Author: Sarah Eustace

Stella Maris (Apostleship of the Sea) in the Seychelles has stepped in to assist a crew of five fishermen who were cast adrift in the Indian Ocean following engine failure. 
             The crew sent out a distress message and were spotted by the Seychelles Marine Police who towed the ship and fishermen back to shore. The men were put in police custody and questioned as only the Captain had a valid passport on him.
             Albert Napier, Stella Maris Seychelles National Director received a telephone call on January 3 from a friend who informed him about the situation. They then arranged to meet the crew at the former Coast Guard depot where they were being held. 
             “We spent time talking and listening to the crew who were shaken by the incident,” said Albert. “The master said they had left Zanzibar on December 20 to fish but started experiencing engine problems about three days later causing the ship to drift. After being rescued they were interrogated and their explanations eventually ascertained to be true,” he added. 

             Stella Maris learnt that the fishing vessel’s owner wanted the crew to return to Zanzibar on the same vessel. However it was clear that the vessel was not seaworthy, and it would have been unsafe for the men to return to Zanzibar this way. 
             So Stella Maris set to work with several other government agencies and groups to obtain the necessary travel documents, secure the fishermen’s release and facilitate their repatriation, Albert said.
             Whilst this was being done, Albert was able to get the men moved to the Central Police Station which was more habitable. He continued to visit them, providing moral support, basic provisions and clean clothing and kept the crew updated on the efforts to get them home safely. The men are now back in Zanzibar. 
             “It is only by working with our global Stella Maris network as well as other local agencies and organisations that we were able to assist the fishermen during what must have a very tough time,” Albert said. 

Huge congratulations to Stella Maris Development Director John Green who received a Papal Blessing for his work with Stella Maris.
              John has worked with the global maritime charity for 17 years and will soon leave the organisation.
              A farewell Mass was held on February 13 at the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption & St Gregory where a Papal Blessing was presented to him and his family who were present at Mass by Fr Bruno Ciceri head of Stella Maris International.
              Truly deserved and we wish John the very best as he embarks on the next chapter of his life.
* Click here to read Fr Colum Kelly's homily at Mass.


 

Stella Maris Immingham Port Chaplain Steve Willows shares about Shrove Tuesday on BBC Radio Humber's Thought for the Day.
You can listen to his sharing here.

Huge thanks to the lovely pupils and teachers at St Edmund's Catholic Primary School in Calne, Wiltshire for their amazing effort raising £232 for us.
              Bishop Declan Lang of Clifton Diocese had asked the school to raise money to support Stella Maris (AoS) so their Leaders of Faith worked together to organise a fundraising day.
             They led a whole school assembly on Monday 27th January to raise awareness of Stella Maris and launched their appeal for donations. They organised a sea-themed non-uniform day and cake sale on Friday 31st January, asking for donations of small change and cakes to sell. Well done to them! 
             Thank you to the school, parents, Bishop Declan and everyone who helped in one way or the other.

Do you have a passion for seafarers’ welfare?

Stella Maris GB (formerly Apostleship of the Sea), part of the world’s largest welfare network for seafarers and fishers, is looking to appoint a serving or recently retired seafarer to its Board of Trustees.

Do you understand the challenges facing today’s seafarers?

Would you like to work with Stella Maris to raise the profile of seafarers’ welfare in the maritime sector?

If so, we would like to hear from you.

Please contact Theresa Crossley, Vice-Chair of Trustees: [email protected]

Closing date for applications: 30 April 2020.

Stella Maris (Apostleship of the Sea) was the grateful recipients of a £750 cheque on account of our sterling work in the Port of Grangemouth.
              Port operator Forth Ports Scotland organised a Golf Charity Event to raise funds for us. Rev. Joe O’Donnell, Stella Maris Senior Regional Port Chaplain for Scotland, was presented with the cheque in the seafaring centre at Grangemouth Docks.
              Paul Hallas, who is in charge of Vessel Traffic System and monitors all marine traffic in the busy Port, organised the Golf Charity Event which raised the funds along with some raffle prizes. 
              Deacon Joe said, “We offer our sincere thanks to Forth Ports for this wonderful generosity. It’s great to know our work in helping seafarers is so much appreciated. Quite often they are thousands of miles away from family and friends when they arrive on these shores.
              He added, “The whole team including Alan McPherson, the chief Harbour Master, Paul Hallas and PA Mary Stevenson are so supportive of what our charity does in the area.”

              Stella Maris is preparing to celebrate our Centenary in Glasgow later this year, having originally been founded on the banks of the River Clyde back in 1920. 
              Two years ago, a Croatian Seafarer was badly burned while working in a confined space on an oil tanker in Grangemouth which caused burns from the waist down and required a skin graft operation in Glasgow Royal Infirmary.
              Deacon Joe supported him throughout his time in hospital. More recently, Stella Maris answered a desperate call for help from the crew of a cargo ship, enabling them to carry on their journey to the Baltic States.
             On arrival in Grangemouth, the first thing a mixed crew of Filipino, Sri Lankan and Ukrainian seafarers requested was some much-needed warm clothes while preparing for the next leg of their mammoth journey to the Baltics.

On February 28, we marked the establishment of our Southampton Stella Maris Centre with a liturgy and blessing. 
              Bishop Philip Egan of Portsmouth Diocese blessed the Centre based in St Joseph’s Church, Southampton. He also blessed a newly-commissioned Stella Maris Icon specially designed as we celebrate our Centenary this year. 
              St Joseph’s, a short walk from the port and the city centre, has always been closely linked with seafarers and now hosts an ideal base for Stella Maris and a comfortable pastoral centre to welcome seafarers in the Solent area. 
              In blessing the icon, Bishop Philip reflected on Our Lady as Star of the Sea, the steady guiding light for mariners and perpetual source of comfort and intercession. 
              He also spoke of the work of Chaplains and volunteers looking after the practical, welfare and spiritual needs of seafarers which can be likened to the role of a field hospital, taking immediate care of casualties. 

              Also attending the blessing were Martin Foley, Stella Maris CEO, Captain Esteban Pacha, Stella Maris Chair of Trustees and Fr John Lavers, Stella Maris Director of Chaplaincy.
              Joining in the celebration were Monsignor Canon Vincent Harvey Parish Priest for St Joseph’s and St Edmund’s Churches, Stella Maris chaplains, ship visitors, volunteers, supporters, members of clergy, Verbum Dei and Franciscan Missionary Sisters.
             The liturgy was followed by a reception which provided an opportunity for Bishop Philip to meet everyone. It was a great opportunity to share a wealth of stories and experiences. 

(Words by Charles Stuart and pics by Paul Owen – Stella Maris Southampton ship visitors)

* More photos can be viewed on our Flickr site here.

Here is a message from Fr John Lavers, Stella Maris Director of Chaplaincy.

*** Urgent Appeal for Seafarers ****

Stella Maris (Apostleship of the Sea) has seen a dramatic impact on the life of seafarers due to the spread of the coronavirus.

Many seafarers are being restricted to ships and are unable to visit shops and obtain personal items.