Apostleship of the Sea works to meet spiritual needs of merchant marines

Chaplains for the Apostleship of the Sea-USA gathered for their annual meeting at Holy Cross Parish Hall. They listened to several speakers on various issues affecting seafarers. At far right is Bishop J. Kevin Boland, AOS Bishop Promoter. Alfredo E. Cardenas, South Texas Catholic

Father Eulalio P. Ibay, STD, chaplain of the Apostleship of the Sea in the Diocese of Corpus Christi said the ministry “offers spiritual and practical help to seafarers, their families and all who work and travel on the waterways.”

“This maritime ministry shows the church’s care and concern to seafarers who are often away from home for many months because of the nature of their work and who cannot participate in a regular parish life,” Father Ibay said.

Father Ibay hosted the annual national meeting of the Apostleship of the Sea of the United States at Holy Cross Parish in Corpus Christi on April 29-May 2. The group celebrated Mass in the Emmanuel Chapel at the Corpus Christi Cathedral on April 30, to worship with the community of Corpus Christi.

Father Sinclair Oubre, JCL of the Diocese of Beaumont and the immediate national past president of the Apostleship of the Sea-USA said “even if seafarers want to go to Mass on Sunday, they can’t.” This is particularly true in the United States, which makes getting off a ship very difficult.

Father Sinclair Oubre, JCL, immediate past president of the Apostleship of the Sea-USA, delivered the homily during Mass in the Emmanuel Chapel at Corpus Christi Cathedral. Alfredo E. Cardenas, South Texas Catholic

Father Oubre said this is due partly because of the concerns that sprang up after 9-1-1 and partly from longstanding prejudices against seafarers. While someone arriving in the United States from a foreign country on an airline has little or no difficulty entering the country, this is not the case for those arriving by boat.

Consequently, it is nearly impossible for seafarers to “share in the grace of the Eucharist, to share in the grace of the Word” Father Oubre said.

Because of the Eagle Ford Shale, the number of seafarers entering the Port of Corpus Christi is skyrocketing. Many of these seafarers come from predominantly Catholic countries. Still, the Apostleship of the Sea, which is a membership organization, works closely with other denominations to provide for the spiritual needs of all seafarers.

Father Ibay, who visits the ships every Thursday and sometimes on the weekend, said his team of volunteers includes several Baptists. They also work closely with the Corpus Christi International Seamen Center, which is a “home away from home” for many seafarers visiting the Port of Corpus Christi.

“It is the task of the maritime apostolate of the Corpus Christi International Seamen Center to offer pastoral care to seafarers who come to Corpus Christi Port,” Father Ibay said. During their visits to the ships docked at the port, volunteers take religious reading material and offer “spiritual and practical help to seafarers, their families and all who work and travel on the waterways,” Father Ibay said.

Father Oubre said the Apostleship of the Sea is a membership organization akin to the Knights of Columbus. While the bishop appoints the chaplain, in this case Father Ibay, the volunteers are members of the organization and answer to the Apostleship of the Sea. Anyone interested in joining should contact Father Ibay at Holy Cross Parish.

Among the issues discussed at the national meeting was lending support to legislation currently in Congress to provide funding for maritime job training in high schools. Father Oubre said the merchant marine field is experiencing an “exploding” job market, but there is no program available in the schools to “train stevedores, diesel mechanics, radar operators and merchant marines.”

“We are a maritime nation,” Father Oubre said, “jobs are expanding, ships are being built. We need to have people to do that work. It is good work; it is good wages.”

Another issue discussed was reaching out to the fishing communities and to work with them to meet their spiritual needs. The group also received a report from Bishop J. Kevin Boland, Apostleship of the Sea Bishop Promoter, on a partnership with the Confraternity of Our Lady Star of the Sea to place an image of Our Lady Star of the Sea in the Basilica of the National Shrine of Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. The project is becoming a reality and is currently under construction.

But of immediate need are volunteers to go on ships to deliver Catholic literature, rosaries and also coordinate with the priest to celebrate the sacraments, especially Eucharist on board of ships, Father Oubre said.

The national ecumenical group of the Apostleship of the Sea is scheduled to have its annual meeting in Corpus Christi in October.

Pastors with the Apostleship of the Sea-USA participated in a Mass with the "worship community" of Corpus Christi at the Emmanuel Chapel in Corpus Christi Cathedral. In back row are cathedral rector Father Hanh Van Pham and to his left is Father Eulalio P. Ibay, STD, chaplain for the Apostleship of the Sea in the Diocese of Corpus Christi. Alfredo E. Cardenas, South Texas Catholic