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Prayer Requests:
For Deacon Bill Wanca formerly with AOS Port Canaveral who is recovering from surgery for a tumor in his lung.
For Deacon Jack Rhine formerly with AOS Port Canaveral who is beginning dialysis. He appreciates the prayers of his AOS Family!
For the repose of the soul of Fr. Thomas Geelan, AOS-USA Cruise Ship Priest.
Fr. Carles Mundet, AOS-USA Cruise Ship Priest in Malta who is undergoing Hip Surgery.
Fr. Edward McKenna, Cruise Ship Priest who recently suffered a stroke. He asks for prayers from his AOS-USA Family.
For Fr. Stephen Duyka, AOS-USA Cruise Ship Priest, who was diagnosed with a severe bacterial infection. He appreciates the prayers of his AOS-USA Family.
For Miss Mary Cadotte, step-daughter of Jim McGee, with the Seafarers' International Union in Houston. Mary was just diagnosed with
Hodgekin's Disease, and is undergoing testing at MD Anderson.
AOS PRAYER
Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy upon all Seafarers.
(1 Our Father)
(Hail Mary)
Our Lady, Star of the Sea, pray for us.
St. Peter, pray for us.
St. Andrew, pray for us.
Lord save us, we perish.
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Join AOS USA Today!
To join AOS USA simply click on the following link:
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http://uk.YouTube.com/watch?v=EY4nEbInsMQAOS/USCCB Website:
Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the great waters; they saw the deeds of the Lord, his wondrous works in the deep. (Psalm 107:23-24)
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 President's Column: Reaching out to Our Maritime Academies
By: Capt. George P. McShea, Jr.
AOS-USA President
As part of our mariner membership initiative, we recently visited the Newman Clubs at the US Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, NY (USMMA), and Texas A&M Maritime at Galveston, TX.
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Students from the Catholic Newman Center at Texas Maritime Academy. Photo Courtesy of Carl Erickson
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I spoke to nine members of the Kings Point Newman Club plus two administrators and the local Monsignor who says Mass for the Midshipmen on Wednesday night, October 8th. Turnout was low but it was test week leading up to trimester exams in a couple weeks.
I talked about the challenges of a seagoing life to a Catholic mariner with the absence of our religious formalities like Mass, Confession and the Eucharist, and the many temptations they would face when they went out on their sea year as cadets. I also talked about membership in AOS-USA, and our ministry and mission. We were very well received and we plan to continue our visits throughout the Academic calendar to encourage greater attendance and participation.
The Kings Point Newman Club called us and asked about doing a retreat in November which Fr. Sinclair will celebrate once, and if, we receive approval from Academy leadership. The retreat will, ideally, be a joint event with cadets from the New York State Maritime Academy (SUNY Maritime).
I also spoke with many midshipmen over the next three days at Kings Point as it was Homecoming weekend. Those conversations were more of a mentoring chat with discussions around careers, cadet life, as well as the AOS and AOS-USA.
Fr. Sinclair Oubre, of AOS - Diocese of Beaumont, was able to make contact with Carl Erickson, the director of the Galveston Newman Center at Texas Maritime Academy, earlier in the year while he was attending a meeting of the Ship Operations Coopertive Program seminar at the Texas Maritime Academy in Galveston. Carl took up Fr. Sinclair's offer to come back, and celebrate Mass for the sea cadets and maritime students.
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Students celebrate Mass at the Catholic Newman Center. Photo courtesy of Carl Erickson.
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On Sunday evening, October 12, 2014, Fr. Sinclair returned to the Newman Center, and celebrated Mass with Rev. John Stein O.F.M., the Galveston pastor. During the homily, Fr. Sinclair told the students how excited he was to have made contact with them, and how he hoped that he could come back again. He went on to give a brief history of the Apostleship of the Sea, and explained how the Catholic Church recognizes the special needs of the people of the sea, and brings the sacramental life of the Church to them on the waterfront, at the maritime academies, and at sea.
Overall, great first steps in one of our strategies discussed at the Winter Board meeting. We must increase our mariner membership, and starting with cadets and students at all of the Maritime schools will lay a solid foundation as AOS-USA moves forward to strengthen our ministry to all the peoples of the Sea.
Fraternally,
George
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Port Arthur International Seafarers' Center & AOS Diocese of Beaumont presents Maritime Samaritan Award to Niels B. Lyngso
Courtesy: AOS - Diocese of Beaumont
By: Fr. Sinclair Oubre, JCL
October 20, 2014
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Niels B. Lyngso (right) receives the Maritime Samaritan Award from Fr Sinclair Oubre at the Port Arthur International Seafarers' Center.
