expertise and your generosity, we stand ready to save lives. While global disaster response efforts tend to focus almost exclusively on immediate relief, Cross Catholic Outreach places strong emphasis on long-term restoration. Long after a tragedy has faded from the headlines, we continue working with our partners to direct your gifts toward wise solutions that not only undo the damage but also pave a path to future prosperity.

Much of our disaster relief funds are distributed through the Vatican’s own charity arm, the Pontifi cal Council Cor Unum. In addition to our 2014 Cor Unum support, we also sent emergency aid directly to distressed communities. Most notable was our ongoing aid to survivors of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. That recovery effort included housing, food, education, livelihood support and also an anti-human traffi cking program.

W2014 Disaster Relief


• 1 – Partner who received food shipments

• 3 – Total countries reached (does not include Cor Unum support)

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Financials2 0 1 4

Aid Provided by Category2014 total grants-in-aid and goods distributed

~ Cross Catholic Outreach, Inc.

Disaster Relief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,053,711food, medical supplies, blankets, etc.

Feeding Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,425,351food, cooking equipment, cooks’ salaries

Housing Construction . . . . . . . . . . $1,848,659building/repair of houses and shelters

Medical Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$217,244,806medicines, medical equipment and supplies, clinic and hospital support

Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,591,805support for schools, scholarships and vocational programs

Elderly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$65,000 shelter, food, medical care to the elderly and destitute

Aid to Orphans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,179,563food, education, shelter, clothing, medical needs, etc.

Water Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $406,675 wells, cisterns, water distribution systems, latrines

Microenterprise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $108,615 carpentry, mechanics, sewing, agriculture, animal husbandry and other self-help projects

General Aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $699,346 school furniture, mattresses, appliances, construction material, furnishings, etc.

TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$227,623,530

Balance SheetAs of December 31, 2014 ~ Cross Catholic Outreach, Inc.

AssetsCash and Cash Equivalents . . . . . . . . . . . $9,036,885 Due from Affi liate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,072,598 Other Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $478,573 Property and Equipment, Net . . . . . . . . . . . $704,387

Total Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $13,292,443

LiabilitiesAccounts Payable and Accrued Expenses . $949,699 Note Payable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . —

Total Liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $949,699

Net AssetsUnrestricted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $12,293,801 Temporarily Restricted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $48,943 Permanently Restricted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . —

Total Net Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $12,342,744

TOTAL LIABILITIES & NET ASSETS . . $13,292,443

IN 2014

CROSS CATHOLIC OUTREACH PROVIDED

$227,623,530 IN AID TO THE POOR.

OF THIS, $6,939,218 WAS GRANTS-IN-AID;

$220,684,312 WAS GOODS DISTRIBUTED.

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Statement of ActivitiesYear ended December 31, 2014 ~ Cross Catholic Outreach, Inc.

RevenueNoncash Contributions . . . . . . . . . . . . $220,684,312 Cash Contributions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $26,817,096 Other Revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $147,975

Total Revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $247,649,383

ExpensesProgram Services

Goods Distributed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $220,684,312 Grants-in-Aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $6,939,218 Missions Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,383,881 Shipping/Fulfi llment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,121,082 Project Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,077,493

Total Program Service Expenses . . $234,205,986

Administrative ExpensesSalaries and Benefi ts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,594,922 Occupancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $562,706 Other expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $556,605 Data Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $506,058 Professional Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $294,939 Postage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $235,397 Merchant processing and bank fees . . . . . $209,219 Contractors and Consultants . . . . . . . . . . . $85,179 Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $76,089 Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5,223 Advertising and Solicitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,456 Shipping Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $916

Total Administrative Expenses . . . . . $6,128,709

Fundraising ExpensesSalaries and Benefi ts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,660,456 Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,511,313 Postage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,139,405 Advertising and Solicitation . . . . . . . . . . . $321,220 Other expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $283,117 Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $242,353 Data Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $180,902 Contractors and Consultants . . . . . . . . . . $112,114 Product acquisition fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $24,600 Occupancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $16,565 Professional Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $12,254 Airtime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $11,200 Shipping Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,051

Total Fundraising Expenses . . . . . . . . $5,516,550

TOTAL EXPENSES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $245,851,245

REVENUE LESS EXPENSES . . . . . . . . . . . $1,798,138

NET ASSETS — END OF YEAR . . . . . . . $12,342,744

2014 AuditedFinancial Statement

Program Services $234,205,986 95.26% Administrative Expenses $6,128,709 2.49% Fundraising Expenses $5,516,550 2.24%

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Charity Done WiselyI n - K i n d G i f t s :

Much of our aid for the poor reaches our partners in the form of donated goods. These “gifts-in-kind” serve an indispensable — and often lifesaving — role.

In many cases, our partners lack crucial items that are either unavailable in-country or too expensive to purchase locally. Shortages are especially pronounced — and a solution most urgently needed — when natural disasters strike. But even under normal circumstances, the needs of the poor we serve go beyond what we are able to provide with cash grants alone.

In response, Cross Catholic Outreach ships bulk items such as food, medicine and construction materials. Our professional, experienced goods-in-kind team is able to ship these supplies at a very low cost, navigate the often-diffi cult customs process in the developing world and facilitate timely delivery to our overseas partners. In fact, just one donated dollar can ship more than 20 times its value in goods to the Catholic ministries that need them most. The result is millions of dollars in aid shipped each year. That is charity done wisely!

Just one donated dollar can ship more than 20 times its value

in goods to the Catholic ministries that need them most.

