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Prayer Requests:
For all those who are at sea or away from family and friends this Christmas Season.
For Fr. Michael Austin, AOS-USA Cruise Ship Priest Member who is dealing with debilitating back issues which are not able to be treated.
For Rose Patronella, long-time AOS Diocese of Beaumont volunteer and volunteer with the Port Arthur International Seafarers' Center. Rose recently had surgery and appreciates your prayers for full recovery.
For Fr. Don Donahue, brother of AOS-USA Member, Mary Mulkay who is struggling with health issues. Please keep him in prayers for full healing!
For all seafarers who are just starting their careers, especially those who are struggling to find work in the current economic climate.
Prayer of St. Basil of
Caesarea (ca. 330-379)
(Thanks to Msgr. John Pollard for sharing this one with us!)
Steer the ship of my life, Lord, to your quiet harbor, where I can be safe from the storms of sin and conflict. Show me the course I should take. Renew in me the gift of discernment, so that I can see the right direction in which I should go. And give me the strength and the courage to choose the right course, even when the sea is rough and the waves are high, knowing that through enduring hardship and danger in your name we shall find comfort and peace.
A Seafarers' Prayer
O God, I ask you to take me into your care and protection along with all those who sail ships. Make me alert and wise in my duties. Make me faithful in the time of routine, and prompt to decide and courageous to act in any time of crisis. Protect me in the dangers and perils of the sea; and even in the storm, grant that there may be peace and calm within my heart. When I am far from home and far from loved ones and far from the country that I know, help me to be quite sure that, wherever I am, I can never drift beyond your love and care. Take care of my loved ones in the days and weeks and months when I am separated from them, sometimes with half the world between them and me. Keep me true to them and keep them true to me, and every time that we have to part, bring us together in safety and in loyalty again. This I ask for your love's sake. -Amen-
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,
or we perish.
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AOS/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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This Christmas, Don't Miss the Holy Family
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Refugees on the deck of the
M/V Ezadeen, whose human trafficking crew abandoned their human cargo to the chances of the sea.
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Dear Friends,
Over 2,000 years ago, the Holy Family passed any number of good people who didn't have room for them and didn't have time to stop and help. Most of us have probably wondered if we would have recognized them had we been there. We will never know.
What we can do is work to recognize the Holy Family in today's world.
The Apostleship of the Sea is a unique ministry of the Church, which is exactly where one might encounter the Holy Family if they arrived today.
Most ministries of the Church focus on Parish life
and helping new immigrants to feel welcome in those parishes. This is important work, but it leaves ministries like ours in the margins, since our mission is outside the parish structures.
And yet, the Holy Family themselves were not looking for a Parish to take them in, offer Mass in their Language, or provide Baptism classes. They were just passing through town. They simply needed basic human services and a couple of friendly people to give them hospitality.
Such is the work of the Apostleship of the Sea: offering hospitality, human services and Pastoral Care to people who are "just passing through".
If we wait for these people to knock on our parish doors....we may miss them entirely.
Today's Holy Family may arrive in the form of a foreign seafarer who has been away from home for 9 months, and needs an escort out of a local dock and a place to call home, so he can speak to his wife who has been raising the family and maintaining the house on her own.
Or perhaps they will arrive in the form of a Vietnamese shrimper and his wife, who are seeking assistance to fill out complicated government forms in order to get assistance after a poor year in the shrimping industry. The Holy Family may even come in the form of an elderly couple onboard a cruise ship, who are taking one last trip together, knowing that one has a terminal disease.
If a friend called you and told you that the Holy Family would be arriving in your Diocese today, wouldn't you drop everything you're doing to run and greet them? Imagine some informed voice calling you to tell you that the parents of Jesus Christ Himself were arriving onboard a ship at your local port and needed a ride to a hotel, and perhaps a meal from the local soup kitchen. I think it is safe to say that most of us would stop in the middle of Christmas dinner, leave our own families, and volunteer to serve them.
The trouble is, there never is that informed voice telling us what's really going on. This Christmas, we invite you to welcome the Holy Family into your hearts, and to look for them in your own ports. They are out there, and are in need of your hospitality.
Doreen M. Badeaux
Secretary General
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Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care
of Migrants and Itinerant People
Christmas Message from the Pontifical Council
Dear People of the Sea,
Christmas this year will fall within the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, "a special time for the Church, a time when the witness of believers might grow stronger and more effective"1. The words of Pope Francis in the Bull of Indiction Misericordiae Vultus of the Jubilee Year could assist us to understand and live more deeply the meaning of the celebration of Christmas now a days when our mind is still filled with the dramatic images of terrorist attacks in different nations and while many of us live in fear that something will happen again.
