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AOS USA Maritime Updates 

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

 


June 3, 2014
In This Issue
Services Planned for Fr. Rivers Patout
Daniel DiNardo: The Real Clear Religion Interview
PrayingHands

    Prayer Requests:

 

  

For the repose of the soul of Sr. Rose Mary Collins, colleague of Msgr. William O'Neill, AOS-USA Cruise Ship Priest.  

 

 

For Mrs. Anite Badeaux, Grandmother of Doreen Badeaux. Anite had a stroke last week, at the age of 101, and is hospitalized. Her mind is amazingly clear, though speaking is difficult now. She asks for prayers. 

 

 

 

   

 

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Services Planned for Fr. Rivers Patout

Fr. Rivers blesses the Bayport Terminal in Houston, circa 2006 

 

Dear Friends,  

 

Pat Poulos, Director of the Houston International Seafarers' Center, was kind enough to pass on the following details for Fr. Rivers Funeral Services.

  

Vigil Service 
St. Alphonsus Catholic Church 
9217 E Ave. L
Houston, TX 77012
 
Thursday Evening, June 5 
Time: To Be Announced

Funeral Mass 
Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral 
1111 St. Joseph Parkway 
Houston, TX  77002 
Friday, June 6 
Time:  2:00 pm

We know that many of you will wish to send condolensces to Pat Nemec, and the Houston Seafarers' Center. Those addresses are below:

Patricia R. Nemec 
6313 Pickens Street 
Houston, TX  77007-2017

Houston International Seafarers' Center 
ATTN: Pat Poulos 
Director 
9250 High Level Road
Houston, Texas 77029
or
P.O. Box 9506
Houston, Texas 77261-9506

 
Today, we thought we would share a few items on Fr. Rivers long time service to mariners.   
 
This first article was written by Fr. Rivers in March of 2006. He sent this to us in order to share in our E-News. Today, we are running that article again, as it really tells his story in his own words.

Click here to read the full article:

Welcoming the Stranger: Ministry to the People on the Move by a Chaplain to Seafarers 

 
 

 Let us continue to keep our brother in prayer this week.  

  

May his soul and the souls of the Faithfully departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. 

  

Doreen M. Badeaux

Secretary General 


 
Notes from Friends and Colleagues on the passing of Fr. Rivers Patout

Below are a few thoughts that we have received from colleagues since learning of Fr. Rivers passing.

"I was shocked when I learned of Fr. River's passing. He was my mentor when I began Catholic Maritime Ministry.  From Cigars to red suspenders and instruction on ship visiting. Fr. Rivers had a great influence on me." - Fr. Sinclair Oubre, Immediate Past President of AOS-USA and Diocesan Director of the Apostleship of the Sea - Diocese of Beaumont.

We were friends for over 35 years. I guarantee that nobody climbed as many gangways at the Port of Houston as Fr. Rivers did! People have no idea how much time he would spend just caring for 1 lonely seafarer. But he was humble, and he did it because he cared. He confirmed my wife Theresa when she was 7, and he married my son and Daughter-in-Law. He has been a very important part of our lives for a long, long time. His roots with our family and the Port of Houston go very deep. - Dean Corgey, Vice President, Seafarers International Union & Commissioner for the Port of Houston Authority Commission.

Fr. Rivers was a wonderful priest, and friend for 30 years. He will be missed greatly. - John Cain, Seafarers International Union, Houston, TX

I will always count it one of my life's great joys to have been allowed to cooperate so wonderfully with Father Rivers Patout in leadership of the Lord's ministry among seafarers in North America during the 1980's. In my 2008 book The Way of the Sea (pp. 192, 199, 217), I'm glad I could give written recognition of Rivers' pioneer role in regard to the Houston Port Chaplaincy Training School, as well as other means of promoting partnership in Christ on the waterfront.
May Rivers now be sharing in the glory Jesus prays about in John 17:24.  - The Rev Roald Kverndal

Just read the sad news.I understood he was really sick, but I cannot believe it has happened so suddenly. Count on my Mass intention. I am grateful to him for all that he's done for AOS. Sincerely. - Fr. Giacomo Martino, AOS Italy. 


I am sorry to hear of the sudden death of Fr. Rivers. I was aware of his significant medical issues and hoping he would come through all this alright. I will be sure to offer a Mass for him that he may know eternal rest.  - Fr. Tom Enneking, AOS-USA Cruise Ship Priest   

   

Fr. Rivers was unique and special in many ways and there will never be another like him.  Unconventional but traditional I would always say to those who sought a short cut; my words "he'll put you through your paces"!

