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Deacon Dileep interviewed

Apostleship of the Sea/Stella Maris Vancouver Port Chaplain Deacon Dileep Athaide is interviewed by BC Catholic about his unexpected path to becoming a chaplain.

Agnieszka Ruck writes that a few years ago, Deacon Dileep could never have guessed he’d become a frequent visitor on the immense coal and container ships dotting the horizon in Delta and Vancouver.

Yet nearly every day he finds himself donning a hard hat, reflective vest, and steel-toed boots, chatting with security guards who recognise his white collar; and climbing high ladders into cargo ships as a chaplain to seafarers.

We encourage you to read this excellent write up about Deacon Dileep’s own faith journey as he relates how AoS supports seafarers faith and practical needs. Go to this link to read the story.  

Deacon Dileep Athaide is AoS/Stella Maris port chaplain in Vancouver

Deacon Dileep Athaide is AoS/Stella Maris port chaplain in Vancouver

Montreal Mass for seafarers

Fr Andrew Thavam, AoS Stella Maris Montreal Port Chaplain and AoS Canada National Director celebrated Sunday Mass at the Mariners House chapel.

Thirteen seafarers participated and Mass was offered for the seafarers who had died and went missing after two ships collided and also for their families.

 

Sea Sunday at Montreal

Montreal port chaplain Fr Andrew Thavam celebrated two Masses on Sea Sunday, July 8.

The first was on board the ship ship CSL VIRGINIA. An all Filipino crew. Fr Andrew was welcomed by the men.

He had visited them the day before and briefed them about the Sea Sunday program so they were well prepared and looked forward to Mass.

Fr Andrew’s second Mass was at St.Kevin’s parish. Seven seafarers from the ship and a Canadian seafarer who celebrated his silver wedding anniversary were the special guests at the Mass.

They were welcomed by members of the Catholic Women’s League and Couples for Christ. The seafarers participated in the entrance and offertory procession.

After Mass the CWL members organised a dinner for the seafarers and gave out some gifts.

 

 

Sea Sunday: Vatican calls for seafarers’ protection

Family separation, lack of shore leave, violence and abandonment are some of the realities experienced by seafarers today, the Vatican has highlighted in its message for Sea Sunday 2018 which falls on July 8.

Cardinal Peter A. Turkson, Prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Human Integral Development said, “We remember the 1.2 million of seafarers who live for several months in the confined space of a vessel, away from their families and loved ones missing the most important and meaningful events in their families such as birthdays and graduations and failing to be present during times of trials and difficulties such as sickness and death.” 

Cardinal Turkson said many seafarers are also denied shore leave and ship visits from seafarers’ welfare personnel.

“Turnaround time in the ports is reduced to the minimal, leaving the crew with inadequate personal time to rest and relax. In numerous ports, crews are finding it increasingly difficult to get permission to go ashore, either because of company policy or because restrictive and discriminatory regulations imposed by governments.” 

He added, “Many of Apostleship of the Sea chaplains and ship visitors are denied entry into ports or prevented from boarding vessels to provide material and spiritual welfare to seafarers who reach shore after weeks at sea.

This contradicts the spirit of the Regulation 4.4 of the Maritime Labor Convention (MLC).”

Cardinal Turkson further highlighted that violence at sea that generally is characterised by piracy remained a threat to seafarers.

“We request governments and ship owners to put into place all the necessary mechanisms to protect the life of the people at sea,” he said.

Another issue affecting seafarers is abandonment of vessels and crews, said Cardinal Turkson. He cited a newspaper report which said from 2012 to 2017 more than 1,300 seafarers were abandoned for various reasons in ports far from their homes, often unpaid and without food and fuel provisions for the ships.

“We express our sincere gratitude to all Stella Maris chaplains and volunteers who for months and months have and are still providing material, spiritual, legal and psychological support to several crews of abandoned vessels,” he said.

Port chaplains meet up

AoS Canada National Director and Montreal port chaplain Fr Andrew Thavam met-up with the port and chaplains in Toronto and Oshawa recently.

He con-celebrated Mass at Oshawa and Oshawa port chaplain Deacon Alban Soares preached an inspiring homily. After Mass both of them, along with new volunteer Henry, went for a discussion over lunch.

Fr Andrew also visited Deacon Michael Ho, AoS Toronto port chaplain. Deacon Michael introduced to Fr Andrew to the new Deacon and they brief met Judith, the Anglican pastor and their new volunteer.

AoS chaplains and volunteer Condrad then enjoyed a meal together.

Warm welcome on a cold winter’s day

In Montreal, Fr Andrew Thavam, port chaplain and AoS Canada national director went on board OOCL Belgium. It was freezing cold but the crew were very welcoming. The chief cook invited Fr Andrew to have lunch.

During lunch Fr Andrew met a young British cadet on his first voyage. Fr Andrew told him about the AoS’ work and the seafarer was happy to know about the services AoS provides.

Later he met Jonothan, a Filipino seafarer who had known Fr Andrew from 2003. Jonothan asked Fr Andrew if he could drive him to the nearest Wal-Mart as he wanted to buy chocolates for his children before signing off. They did just that, despite the icy conditions, and had a very interesting conversation about why Catholic priests are unmarried. Jonothan recalled that he had participated in a Mass celebrated on board his ship previously.

Jonothan remarked, “Now I know the reason, it makes attending that Mass all the more meaningful.”

