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AOS USA Maritime Updates 
The Professional Association of Catholic Mariners and the Official Catholic Organization for Cruise Ship Priests and Catholic Maritime Ministers.July 14, 2010
In This Issue
Buy Wild Caught US Seafood
AOS Gulf Task Force Fund
Drill with Care: Alternatives to Moratorium
PrayingHands 

     Prayer Corner

 
AOS USA has teamed up with the Confraternity of Our Lady Star of the Sea to pray for all those impacted by the oil spill.  Remember to pray each day at 6:15 p.m., when the ladies of the Confraternity pray together. A suggested prayer is below:
 
God of boundless love,
At the beginning of creation
Your Spirit hovered over the deep.
You called forth every creature,
And the seas teemed with life.

Through your Son, Jesus Christ,
You have given us the rich harvest of the sea .
Bless our fishers, oil rig workers, merchant mariners, oil rig workers, and all who make a living by the sea.
Protect them from the dangers of wind and rain
And all the perils of the deep.

May Christ, who calmed the storm
And filled the nets of his disciples,
Bring healing to all those affected by this catastrophe.
We pray especially for those fishing families and communities who have already seen their rich fishing grounds of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida closed.

In a special way, we ask God's favor on those
Who are working to contain the oil spill.
May God inspire them and show them the way.
And may He show us ways of being better stewards of His earth,
Protecting his waters and the marine life which are His gifts to us.

Grant this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
(Prayer composed by Fr Sinclair Oubre, JCL
AOS Diocesan Director
 Diocese of Beaumont, TX) 
 
  
 

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Join AOS USA Today!
 
To join AOS USA simply click on the following link:
 
Ministry Quicklinks
 
 
 
 
 
   AOS Streaming Video

Doreen Badeaux photo  Help U.S. Fishermen: Buy Wild Caught U.S.A. Seafood

 Doreen M. Badeaux - Secretary General
 
Dear Friends,
 
Our Fishermen throughout the U.S. have struggled since the beginning of the millenium against "dumping" of foreign shrimp into the U.S. Market. 
 
 Seafood from Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Brazil and other areas was dumped into the market at prices that our fishers could not compete with.  While US Fishers have made some advancements in this area, this dumping continues.
 
An additional concern regarding this foreign seafood is that in many of these countries the seafood is "farm raised" often in environments that are far below U.S. health standards. The testing of these seafood products is also not up to the standards that our own Department of Agriculture insists our own seafood under-go.
 
 
 Along the Gulf Coast, our Fishers (which includes Crabbers, Shrimpers, Oystermen, etc), are experiencing double jeopardy.  Many of their rich fishing grounds have already been tainted by oil. But there are safe areas for them to fish. However, now many consumers are afraid of ALL seafood coming from the Gulf. So the fish that they catch, is much harder to sell. 
 
Now, it would seem that some of the foreign fishing markets are taking advantage of this situation in the Gulf.  They claim to be "helping" the US, by sending more seafood products from over seas.  However, this will only serve to put a lid on the coffin of our own fishers' livelihoods if we allow this. 
 
You can help in a very concrete and simple way.  When purchasing seafood, simply ask if the seafood is "Wild Caught U.S. Seafood."  If you are buying packaged seafood, read the label carefully.  Some foreign seafood is "packaged" in the U.S.A.  But it is still foreign seafood. When dining out, ask the waiter. If he doesn't know, he can ask the chef. Tell him it is important to you and you're willing to wait to place your order until you know.
 
 Click here to view the article from CNBC:
 
 
 
 

 
 
Health Care Reform Helps Fishermen
Courtesy: J.J. Bartlett
 National Fisherman

 
Did you know Fishermen are 4 times more likely to be uninsured?  
Read the following article to learn more about efforts to establish better healthcare for them.
 
Click to read more:
 
       

AOS Gulf Task Force Fund

Sr. Myrna's office with the Apostleship of the Sea at the USCCB has established a Gulf Task Force to deal with issues surrounding the BP Oil Spill and it's impact on Fishers.
 
They have established a special fund specific to this task. If you wish to give to this fund, the information is as follows:
 
Apostleship of the Sea Gulf Coast Task Force  or AOS Gulf Coast Task Force
Accounting Department
7887 Walmsley Avenue
New Orleans, LA. 70125-3496
 
For more information about this fund, contact Deacon Reggie Seymour at PH: 504-596-3087
[email protected]
 
 

Sea Sunday - Do you have news to share from your port? Send it to us!
 

 
Check out the following YouTube link of Sea Sunday celebrations  in Port Arthur, TX - Diocese of Beaumont
 
 
 

 Read & View More about the Oil Spill

 
New links:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Older links:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

May God Bless you with Smooth Sailing throughout your day!

Contact Info
Doreen M. Badeaux
Secretary General
Apostleship of the Sea of the United States of America
1500 Jefferson Drive
Port Arthur, TX  77642-0646
PH:  409-985-4545
FAX:  409-985-5945