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Faith and PrayerWa l k i n g i n

On August 15, 2014, coinciding with the Feast of the Assumption, Cross Catholic Outreach observed a special Day of Prayer to affi rm our spiritual unity with the many generous Catholics like you who help us serve the poor.

The highlight of the Day of Prayer was when Cardinal Robert Sarah (former head of the Pontifi cal Council Cor Unum and current prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments) celebrated a special Mass at the Vatican for the intentions of our benefactors. We are deeply grateful to Cardinal Sarah for his continuing advocacy of our mission and the needs of the poor.

Our reliance on God and our donors is also the reason why, every Tuesday morning, we begin the work day by praying for our donors and lifting up their individual prayer intentions shared with us through mail, through our website or over the phone. It is said that “prayer moves the hand of God.” Through prayer, we stay connected to our spiritual mission — and to the larger Body of Christ — one prayer at a time.

You are also in the prayers of the poor we serve. Whenever we meet families who have benefi ted from our projects, they often tell us how thankful they are and how they regularly pray for God’s blessings upon our donors.

Through this shared spiritual life, we all walk together in the love of the Lord.

Cardinal Robert Sarah at Cross Catholic Outreach headquarters in Boca Raton, Florida, in January 2013

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From Our BoardA M e s s a g e

Why do we walk among the poor?

Our motivation is not just pity or guilt or obedience to the Golden Rule. We have a higher purpose. Our journey begins with God’s call to make his love visible. Every committed believer, including you, is a walking, talking, breathing, active instrument of God’s supernatural love for mankind. And this work is most effective when God’s people walk together, following Jesus’ footsteps.

I recently had the pleasure of celebrating Mass at Cross Catholic Outreach’s south Florida headquarters. During my visit, I emphasized to the staff the important role that each one of them has played — whether as an offi ce worker or an Outreach Priest — in this monumental mission of bringing

God’s love to the poor. Through their tireless work, and through your faithful giving, Cross Catholic has delivered aid and compassion in more than 40 countries worldwide.

The value of this support is not just the quantity (impressive in its own right), but also the quality. We have cultivated close relationships with parishes, religious communities and lay leaders serving in the trenches in the developing world, so we can advance and enhance their own local outreaches to the poor. The results speak for themselves: Urgent needs have been met; the Gospel has been manifested; countless lives have been transformed.

Thank you for another great year, and thank you for helping us reveal God’s compassionate heart to the world!

In Christ,

Most Rev. Thomas J. Rodi — Chairman, Cross Catholic Outreach Board of Directors

Cross Catholic Outreach2015 Board of DirectorsHis Eminence Cardinal Edwin F. O’Brien – PatronGrand Master, Knights of the Holy Sepulchre

Most Rev. Thomas J. Rodi – ChairmanArchbishop of Mobile

Mr. James J. Cavnar – DirectorPresident of Cross Catholic Outreach

Most Rev. Robert J. Carlson – DirectorArchbishop of St. Louis

Most Rev. Ronald W. Gainer – DirectorBishop of Harrisburg

Most Rev. Richard J. Garcia – DirectorBishop of Monterey

Most Rev. Bernard A. Hebda – DirectorCo-Adjutor Archbishop of Newark

Most Rev. Dennis M. Schnurr – DirectorArchbishop of Cincinnati

Most Rev. Kevin W. Vann – DirectorBishop of Orange

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For more information or to become involved with the Box of Joy outreach, please call 800-914-2420 ext. 142 or email [email protected].

2014 was the launch year for our exciting new Christmas initiative, Box of Joy. This special outreach, which invites Catholic parishioners to fi ll shoeboxes with gifts for poor children in the developing world, was rolled out in two U.S. dioceses. The pilot program successfully brought in nearly 3,000 boxes from this select group of churches. The joy in the faces of the Guatemalan children who received these unexpected gifts was unforgettable. As a result of this successful run, Box of Joy will be going nationwide this year, giving many more parishes the opportunity to share the joy of Christmas with the poor.

for children who wish

for just one gift

BoxOfJoy.org

2700 N. Military Trail • Suite 240 • PO Box 273908 • Boca Raton, FL 33427-3908

www.CrossCatholic.org www.Facebook.com/CrossCatholic

www.Twitter.com/CrossCatholic blog www.CrossCatholicBlog.com

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© 2015 Cross Catholic Outreach

Our MissionWe are a Catholic ministry that serves the poorest of the poor internationally by channeling aid through dioceses, parishes, and Catholic missionaries, cost-effectively helping the poor break the cycle of poverty while advancing Catholic evangelization.

How We Serve Rather than create new institutions to distribute aid, we support existing ministries and churches already serving the poor. In addition to being the most cost-effective way of helping the poor, empowering these ministries allows us to support the Church’s spiritual mission and its important position of leadership in poor communities.

Stewardship We consider every gift we receive as a precious resource from God. We direct every donation to its intended project, provide honest and accurate reports to our donors, and keep overhead costs to an industry low. We handle funds with utmost integrity and hold our ministry partners in the fi eld to the same high standards by asking them to document costs and the impact of their outreach. These detailed accountability measures have earned us ongoing accreditation by the following organizations:dit ti b th f ll i i ti

“WHOEVER WANTS TO BE MY DISCIPLE€¦ · Tara, Fernando and Elyse. Cross Catholic Outreach...

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Transcript of “WHOEVER WANTS TO BE MY DISCIPLE€¦ · Tara, Fernando and Elyse. Cross Catholic Outreach...