 

 

AoS 24th World Congress: A vital pastoral work in a vast industry

On the first day of the 24th World Congress of Catholic maritime charity, Apostleship of the Sea (AoS), the continuing value of its support for seafarers and fishermen was affirmed.

Pope Francis in his message to the Congress urged delegates to be the ‘Church that harbours the mystery of God that can attract people to him’.

Opening the Congress, the Vice President of the Republic of China (Taiwan), H.E. Chen Chien-jen said that the government of Taiwan appreciates the work of AoS, particularly that seafarers and fishermen are sometimes recruited from developing countries that do not have means to protect their rights.

In his opening address, Cardinal Peter Turkson, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development at the Vatican, noted that 38 million people were engaged in fisheries, 90% of whom were working in small scale fisheries, largely located in Asia and Africa.

Flags of convenience still make identifying ownership difficult, said the Cardinal. Abuses are still present including cases in the fishing industry of forced labour and human trafficking. Exacerbating the problem is the practice of some fishing vessels being at sea for months or years, making it difficult for fishermen to report abuses.

Cardinal Turkson told the more than 250 delegates that their travelling to Kaohsiung provided them with an experience of being uprooted, this he said would be vital for their reflections on the lives and problems of fishermen who often lead an uprooted existence.

The work of the Congress was essential, said the Cardinal, both to better understand the lives of those who depend on the sea but also to see how they can benefit from the evangelising work of the Apostleship of the Sea.

During the opening Mass, Cardinal Turkson expressed the hope that in the AoS ministry chaplains ‘would always have the right words to assure [seafarers and fishermen] of God’s solicitude for them.’

Delegates heard from Max Schmid of the Environmental Justice Foundation of the shocking effect of illegal fishing on fishermen including those not having work contracts, fishermen not feeling free to leave the vessel, cases of sexual and violent abuse and even executions at sea. He lauded the work of AoS in ports around the world to secure justice for seafarers where fishermen had suffered abuse.

Cardinal Turkson proposed that in AoS’s future work to support fishermen that they encourage bishops of countries without AoS chaplains to establish an outreach. He also encouraged the AoS to encourage their home countries to implement the UN’s International Labour Organisation’s Work in Fishing Convention.

The Cardinal underlined the need for fishermen to have the friendship of the chaplain or volunteer, to have a place to relax away from their vessel, a place to pray and regain their spiritual strength, to be given the chance to contact their families, to rest, to unload their burdens.

The conference continues until Friday 6th October.

Montreal Conference: ‘Be fishers of people’, Canada’s port chaplains challenged

A number of port chaplains from across Canada from the Apostleship of the Sea gathered this week in Montreal for their annual conference, organised by their National Office.  Bishop Thomas Dowd, their bishop promoter in Canada, challenged them to ‘Be fishers of people, those on the sea’.

Chaplains from Montreal, Trois Rivière, Oshawa, Toronto & Vancouver, together with overseas delegates, gathered to review the ministry and plan for future growth. It was also an occasion to celebrate the work of Deacon Derek Skelton, a former ships engineer, who for more than 15 years, had served as port chaplain in Oshawa.

Bishop Dowd noted that ‘Part of our challenge within the Apostleship of the Sea is to have this ministry better known’, the conference was also an opportunity to put this call into practice with the launch of their new website www.apostleshipofthesea.ca

The conference heard a number of moving accounts from chaplains. Fr Andrew Thavam, port chaplain in Montreal, told of a moving remark of a seafarer he’d had a long conversation with, ‘if I hadn’t met you today, I would have ended it’.

Deacon Dileep Athaide, the AoS Vancouver port chaplain recounted his ship visits on Ash Wednesday and Palm Sunday when seafarers had had the rare chance to reconnect with their faith.

Despite the challenges of the ministry Deacon Alban Soares who begun ministry in the port of Oshawa after only a year said this was a ‘most fulfilling ministry’

The conference also heard from John Green, from AoS Great Britain and their experience of renewal to extend the ministry to more seafarers and their twinning programme to share this experience and their capacity with other countries including AoS Canada.

Regional coordinator, Karen Parsons, underlined the vital role of praying for each other to support what is often an isolated ministry.

Bishop Dowd summed up the priorities of the future work of the AoS in Canada, ‘Give our brothers and sisters the opportunity to be involved in something that is so important’. The key to this outreach he noted was ‘One thing I’ve noticed is your enthusiasm, you folks care; you care about the ministry, you care about seafarers, you care about the future of the ministry’.

Notwithstanding the challenges he urged the delegates to go ahead with this ‘labour of love, a labour to communicate God’s love to others’.

The conference concluded considering a number of recommendations; to improve their identity, to extend the ministry into new ports, to attract more volunteers to visit more ships and to raise much needed funds.

 

Sea Sunday Mass

Fr Andrew Thavam Montreal port chaplain, celebrated Sea Sunday Mass on board the Wild Rose which docked at the Grain Terminal in Montreal and another Mass at Mariners House chapel. The crew on board Wild Rose are all Filipinos. When Fr Andrew visited them the Captain was happy to have Mass on board and as you can see from the seafarers’ smiles, they too were delighted. Six Filipina women from St. Kein’s Catholic Women’s League came to help at Mass and sing the hymns.

AoS Mombasa port chaplain visit

We were glad to welcome our colleague from Mombasa, Kenya, Mr George Sunguh, who is AoS chaplain at the port. He visited the seafarers’ centre and Montreal port. Fr Andrew also had a lengthy discussion about our activities and methods of reporting of our activities. A good learning experience on both sides.

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