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The Apostleship of the Sea of the United States of America introduced the Maritime Samaritan Award several years ago as a means of recognizing people for service to the people of the sea. Any member of AOS-USA can recognize people in his or her own community for for service that goes beyond their job description.
When Niels Lyngso announced that he was retiring from the West Gulf Maritime Association, I was unable to attend the reception for him, because of my schedule of traveling to the ecclesial court in San Antonio. However, I did not want his departure to go without recognition.
Friday, October 17, was the date for the monthly Port Arthur International Seafarers' Center Luncheon. I invited Niels to come to Port Arthur so that I could buy him lunch, and acknowledge to our local community how much we appreciated all his efforts and advocacy for our visiting mariners.
The text of the award is below.
Fr. Sinclair Oubre, JCL
AOS - Diocese of Beaumont
THE APOSTLESHIP OF THE SEA OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Presents the Maritime Samaritan Award to Niels B. Lyngso for His Years of Service to the People of the Sea.
The Apostleship of the Sea of the United States of America and the Apostleship of the Sea of the Diocese of Beaumont acknowledges and thanks Mr. Niels Lyngso for his years of dedicated service to the people of the sea, and especially his work to improve the lives of seafarers. Through his work, he responded to the call of St. Pope John Paul II's the Motu proprio Stella Maris to accompany, and care for the needs "...of those who for various reasons live and work in the maritime world."
While working for the West Gulf Maritime Association, Mr. Lyngso has partnered with Apostleship of the Sea - Diocese of Beaumont and the Port Arthur International Seafarers' Center to host major national conferences on seafarer issues, piracy, and tanker safety.
As Mr. Niels Lyngso takes his leave of the West Gulf Maritime Association, we send with him our prayers and best wishes for many more years of good health and continued service to the people of the sea.
Presented by: Fr. Sinclair Oubre
October 17, 2014
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Crowley Christens Fourth Ocean-Class Tug
Courtesy: Workboat Magazine
October 16, 2014
(Editors Note: AOS-USA sends a note of thanks to Deacon Patrick LaPoint with AOS Lake Charles who Christened the vessel.)
Crowley Maritime Corp. christened the latest of its four tugboats in the ocean-class series,
Ocean Sun, yesterday in Lake Charles, La. The ceremony served to formally welcome the fourth dynamic positioning 2 (DP2) tugboat to the company's expanded ocean towing fleet, which has been involved in most of the major offshore oil production installations in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico over the past 18 months.
"Today we are pleased to formally welcome the latest of our four Jones Act ocean-class tugboats to the fleet and culminate this multi-year build program," said Tom Crowley, chairman and CEO. "These boats, along with their exceptional crews, have consistently met and exceeded the expectations of our energy customers doing business in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. We look forward to many years of service from these powerful and reliable cornerstone vessels."
The Ocean Sun, which features DP2 technology, is part of a feature-rich, four-vessel family of tugs ideally suited to work with Crowley's new 455 series high-deck strength barges, which measure 400'x105'. Crowley's ocean-class tugs are outfitted for long-range, high-capacity ocean towing, rig moves, platform and floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) unit tows, emergency response and firefighting.
All four of the ocean-class tugboats are designed to have a minimum bollard pull of 150 metric tons and a range of approximately 12,600 NM at 15 knots free running. They are outfitted with twin-screw, controllable-pitch propellers in nozzles and high lift rudders for a combination of performance and fuel economy.
During the first-ever pairing of all four ocean-class tugs, Ocean Wave, Ocean Wind, Ocean Sky and Ocean Sun worked together to tow the 120,000 ton TLP Olympus for 425 miles from Ingleside, Texas, to her final location in more than 3,000' of water. Later the quad towed, moored and made storm-safe the Jack/St. Malo topside at a depth of 7,000' and moved Delta House floating production platform and Chevron's TLP Bigfoot. Three of the tugs, Ocean Wave, Ocean Wind and Ocean Sun, also towed the 605'x110' Lucius spar for Anadarko Petroleum from Corpus Christi, Texas, to Keathley Canyon Block 875 some 300 miles offshore. Plus, Ocean Wind towed the production deck of Saipem's Tubular Bells topside also in the Gulf of Mexico.
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Looking after seafarers through storms and heavy weather
Courtesy: Seatrade Global
By: Felicity Landon
October 22, 2014
(Editors' Note: It is great to see Fr. Colum Kelly's Seafarers' Center up and running again. Fr. Colum was very welcoming to me (Doreen) when I attended a Cruise and Ferry Expo in London several years ago. He takes great care of Seafarers AND those who serve them!)
