Whilst continuing to be of service to seafarers and fishers, our port chaplains are also ensuring that their teams of volunteers – our ship visitors – are not forgotten during the Covid-19 lockdown. 

Our Dover and Medway port chaplain John Fogarty is one example. Recently he paid a pastoral visit to one of his ship visitors, Bob Bushnell, who along with his wife Sue have been on lockdown for several weeks now.

Bob was in good form as always and really looking forward starting visiting again.

“I’m meeting with a ship visitor at home each week as this is the least I can do for our faithful volunteers who serve our people of the sea so well. Bob and Sue have just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary too so many congrats to them on that achievement as well,” John says.

In another pastoral visit John met John Rutland who has been looking after operations in Sheernes on the Isle of Sheppey for more than 10 years now.

John says both are looking forward to getting back to normal and to start working one of their current projects, updating the Seafarers Room in Sheerness Docks.

Just one of many ways Stella Maris port chaplains are keeping in contact with our volunteers and ensuring that while being asked to stay home they are not isolated.

Stella Maris chaplain John Fogarty with ship visitor John Rutland

• You can listen to John sharing and singing prayers in the weekly Sunday Gospel Reading and Prayer videos Stella Maris has started producing for cruise ship crews. Go here to see the videos.