Exercise for Our Faith
Dear Reader, Any Catholic, whether the parishioner who sits at the end of the fifth pew in church or a distinguished bishop presiding at the altar, needs...
Gunther Simmermacher
Is the Good Politician Extinct?
As we prepare to vote in the national and provincial elections on May 29, we are called by our bishops to exercise our judgment wisely when we...
Our Lady and the Three Kids
In 1917, three children reported visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in rural Portugal. Günther Simmermacher & Junno Arocho Esteves look at Our Lady of Fátima. As...
The Past and the Future
Dear Reader, Smiling from our cover this month is a young man of prodigious talent and a seriousness about his vocation in music that belies his age....
Vocations and Blessings
Dear Reader, A popular item for sale in souvenir shops around the Vatican is a calendar of portraits of handsome young priests with charming smiles in their...
St Joseph: The Man who Raised the Lord
As the man who raised the Saviour, St Joseph holds a special place in the Catholic heart. Günther Simmermacher looks at his life. St Joseph at a...
Cabrini Film Reviewed: How a Nun Beat the Odds
Reviewed by Günther Simmermacher For Catholics, the release of a film about saints is always welcome news, more so when it gets a mainstream cinema release, as...
Did the Church Ever Teach that the Earth was Flat?
Question: At what point did the Catholic Church stop teaching that the Earth is flat? Answer: The Catholic Church never believed nor ever taught that the Earth...
Schooling and Faith
Dear Reader, Welcome to this thicker-than-usual issue of The Southern Cross, in which several Catholic schools showcase their impressive successes in the latest round of matric results....
The Story Behind the Basilica of St Paul’s Tomb
In around 65 AD, during the reign of Emperor Nero, the apostle Paul was beheaded for preaching the faith in the Lord Jesus. After his execution, Christian...
