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Prayer Corner
For those affected by Hurricane Irene. We ask for the intercession of Our Lady Star of the Sea for her comfort.
For Chris Fogarty, AOS USA Mariner Member and Vice President, who is experiencing complications from diabetes. He asks for the prayers of his AOS USA family.
For those held hostage by pirates throughout the world.
For all those in pirate infested waters that God will protect them.
For those suffering from floods, droughts, tornados, and other harsh weather conditions. May the Peace of Christ sustain them, as they work to rebuild their homes and their lives.
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Join AOS USA Today!
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 Give Thanks......But Let's Keep Praying!
Dear Friends,
I know we all share a sigh of relief that Hurricane Irene was not quite the terror that she could have been. However, she was not without fangs.
As a life-long resident of the Gulf Coast, I certainly know the terrors of watching the 5-7 day reports of a hurricane potentially hitting my home and the homes of my loved ones. (Side note: Please don't tell my Mom there's something in the Gulf right now....too late, she already knows, and she's reading this article too......)
Gulf Coast residents know all too well, how once a catastrophic #4 hurricane does not hit, (since God has mercifully brought it down to a #2 or #1 as in the case of Irene), how quickly the media goes away and people "poo poo" the entire story.
Being a resident of Port Arthur, I also know how the big cities always catch the media's fancy, even when a small, working class city like Port Arthur catches the brunt of a storm. It is very frustrating to those of us from small towns to hear "nothing really happened" when we know it did, and it takes a year or two for everything to return to normal or even semi-normal.
With that in mind, please remember....the reality is that though Irene was not catastrophic for as many people as she could have been, if you're a working class family that just had your home inundated with 4 inches, or 4 feet of water........it's catastrophic to YOU!
Let's continue to keep those affected in prayer, as we offer prayers of thanks for those lives and homes that were unaffected.
Wishing you Smooth Sailing!
Doreen M. Badeaux
Secretary General
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History of the Confraternity of Our Lady Star of the Sea
(Editor's note: AOS USA enjoys a wonderful relationship with the Confraternity of our Lady Star of the Sea. AOS USA Vice President and Mariner Member, Mr Chris Fogarty recently compiled a history of the Confraternity, and would like to share this with the membership, along with a very special Chaplet of Our Lady Star of the Sea.)
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
The Confraternity of Our Lady Star of the Sea came from humble beginnings in Morgan City, Louisiana. Starting in 1970, a rosary group began meeting weekly in neighborhood homes. With the permission of the pastor, the group later assembled at Holy Cross Catholic Church, Morgan City to pray the rosary.
THE FLOOD CRISIS OF 1973
In 1973 a flood posed a serious threat to the area. During this crucial period, when many were praying, the rosary group invoked fervent appeals to God through the intercession of Our Lady Star of the Sea. Their prayers were answered. When the danger had abated, the rosary group decided their name would henceforth be Our Lady Star of the Sea Rosary Group. The group's efforts would be centered on fostering devotions to our Blessed Lady. The group then made the decision to place the entire area under the protection of Our Lady Star of the Sea. Members began a Novena to Our Lady Star of the Sea to seek protection from hurricanes and natural disasters in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux and to enable seafarers and those making their livelihood by the sea to seek her protection. Any and all other intentions would be included in the prayers, masses and good works of the group.
THE STATUE
The rosary group commissioned a statue of Our Lady Star of the Sea to be carved from carrera marble by Italian artist Salvi Giorgio. Their first concern was funding. Leo Streva helped them obtain a side of beef which was raffled off, and the project was off to a successful start. Morgan City mayor, C.R. Brownell, gave his full support and helped in many ways in assisting the group with the state highway right of way and permission to place the statue in a safe location near the highway. Larry Bergeron aided the group by taking the job of preparing the foundation and pillar on which the statue would be placed. On July 27th, 1975, the life-sized white carrera marble statue of Our Lady Star of the Sea was erected in Morgan City. Archbishop Philip M. Hannan of New Orleans dedicated the statue and placed the entire area under the protection of Our Lady Star of the Sea.