The message of the Angel addressed to the shepherds in the dark night is repeated to all of us in the darkness of our time and of our uncertainties: "Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord (Luke 2:9-11)".
Christmas is the day in which a Savior has been born and continues to be born in our hearts, if only we will allow it to happen. His name is Emmanuel, God with us. This is what we celebrate on Christmas!
Jesus our Savior, brings us a renewed sense of hope especially in this extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy in which "mercy is the force that reawakens us to new life and instills in us the courage to look to the future with hope"2.
Jesus the loving Son of the Father, brings reassurance and security to our troubled and frighten hearts because
"the mercy of God is his loving concern for each one of us. He feels responsible; that is, he desires our well-being and he wants to see us happy, full of joy, and peaceful." 3.
Jesus the Prince of Peace brings us an overwhelming sense of peace, that allows us to live in solidarity with people of different nationalities, races and beliefs, calling all of us to "...reach out to them and support them so they can feel the warmth of our presence, our friendship, and our fraternity!" 4.
Jesus the Messiah and Lord, gives us strength to overcome our daily struggles to build a world without any divisions and barriers among people and nations and we should commit ourselves so "...that the year to come will be steeped in mercy, so that we can go out to every man and woman, bringing the goodness and tenderness of God!" 5.
Jesus with his exemplary life teaches us to care about others more than we care about ourselves. Therefore, following the invitation of Pope Francis starting with this Christmas: "Let us rediscover these corporal works of mercy: to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, welcome the stranger, heal the sick, visit the imprisoned, and bury the dead. And let us not forget the spiritual works of mercy: to counsel the doubtful, instruct the ignorant, admonish sinners, comfort the afflicted, forgive offences, bear patiently those who do us ill, and pray for the living and the dead." 6.
I know that many of you during the Christmas Season will be separated and far away from your families and loved ones, because you might be at sea or in a foreign port. I would like to remind you that you are never far away from the love of God and the maternal protection of Mary, Star of the Sea.
May each of you have a Blessed Christmas! With all best wishes,
Antonio Maria Card. Vegliò
President
X Joseph Kalathiparambil
Secretary
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Apostolatus Maris Bulletin
Dear Friends, We invite you to read the latest Apostolatus Maris Bulletin from the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People:
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Dear Colleagues/Friends,
Greetings! On this Christmas eve I wish you a blessed Christmas and a peace filled New Year.
Last Sunday I was with the survivors of the ship collision between chemical Product tanker STOLT COMMITMENT with general cargo vessel THORCO CLOUD at around 12:15 UTC on December 16 in the Singapore Strait, some 7 nm northwest of Indonesian island Batam.
The metal cargo vessel had 12 crew. 6 of them survived the horrifying collision. They are with me in the picture: Capt. Arniel Solis, chief officer Frederic Sanchez, Wiper Paul John Paquibot, A/B Jeremiah Cabalhin, A/B Francisco Lunjas Jr, O/S Isagane Rentucan Panginahug. 6 of them, 4 Filipinos and 2 Ukranians are presumed to be dead. Their bodies have not been recovered as of today.
The survivors' tale is frightening. The sinking of the vessel just happened in three minutes. Even for a very good swimmer the water was just siphoning whatever was above it.
I spent time with them listening to their stories. They were so happy that they survived but equally sad that their other companions did not make it. They are sorry for the families of the deceased seafarers. It happened at a time when Christmas is just around the corner. It should be the bleakest Christmas they will experience this year.
I went out with them to buy backpacks as all their belongings were gone and also bought each of them a box of chocolate that they can bring home. Also had lunch with them.
By now they are safely back home with their families recounting the nightmare they had during that night.
We are all busy preparing for the coming of the Savior. Let us welcome him in our hearts as we celebrate the Jubilee year of Mercy.
Let Jesus be born in our hearts today and for always.
Merry Christmas to all of you.
Sincerely yours,
Romeo Yu Chang
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Dear friends,
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Att,
Fr. Samuel Fonseca Torres, Fr. Jesús Gonzalez
and Stella Maris Staff
Stella Maris Santos
Av. Washington Luiz, 361 - Boqueirão - Santos, SP - Brasil
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Catholic charity supports seafarer who had narrow escape Courtesy: AOS - Great Britain
A seafarer who had a narrow escape and fell overboard has been supported by Catholic charity Apostleship of the Sea (AoS).
The Filipino man was working on a vessel at Felixstowe port and had an accident which resulted in him falling off the ship into the water.
