Journalists aren’t supposed to bury the lede, so let me get to it immediately: Crux is asking for a small bit of your money, in order to help us keep on delivering the very best in smart, wired and independent Catholic news.

You can do that here.

Crux is smart, in that we do more than skim the surface. We do the deep digs that bring to light the meaning of stories, not just the facts. We’re wired, in that we’ve got access to the people who matter in the Catholic Church, from the top to the bottom. We’re also independent, in that we’re not owned by any institution, and we strive not to lean either left or right.

If you read Crux regularly, you know all that already. From the beginning, we’ve wanted this content to be free of charge, and it will remain so. If you like, you can continue using our site as much as you want and never spend a single dime.

On the other hand, both experience and analytics tell us Crux readers are some of the best-informed people out there. You know that good reporting doesn’t come cheap – it involves time, travel and expertise. Add in the other costs of operating a news agency, and you’re looking at a serious investment.

Our advertisers help us defray some of those costs, as do our sponsors, all of whom have been with us since more or less the beginning and who remain with us today. However, neither advertising nor sponsorship covers all our current needs, let alone providing us with the resources to grow.

That’s where you come in.

Last month marked the second anniversary of Crux’s “Independence Day.” We were launched as a project of the Boston Globe in September 2014, and we struck out on our own on April 1, 2016. At the time it seemed a risky thing to do, but today Crux is better and stronger than ever thanks to your interest and support.

To keep that momentum going, and to confront the new challenges of a rapidly changing media landscape, we need your support again. We’re asking for a small monthly contribution that probably works out to what you’d pay for a latte or two at Starbucks. You may not even notice it, but I can promise you we will!

Crux is not a non-profit organization, so contributions are not tax-deductible. We’re asking for a small gesture of support anyway, which will keep Crux your daily one-stop destination for news, analysis and commentary on all things Catholic.

Many thanks and keep reading Crux!