FURTHER GROWTH
Holy Year services were planned for 1975, and on October 5th a benediction and candlelight rosary were held at Tiger Stadium in Morgan City. Archbishop Hannan. and Archbishop Maurice Schexnayder of Lafayette officiated at the ceremonies marking the closing of the Holy Year.
STRIKING A MEDAL
On May 17, 1978 Bishop Warren L. Boudreaux of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux gave his permission to strike and distribute a medal in honor of Our Lady Star of the Sea. This was another step in furthering the efforts to promote dedication to Our Lady. On July 27, 1978, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Morgan City, Bishop Boudreaux dedicated and blessed the first medal struck in the diocese in honor of Our Lady Star of the Sea. The front of the medal has a design of Mary, Star of the Sea surrounded by the words "Stella Maris, Guide Me". The back of the medal has a rosary design with the words "Our Lady Star of the Sea help and protect us".
BECOMING A CONFRATERNITY
On August 22, 1979, the Feast of the Queenship of Mary, Bishop Boudreaux officially named the rosary group the Confraternity of Our Lady Star of the Sea. The Bishop made the decree public on September 8, 1979, the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lady. His Holiness Pope John Paul II officially gave his Apostolic Blessing upon all the members of the Confraternity.
PURPOSE AND WORKS
One of the purposes of the Confraternity is to increase greater dedication to Mary under the title of Our Lady Star of the Sea. True to their beginnings, the Confraternity still meets on Tuesday mornings at 9 A.M. at Holy Cross Church to pray to Our Lady for her intercession for the many needs of the people of the area through one of her most powerful and favored instruments, the rosary. Every year in spring, the Confraternity joins in prayer with many others in the community for nine days to petition Our Lady for her protection during the coming hurricane and flood season. Again in autumn, prayers are said by the faithful in thanksgiving for her protection from the perils of nature.
Members of the Confraternity make rosaries that are distributed to missionaries in the United States and throughout the world, to local schools, nursing homes, hospitals and jails. Brown scapulars are made by hand and given out to the faithful. Food baskets are given to the needy at Christmas and throughout the year. The Confraternity has furnished a place to stay and food for homeless families until they find employment.
WORLDWIDE MEMBERSHIP
Confraternity membership extends to many parts of the world. The Confraternity has members in twenty four of the fifty United States. Other members hail from Canada, the Philippines, India, Finland, Nigeria and Ghana. The Confraternity of Our Lady Star of the Sea is open to all practicing Catholics who are willing to follow the constitution that is outlined in the membership program. Those wishing to obtain further information concerning membership may write:
The Confraternity of Our Lady Star of the Sea
Central Headquarters
P.O. Box 609
Morgan City, LA 70381
AN INVITATION
Our Lady Star of the Sea, Stella Maris, is the Patroness of all who sail the seas. Saint Bonaventure reminds us that she also "guides to a landfall in Heaven those who navigate the sea of this world in the ship of innocence or penance." Ships at sea might be guided by the North Star. Our Lady, Star of the Sea, aids not only the seafarers aboard those ships, she also aids all those who sail the stormy seas of life. If you realize that in the rushing tide of this world you are bobbing about amid storms and tempests rather than walking on land ... turn to the light of Our Lady Star of the Sea. Don't get lost in the storms of life. Call on Mary.
DEDICATION
This history is dedicated to the memory of Fr. John Paul Finke, S.M., whose love and devotion for Our Lady has aided the members of the Confraternity to keep the sextant of their souls fixed on the Star of the Sea.
Submitted by:
Christopher Wm. Fogarty
Mariner Member, AOS-USA
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Chaplet of Our Lady Star of the Sea
For Special Needs
Imprimatur: Bishop Warren L. Boudreaux
Bishop of Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux
February 22, 1983
THE MEDAL PRAYER:
A Prayer to the Blessed Virgin.
