There are certain sounds from our Catholic childhood that never leave us.
For me, one of those sounds was hearing the late John Kramer, the late Lionel Francis, and other ushers standing at the entrance of St James Parish in Schauderville before Mass, calling out: “Southern Cross! Southern Cross!”
At the time, it was simply a newspaper being sold before Mass. Looking back now, I realise it was much more than that.
For generations of South African Catholics, the Southern Cross did not merely report on the faith. It accompanied us in the faith. It entered our homes, sat on our coffee tables, travelled with Eucharistic Ministers to the sick and housebound, and connected ordinary Catholics to the universal Church.
In many ways, we grew up under the Cross of Christ and under the Southern Cross. One of my fondest memories is of my father lying on his bed reading the newspaper with a magnifying glass. Every now and then he would call me over: “Greg, kom kyk gou hie.”
Sometimes it was a serious article. Sometimes a piece by Owen Williams. Sometimes Chris Moerdyk’s column. Sometimes one of the famous “Chuckles” that had us laughing together.
What I did not realise then was that my father was doing more than sharing a newspaper. He was handing on the faith. The Southern Cross was never just newsprint. It was catechesis. It was formation. It was conversation. It was Catholic identity.
As a Eucharistic Minister, my father would often receive leftover copies from previous weeks. These were not thrown away. They accompanied him on visits to the sick and housebound. Alongside Holy Communion, parishioners received stories from the wider Church—reminders that they remained part of something much bigger than themselves.
I can still remember the pride I felt seeing the Southern Cross displayed at the Main Library in Port Elizabeth among all the major newspapers of the country.
There it stood. The only religious newspaper among them. The Catholic voice. The Catholic witness. The Catholic presence.
Over the decades, the Southern Cross weathered storms that would have sunk many publications. It survived political upheaval, changing media landscapes, financial pressures, and even the devastating Post Office strike that disrupted delivery across the country.
Many Catholics remember the anxiety of those days, when it seemed possible that our weekly Catholic newspaper might not reach us. Then came another major transition. The newspaper became a magazine. For some, it felt like the end of an era. Yet in hindsight, it was probably inevitable.
The world had changed. News had moved online. Social media transformed how people consumed information. The challenge was no longer printing news, but remaining relevant in a world overflowing with information, opinion, and distraction.
Yet that challenge raises an important question: If the Southern Cross matters to us, are we supporting it?
South Africa is home to approximately 3,8 million Catholics, yet only a small fraction actively engage with the Southern Cross online. Meanwhile, other faith communities often demonstrate far greater digital visibility and participation. This is not a matter of competition. It is a question of stewardship.
We often speak proudly about being Catholic. We defend the Church when she is criticised. We celebrate our traditions and heritage. Yet do we support the very publication that tells our stories, shares our faith, reports on our parishes, explains our teachings, and connects us with Catholics across Southern Africa and the wider Church?
The Southern Cross remains one of the few platforms where the Catholic voice is clearly and unapologetically Catholic. In a world filled with noise, it keeps us grounded.
In a world filled with opinions, it provides formation. In a world filled with division, it reminds us that we belong to one Church. I encouraged members of my RCIA group to follow the Southern Cross online and to purchase the magazine.
Because Catholic media does not survive on goodwill alone. It survives because Catholics support it. Buy the magazine. Follow the page. Share the articles. Encourage your parish to stock it. Talk about it.
And perhaps we can go even further than individual encouragement.
In a Church that is one Body, what affects one parish affects us all. Wealthier parishes, with greater purchasing capacity, could consider increasing their bulk orders of the Southern Cross—not only for visibility and distribution, but as a practical expression of ecclesial solidarity.
In doing so, they help sustain the publication’s reach and indirectly support smaller or poorer parishes where sales are no longer viable.
In places such as Delft, on the Cape Flats, where poverty is severe and unemployment often exceeds 40%, the suspension of sales is not surprising. Yet even here, faith remains strong. St Lawrence parish, under the pastoral leadership of Fr Emmanuel Eyeowa CMF, continues to be a vibrant and faithful community.
It was in this context that the Southern Cross was warmly welcomed during a recent visit. Parishioners received complimentary back copies so they could experience its value firsthand, and encouragement continues for renewed engagement.
This is where the Church’s communion becomes visible in practice: not only in doctrine, but in shared responsibility. Stronger parishes helping weaker ones. Those with resources supporting those without. One Body, one mission.
This is not charity in a narrow sense. It is communion. It is stewardship. It is recognising that the Southern Cross does not belong to one class of Catholic, but to the whole Church in Southern Africa.
The Southern Cross has accompanied generations of Catholics on their journey of faith. It informed us. It challenged us. It educated us. It connected us.
Most importantly, it reminded us that we were never alone. Today, there is no shortage of voices competing for Christian attention—opinions, trends, and distractions from every direction.
Yet for more than a century, the Southern Cross has quietly done what it has always done: point Catholics towards Christ, towards His Church, and towards one another. Towards the cross.
If we want it to remain part of South African Catholic life for another hundred years, the responsibility does not rest only with editors, writers, or clergy. It rests with us.
And perhaps, somewhere in memory and grace, John Kramer and Lionel Francis are still standing at the church door, smiling as they call out once more: “Southern Cross! Southern Cross!”
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