Southwark: Centenary Celebration Mass for Stella Maris

Deacon Nick O'Neill and Martin Foley

Friends, volunteers and supporters joined the Stella Maris team for a special Mass at St George's Cathedral, Southwark, on 5th October, to mark the end of Stella Maris' centenary year. Bishop Paul Mason, Bishop of the Armed Forces and Stella Maris Bishop Promoter for England & Wales was the chief celebrant.

The Gospel reading for the celebration was Jesus' calming of the storm and Bishop Paul delivered his homily as a shipping forecast indicating weather warnings that approach any Catholic organisation.

He quoted Pope Francis who warned against removing Christ or diluting his centrality from its purpose and simply becoming "a compassionate NGO." That Stella Maris has flourished for more than 100 years is testimony to the fact that it holds Christ at its centre.

Bishop Paul then spoke of the emotional and literal storms many seafarers face and how some captains and shipping companies are asleep on a cushion apparently unconcerned that their crews are going to drown. Because those storms occur beyond our horizons, the bishop warned, does not mean they are not happening.

Finally Bishop Paul warned against seeing Christian faith as an escape from the storms of life, pointing out that the disciples found themselves in a storm precisely because they followed the Lord. "Crossing over to the other side" is what Christ calls us to do. Yes, there will be storms, but trusting in Christ at the helm will get us there safely.

He also said that Stella Maris is the face of the faceless and voice of the voiceless, and how the charity has grown not by staying in a safe harbour but by taking risks.

Because of the Covid pandemic, the last 18 months has been particularly difficult for seafarers, and for Stella Maris chaplains and volunteers. At any one time there are 1.6million crew members at sea. At the height of the Covid pandemic there were 400,000 seafarers stuck at sea unable to go ashore. There are still 200,000 stranded on board ships around the world.

Speaking at the reception afterwards in the Romero Hall, Martin Foley, Chief Executive told ICN: "Covid meant we couldn't do our ministry of visiting ships. We had to find new ways of reaching crews through digital means. Now things are starting to get back to normal. Some ships are still nervous. Others are more receptive. But we are very careful and follow strict PPI protocol."

Stella Maris has been helping seafarers get vaccinated against Covid. Although some vaccines have transported by ship, the WHO has not allowed shipping companies to get vaccines to give crews.

Martin said: "They have been very anxious to get vaccinated. We've helped them schedule this. Different countries have different jurisdictions. and use different vaccines."

Martin said: "The Covid crisis has made people more aware of how much we need shipping. So many essential items are transported by sea. Delays have really caused supply chain crises. It's a good time to advocate for seafarers and appreciate what they do for us."

Fr Roque Noronha, National Director of Stella Maris India died of Covid in June. Martin said: "It really brought home to us the risks faced by people on the frontline like NHS workers."

Martin Foley will be representing Stella Maris at a major conference at Vatican on 21 November, World Fisheries Day. In December he will be attending the International Maritime Organisation in London where Cardinal Peter Turkson is due to give an address.

Deacon Nicholas O'Neill is Senior Port Chaplain for the South of England and Wales working with ten chaplains - two priests and laypeople. He joined in August 2020. He told ICN: "So much of our work is based on personal contact. We ask 'how are you treated?' 'What are your needs?' We talk and listen. All that ministry stopped with the lockdown."

Nicholas said that they very quickly developed much more work online using Facebook, WhatApp Messenger. and other social media. Stella Maris now brings seafarers mobile wifi to enable them to contact families back home. He said: "We've now got daily online readings. When people have died we've had a special Masses online for them - which could be watched by their families and friends in other parts of the world."

Things are gradually easing up now. Nicholas said: "It's very good to be able to go up the gangway again and see people in person."

As well as working with seafarers on international shipping, Nicholas is involved with crews on fishing boats working around the British coast. and their families. They were affected by Covid, but their work has also been impacted by Brexit.

Rev Nicholas is off to Gibraltar soon, to meet Stella Maris volunteers and preach at the cathedral there.

LINKS

For more information, if you would like to support the work of Stella Maris, or are interested in becoming a volunteer, see:

Website - www.stellamaris.org.uk

Facebook - www.facebook.com/StellaMarisOrg/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/StellaMarisOrg