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AOS USA Maritime Updates 

The Professional Association of Catholic Mariners, Cruise Ship Priests and Catholic Maritime Ministers.

 

November 14, 2013
In This Issue
AOS Vatican Announces Special AOS Fund for the Philippines!
Message from AOS National Director.
Other News Items.
Upcoming Events
PrayingHands

    Prayer Requests:

 

For the many Filipino Seafarers who are currently at sea, and do not know the status of their families at home, or the status of their homes, due to inability to make contact with them in the aftermath of the Typhoon.  

 

 

 

For the Cadets at the Newman Club at New York Maritime Academy , who will be on retreat Nov 15-17. 

 

 

For the repose of the Soul of Fr. Anthony Hannick, Cruise Ship Priest Member, who passed away recently. Fr. Hannick was from Ireland, and was known for bringing several priests into the AOS-USA Cruise Ship Priest Program to serve the People of the Sea. We thank God for the work of this good Priest. 

 

 

 For the hundreds of refugees and ferry travelers who have died in the last three weeks in maritime disasters in Nigeria and off the Coast of Lampedusa.

 

For the thousands of Indian Fishing Families impacted by the Typhoon. 

 

For the 19 missing crew members of the M/V Chenglu 15, lost off the South Korea Coast on October 14. 

 

For the continued healing of our AOS USA past vice president, Chris Fogarty, who is now home and undergoing therapy.

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AOS Vatican Announces Special AOS Fund for the Philippines

Dear Friends,

The Apostleship of the Sea at the Vatican has announced a special fund to assist the victims of the typhoon in the Philippines. Please read below and support this fund.

Please share it with your friends, families, Seafarers' Centers supporters and Churches, and others
.

May Our Lady Star of the Sea continue to watch over all those affected by this tragedy.

 

Doreen M. Badeaux
Secretary General 

 

   

AOS Special Fund for the Philippines

  

From the Vatican , November 13th, 2013

   

Prot. n. 7423/2013/AM

 

Re: AOS special Fund for the Philippines

   

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

 

Once again, we have witnessed the catastrophic power of the nature that in less than one month hit the same area twice (Central - Southern Visayas) in the Philippines . On October 15th, a devastating earthquake and then on November 7th, the Typhoon Haiyan hit the Nation, sweeping away people and property in its course. The death toll is in the thousands, while the survivors struggle to put together what is left of their lives.

 

Our prayers and solidarity go to all the Filipino seafarers miles away from their loved ones, not knowing their fate. We praise many of our AOS Centers around the world that have provided free telephone cards and internet access to allow Filipino seafarers to contact their families. Many of our AOS chaplains have celebrated Masses for the deceased, and have helped the seafarers make sense of such devastation and turmoil.

 

We appreciate that Carnival Cruise has requested AOS deploy Catholic chaplains on board of several of their ships to support Filipino crews.  

 

The great family of AOS would like to show its closeness and manifest its solidarity to the Filipino people. Therefore, as it was done for the tsunami that struck the coast of Japan in 2011, the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, which is responsible for the overall direction of the Apostleship of the Sea, has decided to set up a special fund with an initial contribution 10,000 (ten thousands) US dollars. The fund will support long-term reconstruction projects, to be realized in cooperation with AOS - Philippines , benefiting the people of the sea in the affected areas when, after the initial weeks of emergency, people will have to return to their "normal" life.

 

Attached, you will find the instructions for your donations in US$ or in Euros (enclosure).  

Bank Transfer Document 

 

Please be kind enough to inform our office ([email protected]) of any transfer of funds.

We would also be grateful if you could share this initiative, giving it all the exposure that you deem fits. In advance, we express our sincere thanks for your support and generosity, asking Mary, Star of the Sea, to bless this initiative.

 

 Antonio Maria Card. Vegli�

 President

                                                                                                            X Joseph Kalathiparambil

 Secretary

 

 

 

 Message from AOS National Director: Typhoon Hayian Victims

Dear colleagues and friends of AOS,

 

In the aftermath of the mammoth typhoon that struck the Philippines on Friday, Nov. 8 and the massive destruction to life and property in many areas, I ask your continued prayers for and solidarity with the people of the Philippines.

