Nurse giving crew member a COVID shot. - Photo: Fr Tony Cox
My association with Stella Maris – The Apostleship of the Sea, the Catholic Church’s missionary work to seafarers, began in 1996. On Friday nights, I would visit the Stella Maris Centre in Melbourne, celebrate Mass, and then spend time sharing life and stories with the many seafarers and a loyal band of volunteers.
Over the years, the ministry and the demands have certainly changed, especially during our worldwide COVID crisis when restrictions were right across the board! But my love and respect for the Missionary Work of Stella Maris (local and global) have only increased. They will never wane.
Critically, as the needs do increase, it is ever more important for our whole world to realise and appreciate the incredible work, ministry and service performed by so many seafarers around the world. I regard them as “unsung heroes”. Indeed, from small and humble beginnings, Stella Maris has grown into the widespread organisation we see today, providing spiritual, psychological and material assistance on ships and ashore for myriad seafarers and maritime personnel of diverse nationalities and religious traditions.
Such a global presence certainly reflects a response to the Lord’s command to “go into all the world and proclaim the Good News to the whole of creation” (Mk 16.15). In this regard, I cannot help but think of the fact that much of Jesus’ ministry took place on and around a small yet vital stretch of water ... the Sea of Galilee … and that some of his first disciples were fishermen … who, in turn, became fishers for all (Mt 4.19).
Creation, our common home, contains a vast expanse of water, which is essential for life and human commerce, not to mention tourism. It should not be surprising, therefore, that ships transport around 90% of the world’s goods. What people sometimes forget, however, is that this feat is made possible by the daily work of over one and a half million seafarers and that many are far removed for months at a time from the support of their families as well as their social and religious communities.
When the 25th World Congress of Stella Maris was held in Glasgow on 2 - 5 October 2022 - also a time for marking the 25th Anniversary of St John Paul II’s Apostolic Letter Motu Proprio Stella Maris, by which the norms of the Apostolate were updated to better serve the needs of today’s maritime community - Pope Francis said: “Know you are not alone and that you are not forgotten … Your work at sea often keeps you apart from others, but you are close to me in my thoughts and prayers, and in those of your chaplains and the volunteers of Stella Maris.” Now that COVID restrictions are gradually lifting, Pope Francis expressed his sincere hope that many would be able to celebrate fully the 100th Anniversary of the founding of the Apostolate of the Sea (4 October 1920).
Stella Maris Melbourne Centre’s bus is on permanent standby, set up and ready for any request. - Photo: Fr Tony Cox
The Pope continued: “We know all too well, despite advances in technology, all maritime workers are subject not only to the aforementioned challenges associated with separation from their homelands, but also continue to suffer from a variety of unjust working conditions and other deprivations, aggravated not least by the effect of climate change.
Moreover, damage to marine environments, as to others, disproportionately affects the poorest and most vulnerable of our brothers and sisters, whose very livelihoods are even threatened with extinction” (cf. Laudato Si' 48-52).
Pope Francis hopes and prays that Stella Maris will never waiver in drawing attention to the issues that deprive many in the Maritime Community of their God-given human dignity. It is in this way then that the Apostleship will continue its noble service of putting into practice the words of Jesus, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me” (Mt 25:35).
During the COVID crisis, many seafarers were not allowed to get off their ships for two to two-and-a-half years, and the delight on their faces when sharing their long-awaited experience of coming home was a joy to behold. Some ports and shipping companies still deny this right! As for vaccinations, it is only in recent months that this has been taking place for seafarers on ships visiting Melbourne. I am very proud to tell you that Stella Maris virtually spearheaded the vaccination program for seafarers, having challenged many government agencies in the process. One of the Melbourne Centre’s buses is on permanent standby, set up and ready for any request at any hour of the day.
Here are a few facts of interest about the pandemic’s effect on seafarers:
- Hundreds of thousands of seafarers have been stuck at sea throughout the pandemic.
- Since COVID began, seafarers have not been permitted to disembark in Australian ports.
Crew rotation has been forbidden. - Because of the crew change crisis, a humanitarian calamity at sea has been created.
- Urgent action is continually needed to protect seafarers’ mental and physical health and ensure the safety of shipping.
- These seafarers have no access to medicines.
All this has been, and continues to be, the shipping industry’s most acute logistical challenge of the past fifty years. More challenges lie ahead. Seafarers stranded at sea are consigned by governments around the world to being “slaves” in what many call their “floating prison”.
There is the ever-present danger of high levels of mental stress and depression. In pre-pandemic times, almost 6% of deaths at sea were attributed to suicide. This figure appears to have doubled during the COVID crisis. The situation may be even worse than we think, given that suspected suicides at sea are now often reported as accidental deaths to ensure that families receive adequate payouts from insurers (‘The Mariner’s Mirror’).
There are a variety of gifts and they all serve our God and we serve each other!
Columban Fr Tony Cox lives and works in Australia.
Listen to "A love affair continues"
Related links
- Read more from The Far East - January/February 2023