This loss behind the loss of Bro. Anthony has hit us all terribly.  Please do keep us in your prayers. - Pat Poulos, Director Houston International Seafarers' Center. 

 

Thank you for the update on Fr. Patout.  Although I did not know him, he was the very first person to introduce themselves when I arrived at the hotel for the AOS-USA meeting in Corpus Christi at the end of April.  Since my stay was extremely short, I did not have the opportunity to get to know him, but the picture posted on the Maritime Update says so much about him - it seems he had a constant smile!  May he rest in peace. - Mary Lou Paluch Rafferty - JS Paluch Company. 

   
 

  

Daniel DiNardo: The RealClearReligion Interview

Courtesy:RealClearReligion.Org

By Nicholas G. Hahn III  

April 11, 2014   

Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, Archdiocese of Galveston - Houston.
 
(Editor's Note: AOS-USA chose to run this article, as it shows the lengths Fr. Rivers would go to in order to access ships and serve mariners!)

 

It was just before Christmas and Fr. Rivers Patout wouldn't take nyet for an answer. As a chaplain to Houston's Apostleship of the Sea, he wanted to tend to the spiritual needs of the crew on a Russian ship that had just floated in to the Houston Ship Channel.  

 

Fr. Patout had Christmas gifts to hand out, but the captain would not let the good priest on the ship. "We have nothing to give," the captain said. "You have vodka, don't you," Fr. Patout asked. After a few drinks together, the captain finally allowed Fr. Patout aboard.

 

The Archdiocese of Houston's Daniel Cardinal DiNardo likes that story. He thinks it illustrates how determined his priests are to alleviate the plight of seafarers and migrants. He says he's no less motivated about the issue. Earlier this week, I sat down with the newly elected Vice President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops for a brief chat after he spoke to DePaul University's Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology. We jumped right into discussing a bishop's authority, immigration, and the so-called Pope Francis effect.

 

RealClearReligion: Is it beyond a bishop's competency to offer specific policy prescriptions on matters like immigration reform?

 

Daniel DiNardo: I would distinguish some issues from others. The bishops have been involved with knowledgeable people who come to us, for instance, on immigration reform. Bishops in Texas have had to deal with this issue for 35 or 40 years. When we deal with this, it's certainly a prudential judgment, but there is the human person at the source of this. The abuse of immigrants is well documented.

 

As Pope Francis has said, to truly understand something, you sometimes have to be with the people. I've always tried to say something balanced, but obviously pushing in favor of the immigrant. Is that a prudential judgment in terms of the politics of it? Sure. But the moral estimation of it all is too significant for me to be silent.

 

RCR: Do you think the recent Mass at the border politicized the Mass?

 

DD: The Mass at the border has been a constant fixture at one of those towns across the border for the past six or seven years. I don't think it's overly politicized because if they just celebrate the Mass, it's a sign in and of itself. I would not favor a homily that became too political. I would favor a homily that speaks about the human person and how the stranger, the immigrant is to be loved.

 

You have to be cautious in a homily when you ask for a specific action. Every now and then, in my column I might ask for a specific action. I've done this on a pro-life issue. And I might do it on an immigration issue. Before we do that, we have to think: What is the possibility of winning? But, I would remind myself and others that these are prudential judgments. Our judgments do carry a little weight, I would say that much.

 

RCR: Was Sean Cardinal O'Malley right when he said that immigration is "another pro-life issue"?

 

DD: Yes, I think it's a pro-life issue because it deals with the human person. We have to make distinctions. Pro-life issues are relative to the beginnings and ends of life. These are the two pillars that are critical, but it doesn't mean that we can't speak about some of the other pro-life issues in between.

RCR: Do you believe borders have a moral meaning?

DD: I don't know if I quite understand that, but in some fashion borders can be a moral issue in terms of how they're handled. Rule of law is important. We have a right to protect our borders, but we don't have a right to do it in such a way that human beings are treated badly. I have a problem with the idea of a wall. You know they want to build a 10-foot wall? You'll find ladders that are 15 feet tall. Walls will not keep immigrants out!

 

RCR: Have you seen any evidence of the so-called Pope Francis effect?

 

DD: Everybody comes up to me and tells me, "He's wonderful!" That's Catholics and Protestants. That effect I do see. To what effect he's affecting the people's practice of the faith? That's more difficult to say.

 

  

Other News Items  

 

 

Apostolatus Maris Bulletin #118 Spring 2014 

 

Catholic Maritime News Spring 2014 

 

Apostolatus Maris Bulletin N. 117 Dec 2013 

 

Catholic Maritime News - Winter 2013 

 

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

   


Sea Sunday
July 13, 2014 
 
National Maritime Day
May 22, 2014
 

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