 

As international efforts are underway to respond to the humanitarian crisis, please help in any way you can by donating to charitable organizations that are assisting in relief efforts. Information on the U.S. Catholic community's response to this emergency and how U.S. Catholics can help can be found atwww.crs.org and www.usccb.org. Please find attached Cardinal Dolan's Solidarity letter on Nov. 11 to Archbishop Jose Palma, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.

Letter from Cardinal Dolan  

 

In Cardinal Dolan's letter, it says that parishes in the United States will be taking up a second collection during the next few days to aid in recovery.

 

To those of you who serve in our country, here are some practical ways to express solidarity with visiting seafarers from the Philippines and Vietnam:

         Pray with seafarers and tell them you care and are praying for their loved ones back home. If your center has a chapel, have Mass offered for special intention for typhoon victims and when possible invite seafarers to attend.

         Extend open hours at seafarers centers and/or time for ship visiting as a means of pastoral accompaniment.

         Make extra effort to assist seafarers from affected areas by collaborating with ship agents and ship companies, especially to facilitate communication with families back home.

         Means of communications are vital, continue to offer the use of internet and cell phones for families to contact love ones.    

           

Fr. Bruno Ciceri , from AOS Vatican sent an email and he says:

"AOS has received a certain amount of money for the reimbursement of the free telephone cards distributed to Filipino seafarers, to call their home in this time of difficulties.

If you know of Centers that have offered this service to the seafarers and would like to receive reimbursement could please let them to get in touch with me.

Of course it would be good to have some record of the disbursement and some anecdotal stories of the use of the monies could be provided.

The funds are limited and it will be distributed according first come and first serve." Contact Fr. Bruno at  [email protected] or ( 39) 06 698 87 131

 

Just a note, I am from the northern part of the province of Leyte, which was on the path of typhoon Haiyan. Communication lines are down and there is no electricity even now, so those of us who are far away including seafarers from the affected areas could not contact family members directly. But  I learned from a 3rd party two days ago that my family members are alright albeit structural damage to their houses. Let us continue to pray for those who perish and those who are still searching for love ones.

 

God bless you,

 

Sr. Myrna

 

Sr. Myrna Tordillo, mscs

AOS National Director

USCCB/Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church

3211 Fourth St. NE

Washington, DC 20017-1194

Tel.  202 541 3035

 

 

Other News Items  

 

Apostolatus Maris Bulletin N.116 June 2013/III

 

Apostolatus Maris Bulletin N.115 June 2013/II 

 

Catholic Maritime News Spring 2013 No. 72  

 

 Apostolatus Maris Bulletin N.114 March 2013/I 

 

 

Catholic Maritime News Winter 2012 No. 71 

 

Apostolatus Maris Bulletin N.113 2012/III   

 

Apostolatus Maris Bulletin N.112 2012/II  

 

Apostolatus Maris Bulletin April 2012 (111)  

   

2012 Easter Message from the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerants 

 

Apostolatus Maris Bulletin December 2011 (110) 

 

Apostolatus Maris Bulletin Sept 2011 (109) 

 

Apostolatus Maris Bulletin July 2011 (108)   

 

Audio Report: No Pirates of the Caribbean - Vatican Radio (December 7, 2011) 

 

Piracy video from Lloyd's List 

 

 

Important Upcoming Events for
AOS USA Members

  


 World Fisheries Day
November 21, 2013

Houston Maritime Ministry Training School
Feb 9-21, 2014
Houston, TX
http://www.venturecd.net/SeafarersCenter.org/Application.htm

AOS-USA Annual Conference
April 29 - May 2, 2014
Corpus Christi, Texas

National Maritime Day
May 22, 2014

National Day of Remembrance and Prayer for Mariners
May 24, 2014
12:10 pm Mass
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
Crypt Church
400 Michigan Ave. N.E.
Washington, DC  20017-1566 
 

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