Apostleship of the Sea of the U.S.A.

AOS USA Annual Conference

Where:

The Inn on Lake Superior

PH:  1-888-668-4352
350 Canal Park Drive
Duluth, MN 55802

Driving Directions
 

When:
Tuesday May 3, 2011 at 3:00 PM CDT
-to-
Friday May 6, 2011 at 12:00 PM CDT
Add to my calendar

 

 

 

Register Now!

 

 

 

Dear Friends,

 

The deadline for hotel registrations is nearing. The hotel rates are $91/ night until April 16. Please make your hotel reservations right away.

 

Conference plans are going very well. We look forward to a special session with John DeSantis, who was on the "front lines" dealing with the BP Oil Spill.  His input on the day to day events during the initial spill, and his update on how the fishermen and people of the Gulf Coast are currently faring, will be an eye opening experience for all.

 

We will also have a special session regarding the Great Lakes and the unique needs of mariners and companies in this region.  As part of this panel, we will discuss how the ministry can be enriched in this region. Former National Director, and now Great Lakes Port Chaplain, Rev. Fr. John A. Jamnicky will be a panelist, along with Fr Bob Sipe, a Cruise Ship Priest who, once retired, decided to become an AOS Port Chaplain, and now works with AOS Duluth.  Also on the panel, will be Tom Anderson, an AOS Canada Port Chaplain to the Great Lakes.  It will  be exciting to see how this panel of US and Canadian Chaplains and Maritime Companies, can work together to create a stronger AOS Ministry to the mariners on the Great Lakes.

 

A Draft Agenda is as follows:

Tuesday, May 3: 

3:00 - 6:00              Registration

5:00 p.m.               Welcome: Fr. Sinclair - Introduction to Conference

5:30 p.m.                Presentation 1: Deepwater Horizon & Gulf Fishermen - John DeSantis (National Fisherman & Houma Courier) (invited)

6:30 p.m.                Video Documentary: Fish For Tomorrow: Sustainable Fisheries

7:30 p.m.                 Reflections on Presentation & Documentary

8:00 p.m.                 Evening Prayer

 

Wednesday, May 4:

8:00-12:00              Registration Continues for Conference

 8:30-9:00               Morning Prayer

9:00 a.m.                 Panel: The Lakes: A Unique Aspect of Our Domestic Merchant Marine:

                                 Gregg Ruhl - Director of Sales, Marketing & Traffic, Great Lakes Fleet (invited)  Jason Serck - Port Director, Port of Superior Jim Sharrow - Facilities Manager, Duluth Seaway Port Authority (invited)

10:15                       Break

10:45                       Panel: Maritime Ministry on the Great Lakes

Fr. Bob Sipe Rev. Tom Anderson Canadian Maritime Minister (invited) Fr. John Jamnicki

11:45                       Break for Preparation for Mass

12:00  Noon           Mass - Fr. Sinclair Oubre, J.C.L.

1:00 p.m.                                Lunch

 2:30                        Panel: Catholic Maritime Ministry Responds to Deepwater Horizon

3:30 p.m.                Not-For-Profit Fundraising - Rev. Loring Carpenter, Executive Director, Seafarers Friend (Chelsea, MA)

5:00 p.m.                                Evening Prayer

 

Thursday, May 5:

7:00-12:00              Registration for Conference

 8:30-9:00               Morning Prayer

9:00 a.m.                Sr. Myrna Tordillo - AOS National Director

9:30 a.m.                 Deacon Patrick LaPoint - Treasurer' Report

10:00 a.m.              AOS USA Secretary General Report/ Cruise Ship Priest Program Report

10:30 a.m.              Break

11:00 a.m.              Business Meeting:

-          Election of Vice President

-          Develop Action Plan for MLC 2006

-          Certification Process

-          Mosaic at National Shrine

-          Continuation of the Cruise Ship Priest Program

12:30 p.m.              Mass: Bishop Peter F. Christensen Bishop of Superior

1:30                         Lunch On Your Own & Evening Free

 

Friday, May 6:

8:30-9:00 a.m.        Morning Prayer

9:00-9:45 a.m.        Rev. Allan Figueroa Deck ­Executive Director, Secretariat for Cultural Diversity in the Church

9:45 -10:30 a.m      .Deacon Albert Dacanay - AOS Regional Coordinator

-          Regional Report


 
 

-          World Congress - Rome?

 

 10:30 - 11:15 a.m.   Around the Ports & On the Cruise Ships

 11:15 p.m.             Conference Adjourns

 11:30 p.m.             Closing Mass: Bishop Paul Sirba Bishop of Duluth

 

 

 

 

You are cordially invited to the 2011 AOS USA Annual Conference!

 

The conference is an opportunity for AOS USA members to gather together to network, while benefitting from continuing education on our Catholic Faith and ways to better serve the People of the Sea.  

 

This year, we will concentrate on issues related to Ministry along the Great Lakes. We also have much to discuss regarding our fishing communities, after such horrific events as the BP Oil Spill and the Earthquake and Tsunami which affected Japan, Hawaii and the U.S. West Coast.  We also have much to discuss regarding the Cruise Ship Priest Program. So, as you can see, all facets of the ministry will be discussed.

  
This year's event will take place in a unique and beautiful tourist area along the Great Lakes.  The Inn on Lake Superior in Duluth, Minnesota will not disappoint you!
  
  
Click on the link below to register or RSVP.

 

 

Register Now!

 

I can't make it

 

 

If you have any questions about the conference, or the registration process, please feel free to contact Doreen at the AOS USA Office  aosusa@sbcglobal.net or PH: 409-985-4545.
  
We hope that you will join us for this informative conference.
  
We look forward to seeing each of you on the Shores of Lake Superior!

 

Sincerely,

 

Fr. Sinclair Oubre, JCL
President
Apostleship of the Sea of the U.S.A.