His colleagues who were working nearby were able to throw him a lifebuoy and with their help he was able to reach the pilot ladder located on the quayside wall.
He managed to get ashore using whatever little strength he had left, assisted by his crew mates. He was then taken to hospital where he received medical attention and observation overnight.
AoS Felixstowe port chaplain Sr Marian Davey visited the seafarer during his stay in hospital and after his discharge to a hotel.
She spoke with his wife and daughter back home in the Philippines and kept them updated on his progress. She also liaised with the shipping company about his discharge arrangements and subsequent repatriation back home.
"In preparation for his flight I provided him with a little spending money for the airport and some fresh clothing for travelling," said Sr Marian.
She added, "We shared prayer in thanksgiving for his safe rescue and for his ongoing recovery back home with his family."
Sr Marian also supported the seafarer's crew mates, who were anxious and very concerned about him.
Earlier in the week she visited the ship before its departure to reassure his colleagues that the injured seafarer was making a good recovery.
"The incident reminds us of the high risk factor involved in seafaring on a daily basis," said Sr Marian.
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Gifts Mean Holiday Cheer for Crews
Far From Home
Courtesy: Houston Chronicle
17 December 2015
This won't be Noel Morfe's first Christmas aboard a ship far from home, nor will it be for much of the Bow Aratu chemical tanker's crew, which stopped in Houston early this month. They just hope the ship's schedule will have them at sea on Christmas Day, for a more relaxing holiday than it would be in port, loading and unloading chemicals.
For sailors, the Houston International Seafarers' Center hopes to offer some holiday cheer and comfort. The group, run by chaplains of different Christian denominations, drops off gift boxes at ships that visit the Port of Houston this time of year. As of mid-December the group had already delivered 7,000 boxes and would likely give out 11,000 by month's end. The group takes gifts to every ship that visits the Port of Houston in December.
"Some will even see you coming and run down the gangway to meet you," the Rev. Lacy Largent said. "And the joy on their faces ... ."
Earlier this month, about 4,000 wrapped boxes lined the walls and filled the middle of the chapel at the port.
"This will empty and fill up again," the Rev. David Wells said as he greeted two women bringing in 63 more boxes from St. Matthias Catholic Church in Magnolia.
The center offers a place year-round for crew members to relax and access the Internet while in port. However, as unloading and loading ships gets more efficient, sailors have less time to get off the ship. Chaplains visit every ship that comes through Houston. Wells said he'll spend anywhere from a half-hour to an hour and a half sitting in the mess hall chatting with the crew. When he can, he'll make trips to Wal-Mart or even the Apple store for essentials for the crew and to pick up gifts they want to bring home.
It can often be hard for seafarers to get essentials. They may not have enough time to get off the ship while in port, for example. On Wells' stop at one ship following the Bow Aratu, crew members didn't dare set foot off the gangway because they didn't have visas. A couple of deckhands who walked to the end of the gangway to greet Wells were from Myanmar, Ukraine and Scotland.
Inside the gift boxes he handed up to them were items like razors and deodorant and maybe socks or gloves. Sometimes the people who make them will add a note or photos.
At the Bow Aratu, a dozen or so crew members in blue and orange jumpsuits and hard hats had filed down the gangway behind Wells, who unloaded bags of gifts that had been donated by organizations around the region. The Bow Aratu crew of 25 was all Filipino, as are many of the seamen that man ships carrying chemicals, equipment and consumer goods around the world.
"The economic situation in the Philippines - that's why you're forced to go outside," Capt. Hose Tupaz Jr. said of why many Filipinos work on ships. But ship life can be hard, especially being away from family for four to nine months at a stretch.
"We are missing our family, that's the first thing," he said. "When we are sick, there's no one to take care of us."
Morfe summed up ship life as, "lonely, happy, bored, homesick, seasick."
Celebrating Christmas on board, they'll often have a big dinner together and open the boxes from the seafarers' center and gifts sent from their shipping company. But if they're in port, they may be busy working.
Deacon Allan Frederiksen, now a chaplain at the Seafarers' Center, worked on ships for much of his life. He recalled his first Christmas away from home at 16, and getting a gift from the Seafarers' Center in Boston. The centers are around the country and most give away holiday gifts. It was the 1960s, and Frederiksen, far from home in Denmark, remembers getting airmail envelopes to write home, toothpaste and candy.
In 1968 he moved to Houston, and now he's among those passing out gifts.
"The common reaction we get," he said, "time after time, is,
'Someone is thinking about us.'
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Merry Christmas from AOS-USA!
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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, or we perish!
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Important Upcoming Events for
AOS-USA Members
Houston Maritime Ministry Training School
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