When port chaplain Colum Kelly arrived at the Port of Immingham the morning after last December's North Sea storm surge, he found a scene of mud, filth and devastation at the Seafarers' Centre.
This small but incredibly important building, located in one of the port's lowest-lying areas, had been totally overwhelmed by the tidal surge. Thousands of pounds worth of damage was caused - everything from computers and furniture to the chapel and the vehicles used to bring seafarers ashore was wrecked.
"The place was destroyed -
but not only that, it was as if all of the joy and the happiness that the building had seen over the years had been completely washed away by the flood waters," said Father Kelly.
The centre, run jointly by the Apostleship of the Sea and the Mission to Seafarers, provides chaplaincy services and recreational facilities to visiting crews and is a vital lifeline for seafarers, many of whom may have been at sea for months without any contact with family or friends.
It offers free wi-fi and IT facilities, a shop, games rooms and relaxation areas, and a chapel for quiet reflection. The chaplains also visit ships berthed at the port and often take seafarers on visits; they can also provide clothing and food for those in need.
After the flood, the centre was forced to close for nine months - the first four months were needed just to dry out the building before any repairs and refurbishment could be started.
But the mission continued - it became a mobile mission, using a minibus that visited the ships, filled with computers and mobile internet connection devices, chocolate and phone cards, and other necessities.
Now, at last, the Seafarers Centre has been reopened and, as Kelly said: "The seafarers themselves say this is now the finest seafarers' centre they know!"
That is because when the destruction of the centre made the news, local organisations and groups quickly responded, raising funds to help a facility that many probably never even knew existed before that terrible night.
The new centre features a café bar, wi-fi communication throughout, large TV screens and a games room.
"People don't realise how utterly dependent we are on seafarers," said Father Kelly. "People don't understand that more than 90% of our imports come to us by sea, and few people know anything about the lives of these seafarers who bring the stuff.
"Places like our centre are vital for the seafarers. They really depend on it; they know they can come in and get support, contact their families and not be ripped off."
ABP's Humber port director John Fitzgerald said: "The destruction of the centre felt like the soul of the port had been broken. It provides an extraordinary service for these unsung heroes but, as Colum and his team have demonstrated, out of the ashes opportunities arise, and this new and improved centre offers even better facilities for visiting crews."
Father Kelly added: "When we decided to rebuild, we were given the chance to make the centre even better than it was before - in fact, we saw as our duty to do that.
"The staff here and many other businesses and individuals, including ABP, made sure that was possible, and the opening was full of exhilaration and joy. The UK's number one port now has the UK's number one seafarers' centre."
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Cruise Lines Begin Asking Passengers About Ebola Ties
Courtesy: USA Today
By: Gene Sloan
21 October 2014
More than two dozen of the world's biggest cruise lines are now asking passengers boarding ships if they've been in contact with someone known or suspected to have Ebola.
Industry giants Carnival, Royal Caribbean and other major lines represented by the Cruise Lines International Association over the weekend began using new health questionnaires during the check-in process that require passengers to declare in writing whether they've have such contact in the past 21 days -- the incubation period for the illness.
The new screening procedure comes a week after lines began asking passengers during the check-in process whether they've traveled to the Ebola-plagued West African countries of Liberia, Sierra Leone or Guinea within the past 21 days.
Passengers who answer yes to either question will be denied boarding. The new health questionnaire comes in the wake of last week's Ebola scare on the 3,690-passenger Carnival Magic. The scare occurred after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention discovered that a laboratory worker who may have come in contact with an Ebola specimen had boarded the vessel while still within the 21-day incubation period for the illness. The passenger has since tested negative for Ebola, and the 21-day incubation period has passed. The new question specifically mentions laboratory workers. It reads: "In the past 21 days have you, or any person listed above, been in contact with someone known or suspected to have Ebola, their blood or body fluids (this would include working in a laboratory with samples from suspected Ebola patients)?" Passengers must fill out and sign the form in its entirety before boarding and are warned in writing that answering falsely could result in a fine or imprisonment. Health questionnaires have been a staple of the boarding process at most cruise lines for a number of years, but until now the questionnaires only have asked passengers whether they have recently experienced diarrhea, vomiting or other symptoms of illness. The questionnaires got their start as an effort to reduce the number of gastro-intestinal illness outbreaks on ships.
