Welcome to the Knights of the Southern Cross

Inspired by our faith, we’re a group of volunteer Catholic men operating with the support of the Australian Bishops. We seek to serve others, support our clergy and contribute good to the world.

How we began

The Knights of the Southern Cross was founded in Sydney in 1919, in response to employment discrimination facing Australian Catholics in the post First World War years. From 1922, branches of the Order rapidly sprang up in South Australia. For over 100 years, the Order in South Australia has helped look after the whole local community through our range of charitable projects.

Charles Lindberg

Serving the aged people in our community

In 1968 the Knights started Southern Cross Homes (now Southern Cross Care) in South Australia to provide acute care and retirement housing services throughout the State. It is now one of the largest service providers of its kind in South Australia. Whilst we no longer have an  ‘overall control’ of SCC, we still maintain an ongoing presence within the membership and administration.

International Alliances

KSC (Australia) is a foundation member of the International Alliance of Catholic Knights (IACK); officially recognised by the Vatican in accordance with the Code of Canon Law. Through IACK, we work with fifteen other Catholic Knight’s organisations from twenty-seven different countries.
On 22 July 2008, the Order was granted Special Consultative Status by the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations Organization. Through this status, the Order provides an Australian perspective on matters presented at the United Nations Organisation.

Our Vision

To be a strong and faith-filled Catholic Fraternity committed to serving our Church throughout Australia.

Our Mission

Witness to Jesus Christ by advocating Christian values and beliefs throughout Australia, and leading the laity in a spirit of Service inspired by the Gospel.

Our Objects

The Objects of the Order are:


  • To promote the advancement of Australia
  • To foster the Christian way of life throughout the Nation
  • To promote the welfare of its members and their families
  • To encourage spiritual, social and intellectual activities amongst its members
  • To conduct and support educational, charitable, religious and social welfare work
Articles

Our Governance Structure

  • Supreme Knight
    • Deputy Supreme Knight, National Secretary, National Chaplain
      NSW - 2 National Councillors
      Victoria - 2 National Councillors
      Quensland - 2 National Councillors
      Tasmania - 2 National Councillors
      Western Australia - 2 National Councillors
      South Australia - 2 National Councillors
  • State Chairman
    • Deputy State Chairman, State Secretary, State Treasurer, State Chaplain Up to 8 State Councillors, who may be nominated as one of 2 National Councillors, a Regional Coordinator, or a Chairman of various Sub-Committees, ie Membership, Fundraising, Website etc
  • Branch Chairman
    • Deputy Branch Chairman, Branch Secretary, Branch Treasurer, Priest, or Chairman of various Sub-Committees, ie Membership, Fundraising Youth Projects, and Aged Projects etc
Back LR: John Calleja, Don Campbell, Mike Boyle, Brian Cooper.
Front LR: Bro Andy Tamassy, Fr Leon Czechowicz, Bros Paul Hawkes, David Lloyd, Ian Fleetwood
(absent Michael Galea)

Our Rules of Association

The Prayers of our Order

Be present with us, O Holy Spirit, for it is in your name that we are specially gathered together. Come to help us in our affairs, and be pleased to enter into our deliberations. Instruct us in what we should do. Let it be You, first of all, who inspire our suggestions. May You who love justice, let us not offend against justice or charity. Grant also that we may act intelligently.

Keep us by the gift of your grace in harmony with your will, so that we may act as one with You, who with the Father and the Son live and reign, God for ever and ever. Amen.
O God, Father of all mankind, send your Holy Spirit upon us, your Knights, dedicated to your service throughout the world. Help us to know the work you wish us to do. Give us the strength, courage and perseverance to undertake it and bring it to completion.

May we always keep before our eyes Jesus Christ, our Saviour, the ideal of the Christian Knight and do all things for love of him. Mary our Mother, have us always in your keeping. Amen.
Heavenly Father, we believe your Son is risen and present within our homes. We thank you for this. We also believe, on the word of your Son, that anything we ask from you in his name you will grant (John 16:23). We gain confidence from this. With trust in the loving presence of your Son, and in his name: we ask you to strengthen us in the sincere commitment we make to practise regular family prayer in our homes, and to strengthen the family in our society.

We make this prayer to you through Christ our Lord. Amen.
O God, please bless all fellow Members of the Knights of the Southern Cross and their families.

Bless all our activities and inspire us at all times to work for Your greater glory and the salvation of all.

May the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen.
Most loving God, we thank you for the example of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, who in her living of the Gospel witnessed to the human dignity of each person. She faced life's challenges with faith and courage. We pray through her intercession for our needs.

(pause to silently reflect on own intentions)

We make this prayer through Jesus the Lord. Amen.
Prayer Leader: Blessed be God
Members: Blessed be his Holy Name

Prayer Leader: Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true Man
Members: Blessed be the name of Jesus

Prayer Leader: Blessed be His most Sacred Heart
Members: Blessed be his most Precious Blood

Prayer Leader: Blessed be Jesus in the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar
Members: Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, our Helper and our guide

Prayer Leader: Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most Holy
Members: Blessed be her Holy and Immaculate Conception

Prayer Leader: Blessed be her glorious Assumption
Members: Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother

Prayer Leader: Blessed be St Joseph, her most chaste Spouse
Members: Blessed be God in his angels and in his saints

Prayer Leader: Holy Mary, Mother of God, and Mother of the Church
Members: Obtain for us many holy priests and religious

Prayer Leader: Our Lady Help of Christians, Patroness of Australia
Members: Pray for us

Prayer Leader: Blessed Mary MacKillop, Patroness of our Order
Members Pray for us

Hail Mary: For all departed members and their families, and an awareness in our society of the rights of the dignity of all human life from conception to natural death.
Prayer Leader: The Lord bless us and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life
Members: Amen

Prayer Leader: Let us go in Peace to love and serve the Lord
Members: Thanks be to God

In this short video, Archbishop Patrick O'Regan talks about the Knights of the Southern Cross and how they parallel with the "Good Samaritian"

Our Head Office

Our Administration Office


Our Office and Conference Room is located within the Southern Cross Care complex called “The Pines” at 336 Marion Road Plympton North South Australia.

KSC SA State Office:
336 Marion Road
PLYMPTON NORTH 5037 SA

Postal Address:
PO Box 681 PLYMPTON
5038 SA

Southern Cross Care "The Pines" - Office Opening Hours


Tuesday to Thursday: 10am to 2:30pm.

Telephone: 0437 229 694
(accessible at all times)
Email: kscsa@kscsa.org.au
Web: www.kscsa.org.au