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.
