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2019 Global Port Chaplains Directory launched

Stella Maris-Apostleship of the Sea (AoS) has launched a new version of its global port chaplains’ directory which helps seafarers get access to pastoral, practical and spiritual support wherever they are in the world.

The Port Chaplain Directory 2019 lists phone numbers and email addresses of the charity’s 227 chaplains in 334 ports across 59 countries. This includes 17 ports in Canada.

It also highlights the ports in which Stella Maris Seafarers’ Centres are located; these centres provide a space where seafarers can go to relax, pray, contact family, socialise, and speak to a chaplain away from the environment of their ships.

Stella Maris (AoS ) in South Africa and all over the world are able to provide pastoral, practical and spiritual care to seafarers when tragedy strikes, acting as a dependable, trusted friend in times of crisis.

The Directory enables our network of chaplains to provide holistic care for seafarers in port after port worldwide and gives seafarers a tool to get quick and easy access to assistance and advice.”

“Providing up to date and accurate details of all our chaplains is a valuable resource both for seafarers and stakeholders in the maritime industry such as P&I clubs, shipping agents and port officials,” he added.

The range of support offered by AoS includes counselling and befriending, taking seafarers to church, visiting them in hospital, transporting them to local shops and facilities and providing means of communicating with family and friends.

Copies of the Directory have been sent out to AoS chaplains globally for distribution to seafarers and ships. The Directory can be downloaded here Port chaplain Directory 2019.

Newly-ordained Deacon to serve seafarers in Victoria

Bishop of Victoria Gary Gordon has appointed a new Port Chaplain to minister to seafarers arriving at the Port of Victoria, British Columbia.

Deacon Philip Yuson (pictured in the middle) joins the Apostleship of the Sea (AoS) network in British Columbia Canada. His appointment is indicative of the importance Bishop Gordon has attached to serving the needs of seafarers in Greater Victoria as well as the other small ports on Vancouver Island.

Deacon Philip is faced with the wonderful opportunity of establishing an AoS presence for the first time in the diocese. As part of his initiation, he looks forward to working closely with AoS West Coast Coordinator and Vancouver Port Chaplain Deacon Dileep Athaide and shadowing him on ship visits in the latter’s home port of Vancouver.

Deacon Athaide said, “Over the past couple of years, I have spoken with Bishop Gordon as well as several priests in his diocese regarding the need to provide a Catholic Chaplaincy to serve seafarers on ships that berth at their ports and also frequently anchor for extended periods of time in the waters nearby.”

He added, “Deacon Philip’s appointment will further galvanise our ministry of reaching out to people who work at sea.”

AoS Canada National Director Fr Andrew Thavam said shortly before Christmas last year, Bishop Gordon received a phone call requesting that a Catholic Priest celebrate Mass on board a ship with Filipino crew members at Port Alberni.

Fr Andrew said, “To explore the kind of ministry to seafarers, Bishop Gordon took it upon himself to go on board the ship to say Mass. From his time on board Bishop Gordon learnt about the lives of seafarers and some of the conditions they might sometimes face including loneliness, non-payment of wages, poor working conditions, stress and fatigue.

He added, “Bishop Gordon came to the conclusion that the presence of a Chaplain at the ports in the diocese was vital – someone who would be a shepherd to seafarers and provide spiritual care. Hence the appointment of Deacon Philip.”

Deacon Philip and his wife Marie live in Victoria, on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

Mother’s Day Mass

AoS Canada National Director and Montreal port chaplain Fr Andrew Thavam celebrated a special Mass at the Mariners House chapel on the feast of Ascension and Mother’s Day.

Mass was offered for all mothers and particularly for seafarers’ wives who take on the burden of taking care of their children in the absence of the head of the family.

The wife of a seafarers did the first reading.

Vancouver seminarians reach out to seafarers

“Jesus frequently went out on the waters with his disciples. I look forward to following Him in service to the seafarers who sail the high seas today”.

This was one of several comments by seminarians from the Archdiocese of Vancouver who visited Canada’s largest sea port as part of their pastoral experience to learn about the Catholic Church’s maritime ministry.

The six senior seminarians were taken on a port visit in Roberts Bank in Delta in two separate groups in late February in which they discovered first-hand the lives of seafarers who work on board ships carrying goods to and from ports around the world.

They went on board two ships – Essen Express, a container vessel and Navios Magellan, a bulk carrier carrying coal.

The visit was arranged by Apostleship of the Sea Vancouver Port Chaplain Deacon Dileep Athaide who proposed the idea to Archdiocese Vocations Director Fr. Rodney Nootebos.

Deacon Athaide visits ships that arrive in Vancouver port and boards them to offer spiritual and practical support to seafarers. This includes blessing the crew and giving prayer books and rosaries to Catholic seafarers.

“The seminarians were thrilled with their “field-trip” (as they called it) and were astonished by the size of the cargo vessels. They learnt much about the life and concerns of seafarers from their short conversations with them,” said Deacon Athaide.

“We were given extensive tours of the bridge and engine rooms, galleys and messes, and even treated to a hearty lunch on board.”

He added, “The men really appreciated the hospitality shown them on their tour of the ships and the interaction with the seafarers”.

“A few told me that they look forward to the possibility of serving as priest-Chaplains someday.”

Deacon Athaide said, “Seafarers often work in the periphery of society and not many people know about what they do, so port chaplaincy is a powerful example of the Church reaching out to those on the margins.”

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