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WWII Wrecks Found off North Carolina
Courtesy: MarineLink.Com
Posted By: Eric Haun
21 October 2014
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The German U-576 departs Saint-Nazaire, France, on the Atlantic coast, circa 1940-1942. The submarine was sunk in 1942 by aircraft fire after attacking and sinking the Nicaraguan freighter Bluefields and two other ships off North Carolina. (Credit: With permission from Ed Caram)
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A team of researchers led by NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries have discovered two significant vessels from World War II's Battle of the Atlantic. The German U-boat 576 and the freighter Bluefields were found approximately 30 miles off the coast of North Carolina. Lost for more than 70 years, the discovery of the two vessels, in an area known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic, is a rare window into a historic military battle and the underwater battlefield landscape of WWII.
"This is not just the discovery of a single shipwreck," said Joe Hoyt, a NOAA sanctuary scientist and chief scientist for the expedition. "We have discovered an important battle site that is part of the Battle of the Atlantic. These two ships rest only a few hundred yards apart and together help us interpret and share their forgotten stories."
On July 15, 1942, Convoy KS-520, a group of 19 merchant ships escorted by the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard, was en route to Key West, Florida, from Norfolk, Virginia, to deliver cargo to aid the war effort when it was attacked off Cape Hatteras. The U-576 sank the Nicaraguan flagged freighter Bluefields and severely damaged two other ships. In response, U.S. Navy Kingfisher aircraft, which provided the convoy's air cover, bombed U-576 while the merchant ship Unicoi attacked it with its deck gun. Bluefields and U-576 were lost within minutes and now rest on the seabed less than 240 yards apart.
"Most people associate the Battle of the Atlantic with the cold, icy waters of the North Atlantic," said David Alberg, superintendent of NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary. "But few people realize how close the war actually came to America's shores. As we learn more about the underwater battlefield, Bluefields and U-576 will provide additional insight into a relatively little-known chapter in American history."
The discovery of U-576 and Bluefields is a result of a 2008 partnership between NOAA and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to survey and document vessels lost during WWII off the North Carolina coast. Earlier this year, in coordination with Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer conducted an initial survey based on archival research. In August, archaeologists aboard NOAA research vessel SRVX Sand Tiger located and confirmed the ships' identities.
"This discovery highlights the importance of federal agencies working together to identify and protect these unique submerged archaeological resources that are of local and international importance," said William Hoffman, a BOEM archaeologist.
The newly identified wrecks are protected under international law. Although Bluefields did not suffer any casualties during the sinking, the wreck site is a war grave for the crew of U-576.
"In legal succession to the former German Reich, the Federal Republic of Germany, as a rule, sees itself as the owner of formally Reich-owned military assets, such as ship or aircraft wreckages," said the German Foreign Office in a statement. "The Federal Republic of Germany is not interested in a recovery of the remnants of the U-576 and will not participate in any such project. It is international custom to view the wreckage of land, sea, and air vehicles assumed or presumed to hold the remains of fallen soldiers as war graves. As such, they are under special protection and should, if possible, remain at their site and location to allow the dead to rest in peace."
United States policy on sunken state vessels, such as these, reaffirms sovereign government ownership of the wrecks, including German ownership of U-576. As stated in the 2001 Presidential Statement on United States Policy for the Protection of Sunken State Craft the wrecks are not considered abandoned nor does passage of time change their ownership.
Those who would engage in unauthorized activities directed at sunken State craft are advised that disturbance or recovery of such craft should not occur without the express permission of the sovereign government retaining ownership, NOAA said, adding, the United States will use its authority to protect and preserve sunken State craft of the United States and other nations.
Other partners who participated in this effort include: NOAA's Office of Exploration and Research; the National Park Service American Battlefield Protection Program and Submerged Resource Center; East Carolina University, the University of North Carolina Coastal Studies Institute; and SRI International.
As part of the NOAA Battle of the Atlantic Research Project, extensive discussions took place with others including consultation with both Great Britain and Germany as well as the United States Navy and United States Coast Guard. State of the art marine technology provided high-resolution sonar imagery to corroborate historic and archival accounts of the final location and characteristics of each vessel.
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Join AOS-USA in saying the AOS Prayer each day!
Please take the time to say this pray with us each day:
Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy upon all Seafarers
(1 Our Father)
(Hail Mary)
Our Lady, Star of the Sea, pray for us.
St. Peter, pray for us.
St. Andrew, pray for us.
Lord save us, we perish.
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Important Upcoming Events for
AOS USA Members
Houston Maritime Ministry Training School
Feb. 1 - 13, 2015
Houston International Seafarers' Center
Click below for the application:
Houston School Application 2015
AOS-USA Annual Conference
April 21 - 23, 2014
American Maritime Officers Union
Dania, Florida
National Maritime Day
May 22, 2015
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