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During the month of August, Pope Francis has asked us to pray for seafarers, fishers, people of the sea and their families.

In a video message on the Pope Video website (part of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network), the Holy Father talks specifically about “all those who work and live from the sea” and asks that we pray for them and their families.

Pope Francis says, “The life of sailors or fishermen and their families is very difficult. Sometimes they are victims of forced labour or are left behind in distant ports. The competition of industrial fishing and the problem of pollution make their work even more complicated. Without the people of the sea, many parts of the world would starve. Let us pray for all those who work and live from the sea, among them sailors, fishermen and their families.”

Our society depends, probably more than many of us imagine, on the hard work of maritime workers and their families who have to face not only the dangers of nature —storms, hurricanes, etc.— but also human threats, such as piracy.

The Pope’s prayer video was made in collaboration with Stella Maris, which celebrates its centenary in October. Fr. Bruno Ciceri, Stella Maris International Director says, “Since the declaration of the pandemic by the World Health Organization, it’s evident that the life of sailors, fishermen, and their families has been affected significantly. As the situation continues evolving, our chaplains and volunteers are striving to work to support the needs of the people of the sea, and to ensure that they are not mistreated for their service to others while the pandemic lasts.”

Seven seafarers from a container ship are bound for home after spending almost 14 months working at sea.

During a visit to Felixstowe port last Friday 24 July, our East Anglia chaplain Julian Wong learnt that seven crew members from the container ship APL Norway would be going home after working at sea and being away from their families in the Philippines for nearly 14 months.

This was great news for the seafarers and Julian was delighted for them and that the crew change was able to take place.

To celebrate the occasion, Julian bought chocolate and freshly made doughnuts, filling up seven bags with the goodies, copies of Stella Maris magazines and packs of prayer cards for the seafarers.

Their transport arrived later that evening to take them to the airport. Julian said a quick prayer for their safe journey home. The crew are are scheduled to board their flight home tomorrow 30 July. Upon arrival in Metro Manila, they will have to go into quarantine for 14 days.

Julian provided them his contact details so they could continue to keep in touch with him.  He says, “I feel very blessed as a Stella Maris Regional Port Chaplain to be able to share this joyful moment after the last few months of lockdown. I am able to maintain contact with many seafarers, thanks to modern technology and social media. I hope the crew change situation will continue to improve to enable seafarers to fly home from any country where they sign off. May God bless all seafarers and their families.”

Julian continues, “Seafarers are hero key workers in this coronavirus pandemic. They are invisible to the general public. Without them and the shipping industry, our supermarkets would have been empty long ago. So, many thanks to them and all who work in the shipping industry. Huge thanks also to the port workers in big container ports like Felixstowe Port that operates 24/7. Without all these people and in particular seafarers we would not be able to get all the supplies that we need every day during the lockdown and all through the year.”

Separately on 4 July, Julian was informed that five Filipino seafarers from the Maersk Serangoon were able to return home following a crew change at Felixstowe Port.

Huge thanks to Felixstowe Port and the UK Government for enabling crew change to take place.

A Filipino fisherman hospitalised in Aberdeen since the start of lockdown after a suspected stroke has thanked Stella Maris for providing virtual support while in hospital.

Twenty-three-year-old Jericho who was working on a vessel in the North of Scotland had to be airlifted to the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for emergency treatment after taking ill suddenly.

Stella Maris port chaplain Reverend Doug Duncan was informed about the incident. Over the weeks Doug picked up, washed and delivered Jericho’s clothes and supplied fruit, chocolates and magazines to the hospital.

Doug also communicated regularly with Jericho via social media, helping keep his spirits up and reassuring him.

On 13 July two days before he was due to fly home to the Philippines, Covid-19 restrictions were lifted at the Infirmary. Doug was named as the allotted person who could visit Jericho.

Following all safety precautions Doug visited Jericho who was delighted to see a friendly and welcoming face. They chatted and prayed, and Doug gave Jericho a blessing.

Doug said, “Having gone through so much and still extremely weak down his left side Jericho’s only complaint was the hospital didn’t serve rice at breakfast, lunch and dinner.

“Thankfully, a local Filipino lady helped out with some local dishes and assisted him with his local dialect.”

On 15 July, Doug waved off Jericho at the hospital and the fisherman finally flew home to the Philippines where he is now receiving further treatment in hospital.

Cardinal Peter Turkson Prefect of the Dicastery for Promotion of Integral Human Development at the Vatican has sent a message ahead of Sea Sunday which falls on 12 July this year. The Vatican has also released a prayer inspired by the Message for Sea Sunday.

