Catholics around Australia are being asked to reflect on and support seafarers over two Sea Sundays this year.
“Without seafarers, we would not have most of the items we rely on for daily living,” Stella Maris chairman Ray Collins said.
“They work tirelessly to bring into our ports products that sustain us and our economy.”
The two Sea Sundays – to be held on July 21 and 28 - will give an even greater opportunity for Catholics to pray for and support seafarers.
Stella Maris is the official maritime welfare agency of the Catholic Church. In 1922, Pope Pius XI approved the first constitution of the movement, known as Apostleship of the Sea. Stella Maris now operates in over 300 ports across the world.
“People of the sea have always been important to the Church, from Christ gathering fishermen-disciples over 2000 years ago to chaplains and volunteers supporting merchant, passenger, fishing and other seafarers today,” said Bishop Promoter of Stella Maris, Tim Norton.
From very humble beginnings, with the support of the clergy and the St Vincent de Paul Society, Stella Maris now has centres in every state of Australia and in the Northern Territory but there is still work to do, including providing support for seafarers in all Australian ports.
Stella Maris supports seafarers in spiritual, social and material ways, including prayer, helping them contact their families and advocating in Australia and internationally for safe and fair working conditions.
Examples of this can be seen daily from transporting seafarers from the ships to Stella Maris centres, and providing accommodation and meals, to caring for those who are sick or injured and in times involving the death of a seafarer.
Donations to Stella Maris over $2 are tax-deductible and can be made online here.
