Dear Friends,

It is my joy to announce that longtime St. Bart’s member Rob Radtke who heads Episcopal Relief and Development, has been awarded the Cross of St. Augustine for his long service to the Anglican Communion by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. The award was presented in recognition of Rob’s “Outstanding leadership in the Anglican Communion in the areas of humanitarian relief and social development, including leading Episcopal Relief and Development since 2005 and playing a leading catalytic role in the formation of the Anglican Alliance.”

The citation continues; “Dr Robert Radtke has played an outstanding role in building the capacity and effectiveness of the Anglican Communion in humanitarian relief, disaster resilience and sustainable development. As a thought leader in international development, Rob has shaped the vision of Episcopal Relief & Development into a major agency serving the global Church with partnerships throughout the Anglican Communion. The quality and professionalism of its work has provided a sector lead in faith initiatives, including in the fields of malaria, of early childhood development, of gender justice and of disaster resilience and response. Episcopal Relief and Development’s policy and research work has brought recognition from the United Nations and secular agencies not just for the organisation itself, but also for the wider Communion and faith based organisations.

Rob has also been a driving force in the establishment of the Anglican Alliance, having envisaged the need for such a platform to connect and equip the Anglican family of churches and agencies. He worked intensively with others to build relationships and commitment on which to establish the Anglican Alliance and has continued to steer its development as a Trustee for six years. 

Rob is guided by his faith and belief in the potential of the Church as a vehicle for God’s mission in the world. In late 2022 he completed the 500 miles pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. His overall contribution to the Anglican Communion and to society more broadly has been outstanding.”

We are so proud of Rob’s extraordinary ministry and we are delighted that he and his family make their spiritual home at St. Bartholomew’s Church in the City of New York.  In addition to Rob, we congratulate two speakers from The Forum at St. Bart's, Amy-Jill Levine and Malcolm Guite, who were also honored this year. 

Faithfully,

The Right Reverend Dean E. Wolfe, D.D.
Rector