On 12 July Christians around the world will celebrate Sea Sunday. Due to the uncertainties around Covid-19, Stella Maris in the UK will celebrate Sea Sunday in December instead of this weekend. The date has not yet been finalised, but it is likely to be either Sunday 13 or Sunday 20 December. We will update you as soon as we have more information.

Nevertheless we would urge you to please continue to pray for seafarers, fishers and their families, many of whom have had their employment period extended, resulting in fatigue, prolonged absence from their families and poor mental health. Estimates suggest that, every month, 100,000 seafarers who finish their contracts and look forward to flying home are prevented from doing so by the outbreak of Covid-19 and the subsequent closure of borders and flights.

Click the download button below to read and reflect upon the Cardinal’s Sea Sunday message.

Sea Sunday Prayer

Holy Virgin Mary, sign of the maternal face of God,
with filial confidence we turn to you in the current pandemic. Keep in your Immaculate Heart the seafarers, the fishermen and their families, who with their work are ensuring the human family with food and other basic needs.

Sign of the closeness of the Father,
support them in their trials and protect them from all dangers: isolation and severe physical and mental stress, long periods spent on board ships, distance from their family, friends and from their own country, fear of contamination, piracy attacks and attempted attacks, armed robberies.

Sign of the mercy of the Son,
help Stella Maris chaplains and volunteers to listen to the people of the sea, trying to respond to their material and spiritual needs, standing by their side, raising their concerns, upholding their labor rights and preventing discrimination.

Sign of the fruitfulness of the Spirit and advocate of seafarers,
bring unscrupulous ship-owners, crewing agencies and managers back to the way of justice who, using the excuse of the pandemic, dismiss their obligations towards seafarers Let us stand in solidarity with those who have lost their income.

Sign of consolation and sure hope,
tenderly embraces coronavirus victims, especially the seafarers who committed suicide.

Star of the Sea, pray for us. Amen!

On 12 July Christians around the world will celebrate Sea Sunday. However n the light of the continued uncertainty around coronavirus, the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales have decided to postpone Sea Sunday 2020 from July 12 to December. The date has not yet been finalised, but it is likely to be either Sunday 13 or Sunday 20 December.

As you know, the income generated from Sea Sunday is crucial in maintaining our support for seafarers and fishers, but it is also an excellent opportunity to spread awareness of our work to others. We are very grateful that the Bishops have found a way to rearrange Sea Sunday and we look forward to celebrating seafarers and fishers in churches with you in December.

We will update you as soon as we have more information.

Nevertheless, we would urge you to continue to pray for seafarers and fishers and their families, many of whom are facing financial and personal difficulties during these challenging times.

The Vatican has released a Sea Sunday message and prayer and we encourage you to read and reflect on the message and to pray the prayer.

Sea Sunday Prayer

Holy Virgin Mary, sign of the maternal face of God,
with filial confidence we turn to you in the current pandemic. Keep in your Immaculate Heart the seafarers, the fishermen and their families, who with their work are ensuring the human family with food and other basic needs.

Sign of the closeness of the Father,
support them in their trials and protect them from all dangers: isolation and severe physical and mental stress, long periods spent on board ships, distance from their family, friends and from their own country, fear of contamination, piracy attacks and attempted attacks, armed robberies.

Sign of the mercy of the Son,
help Stella Maris chaplains and volunteers to listen to the people of the sea, trying to respond to their material and spiritual needs, standing by their side, raising their concerns, upholding their labor rights and preventing discrimination.

Sign of the fruitfulness of the Spirit and advocate of seafarers,
bring unscrupulous ship-owners, crewing agencies and managers back to the way of justice who, using the excuse of the pandemic, dismiss their obligations towards seafarers Let us stand in solidarity with those who have lost their income.

Sign of consolation and sure hope,
tenderly embraces coronavirus victims, especially the seafarers who committed suicide.

Star of the Sea, pray for us. Amen!

Our chief executive Martin Foley spoke to Vatican News following Pope Francis’ video message to seafarers. Martin says that seafarers are among the heroes of the pandemic and are key workers who deserve our continued support.

“This is a particularly difficult time for seafarers who have continued to work throughout the pandemic to ensure that our society continues to function; to ensure that our supermarket shelves are stocked. So, we owe a great debt of gratitude to seafarers; they are amongst the heroes of this pandemic,” said Martin.

With “the airline industry being grounded, seafarers who have come to the end of their contracts have had no other option even to extend their contracts; to stay on board their vessels until they can disembark at port from where they can then fly home,” he said.

Stella Maris continues to reach out to seafarers, to support them in whatever way they can. Due to the social distancing restrictions, our chaplains and ship visitors are having to “find ever more innovative ways to reach seafarers”.

Pope Francis has sent a video message of encouragement to seafarers recognised the difficulties they face as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He expresses gratitude for their help in feeding humanity despite the risks involved and prays for those who work at sea and for stranded seafarers who have been unable to go ashore or those unable to go to work.

