A crucial apostolate

In its 85th year of serving the Catholic public, The Southern Cross continues to be in good health, notwithstanding uninformed speculation to the contrary.

Entirely independent the newspaper receives no subsidies whatsoever. The Southern Cross is hostage to the vagaries of many factors, economic and social. Distribution and production costs are a constant drain on the budget, with frequent above-inflation hikes in postal rates especially difficult to absorb.

Tight financial management, however, guarantees The Southern Cross medium-term survival, while the continuous and generous support received by contributors to the Associates Campaign is safeguarding its long-term future.

The newspapers management has sporadic cause for bemusement when presented, usually by critics, with suggestions of the newspapers projected demise. Often such doomsday prophecies are based on anecdotal evidence that suggests a precipitous decline in circulation.

Let it be recorded without ambiguity: The Southern Cross does not face closure.

Like any newspaper, The Southern Cross experiences some fluctuation in circulation. When it records a decline, such figures tend to be commensurate with those in the industry generally. Yet, today The Southern Cross prints more copies per week than it did ten years ago; in the long term, circulation figures have remained constant.

This is remarkable: not only has The Southern Cross maintained and replenished its readership, but it has stood firm against new distractions such as the Internet, satellite TV, DVD, and the expansion of many other lifestyle options.

Of course, no publisher will ever be satisfied with present readership figures. While the mainstream press covets more readers for commercial reasons, The Southern Cross aspires to increased circulation in the application of its apostolic mission. In short, The Southern Cross helps Catholics to become better Catholics by informing them about and involving them with their Church.

The circulation of The Southern Cross (and other Catholic publications) is dependent on the willingness of the faithful to consume Catholic media. Alas, such willingness is often lacking, as is the collective will by the hierarchy, clergy and laity to consciously and proactively promote the Catholic media.

This widespread reluctance within the Church to advance the social communications apostolate is perplexing. Surely it is in the interest of every conscientious Catholic that the Church’s media newspapers, magazines, books, radio, websites be disseminated as widely as possible.

In recent months, this newspaper has highlighted the commendable initiatives taken in some parishes to promote the Catholic media. These parishes show that with some effort and imagination, the social communication apostolate one so dear to the pope can flourish on the parochial level. These parishes may well provide the template for others to reproduce.

It is, however, essential that the promotion of Catholic reading become a national Church policy, one which would involve all levels of the local Church, from the episcopate to parish-level. It is our dream that one day the bishops will institute such a campaign.

In a time when Catholics are bombarded with mis- and disinformation about the Church in the mainstream media, Catholic social communications can no longer be sidelined.

It is the duty of every Catholic to participate in this crucial apostolate, and to start doing so now.