In the 1990's, Msgr. Jim Dillenburg was stationed at the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerants in Rome. He was part of an effort by the pontifical council to develop extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC) on board ships. In 1997, Blessed John Paul II incorporated this initiative in his Motu proprio Stella Maris.

In section 3, paragraphs 5, our Holy Father wrote:

"5. The chaplain of the Work of the Maritime Apostolate must identify among maritime personnel those who have a special devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and train them so that they can be appointed, by the competent authority, as extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist and be able to exercise this ministry with dignity, especially on board ships."

Though efforts were made at the 1992 AOS World Congress, and by AOS-USA's predecessor the National Catholic Conference for Seafarers to develop training materials, and reach out to Catholic mariners to become EMHC's, the efforts bore little fruit. In retrospect, two challenges could never be overcome. First, the port chaplain, maritime deacon, religious or lay ecclesial minister had to identify potential Catholic spiritual leaders among visiting crew members in the 24 to 36 hours they were in port. If one could be identified, the second challenge arose, how to give proper catechesis to the mariner so that a request could be made to his or her competent authority to depute him or her as an EMHC.

The port ministers' window of opportunity was just not enough to bring to reality this wonderful benefit that Blessed John Paul II had given the maritime world. To be effective, the identification and preparation needed to take place in their home countries, especially while they were in their home parish or in maritime school.

I recall this bit of history because we face a similar challenge among US mariners. As a second engineer and graduate from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy asked as I drove him back to the ship, "Who are you guys?"

Though he graduated from an US maritime academy with a long history of pastoral care by the local parish priest, he had never heard of the Apostleship of the Sea, or knew what seafarers' centers or missions were.

This is why my recent meeting with Basil Alkoussan is so exciting. Basil is a cadet at the Texas Maritime Academy in Galveston, and has been elected by his peers to be the Corp Chaplain. Basil is very interested in developing an active pastoral care especially while his fellow cadets are on their summer cruises.

During our visit, it became apparent that Basil was not familiar with maritime ministry or seafarer welfare centers. However, with him there, an active Christian witness and pastoral care will be available to his fellow cadets. At the same time, those of us in maritime ministry will have an invaluable resource at the Texas Maritime Academy to pass all that is available to US seafarers calling in our ports.

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Sinclair Oubre, JCL

President

HOTEL for Conference

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