O Most beautiful Flower of Mount Carmel,
Fruitful Vine, Splendour of Heaven, Blessed
Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin,
assist me in this my necessity. O Star of the Sea,
help me and show me herein you are my
Mother.
O Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven
and Earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart,
to succor me in this necessity;
there are none that can withstand your power
FIRST THREE BEADS:
PRAY
1 Our Father, 1 Haily Mary, 1 Glory Be on each of the three beads for Bishop Warren Boudreaux, Pope John Paul II and Father John Paul Finke.
On each of the 12 beads which represent the 12 Stars of Our Lady's Crown pray: 1 Hail Mary on each bead and the following invocations:
Our Lady, Star of the Sea Help and Protect us!
and
Sweet Mother, I place this cause in thy hands.
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 Mission Centers Provide a Place in Port for Mariners to Phone Home and Unwind
Courtesy: Professional Mariner
(Sept. 2011 edition)
(Editors Note: AOS USA congratulates and commends Deacon Patrick Lapoint of AOS Lake Charles, LA for his good work as reported in Professional Mariner. Deacon Patrick is a Pastoral Member of AOS USA and serves as the Treasurer for AOS USA.)
On a spring dayafternoon, the dry bulk carrier Macondo took on a load of rice at the Lake Charles, LA., docks. While the ship was at berth, Capt. Gustavo Torres and some of his crew relaxed by playing air hockey and phoning their families back in Columbia. The men were able to catch a break ashore as a result of the work of the port's Stella Maris Lake Charles Seafarers' Center.
Read More
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Violence Aboard Ship
By Jane Barrett
Transport International
Jan-March 2011
(Trainiee seafarer Akhona Geveza told friends she was raped and was later found dead in suspicious circumstances at sea. The ITF and its affiliates are taking action.)
Akhona Geveza grew up in the Eastern Cape village of Nxarhuni, not far from East London, South Africa. Born in 1991, she was the only child of unemployed and desperately poor parents. She was the pride and joy of Zenzile and Nokwakha Geveza, who were thrilled when their daughter was selected to be trained as a ship's navigation officer.
Akhona was one of 100 young women enrolled in the Transnet National Ports Authority's Maritime Studies Programme. The programme was devised to promote seafaring amongst young South Africans generally, but also specifically to ensure that the port authority was able to fill vacancies for ship's officers in its port activities. The South African Transport and Allied Workers' Union (Satawu), an ITF affiliate, supported the programe.
Read More
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AOS USA Co-Sponsors
US Observance of the IMO's
World Maritime Day
During the May Annual Meeting of AOS USA in Duluth, our membership voted to be a sponsoring organization for one of the two US observances of World Maritime Day. This will be taking place at the Port Arthur Internationals Seafarer Center on September 29, 2011. This is also the same day that the main observance will take place in at the IMO's headquarters in London.
The organizers have established a web site: www.seafarerissues.net. Here you can find the agenda, register for the event, pay the registration fee, and make a reservation at the dedicated hotel.
In addition you can CLICK HERE to get the WMD flyer and agenda.
Because of the generous underwriting BY many in the maritime industry, registration is only $25.00. You can register by CLICKING HERE, and you can pay by PayPal by CLICKING HERE. Finally, you can make reservations at the designated hotel, Hampton Inn - Port Arthur by CLICKING HERE.
Fr. Sinclair Oubre, J.C.L.
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Important Upcoming Events for
AOS USA Members
IMO World Maritime Day
Celebrated the week of Sept 26-30, 2011
Western Gulf World Maritime Day Observance
September 29, 2011
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Port Arthur International Seafarer Center
401 Houston Ave.
Port Arthur, TX 77640
www.seafarerissues.net
Houston Maritime Chaplaincy Training Program
Feb. 5-16, 2012
@ Houston International Seafarers' Center
Houston School Application
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