“Know that you are not alone and that you are not forgotten,” Pope Francis says. “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.”

Putting food on the table, paying household bills and loans and ensuring job security are among the top concerns faced by seafarers as they cope with the impact that Covid-19 is having on their lives and that of their families.

A recent survey conducted by global maritime charity Stella Maris showed that such financial worries have had a profound impact on seafarers, with 69% saying that Covid-19 has impacted them financially “a lot” or “very much”.

Seafarers also said the pandemic has had a significant impact on their emotional, mental, physical and psychological wellbeing.

A total of 363 seafarers ranging from deck officers to ABs and engine crew responded to Stella Maris’ questionnaire, the majority being from the Philippines.

Providing food for extended family members was the most urgent need, and it will be even more pressing in the next few months when emergency relief goods stop being provided, and personal savings deplete.

Paying for school uniforms, supplies and tuition fees was also identified as being critical over the next few months as schools start to reopen.

The survey revealed that the cost of putting food on the table was between US$200 to US$400 a month depending on the number of people in a seafarer’s extended family, while it cost about US$200 a month for school uniforms and supplies. Around 40% of respondents were forking out US$400 a month to repay loans taken out to buy property or vehicles.

Asked what their most urgent need would be in the next six months to a year, the majority of seafarers said it was to secure a new contract and go back to work.

Stella Maris global coordinator Fr Bruno Ciceri who commissioned the report said, “Being on the frontline in ports, our chaplains and volunteers realised straightaway the very real and immediate impact the pandemic is having upon seafarers and fishers with no source of income and stranded in foreign nations or even in their own country.
“With many ports locked down, and seafarers not allowed to go ashore, Stella Maris chaplains and volunteers changed the way we work moving to “virtual chaplaincy” and, where it is still possible, from visiting ships to carrying out “gangway visits” providing care packages and support to crews,” he said.

As countries move on from the initial phase of the pandemic, Stella Maris is beginning to see a new wave of issues affecting seafarers. In particular, there are increasing concerns around mid-to long-term financial, physical and mental health.

The charity is also being made aware of stigma and fear surrounding seafarers when they return home to rural communities in Southern Asia, that they are ‘bringing the disease with them’ and being treated as pariahs, leading to distress, fear and depression for them and their families.

Fr Ciceri added that Stella Maris is now formulating an action plan based on the survey’s responses so its global network can provide the appropriate welfare and pastoral support to seafarers, fishers and their families.

“As the situation continues to evolve, Stella Maris seeks to work with all partners trying to support these developing needs of the seafarer, and ensure that they are not adversely or unfairly treated through their service to others through this pandemic”.

Global maritime charity Stella Maris (Apostleship of the Sea) is working with P&O Cruises and Cunard to ensure their cruise ship workers who are isolating on ships off the South Coast of England during Coronavirus continue to receive pastoral support and care.

The charity’s Director of Chaplaincy Fr John Lavers said, “This is one way in which we are responding to their needs and we are grateful to the company who have approached us and encouraged us to provide this assistance which is most welcomed by cruise ship workers.” 

Part of this outreach includes producing weekly video recordings of Sunday Gospel Readings, reflection and prayer conducted by the charity’s chaplains for the company’s cruise ship workers, offering a novel way of supporting their faith and pastoral needs during lockdown.

Stella Maris also organised for the head of Portsmouth Catholic Diocese to send a message of support and prayer for the cruise ship workers. 

In a video recorded at St John’s Cathedral, Portsmouth, Bishop Philip Egan said his thoughts and prayers were very much with them at this time of crisis. 

“Many are in lockdown and we learnt that you too on ships are confined. I am very aware that many of you are here in England, a long way from your home and your families. As a Catholic community we are very conscious of this, and we want to express to you our love and promise of prayers for you; we pray for you all the time,” he said. 

The video recording includes a prayer, scripture reading and Benediction and will be broadcast to the cruise ship workers social distancing on board. 

Bishop Egan also said that he was proud to have the work of Stella Maris in the Diocese whose chaplains are supporting cruise ship workers and are looking out for them.

Stella Maris GB Chief Executive Martin Foley said the organisation was delighted to be working with Carnival UK and that this current outreach was an extension of a long-term partnership already in place with the cruise line. 

Through its cruise chaplaincy programme, Stella Maris has, until the recent controls imposed due to the pandemic, been deploying chaplains on board the cruise ships to minister to the needs of crew and guests. 

“Despite the ongoing Coronavirus restrictions, Stella Maris chaplains in Great Britain and around the world continue to provide support to seafarers, cruise ship workers and their families during this pandemic by working in close partnership the maritime industry, trades unions and others,” he said.