Calming consciences: Pope gives seafarer chaplains special powers; AMOSUP pays tribute to Filipino seafarers on their ‘DotS'

Calming consciences: Pope gives seafarer chaplains special powers
Cindy Wooden Jun 27, 2019 https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2019/06/27/calming-consciences-pope-gives-se...

ROME - Pope Francis gave priests who minister to seafarers special permission to grant absolution for sins that usually would require the intervention of a bishop or the Vatican itself.

“I want to say something about peace in one’s heart,” the pope said June 27 during a meeting with chaplains and volunteers of the Apostleship of the Sea working at European ports.

“Many seafarers come or will come to priest chaplains with problems on their conscience that make them suffer a lot because they have never had a chance to deal with them,” the pope said, departing from his prepared text.

“In these situations, far from home, from their countries, in these situations that we have described, perhaps a dialogue with the chaplain will open a horizon of hope,” the pope said.

“Be merciful. Be merciful,” Francis told the chaplains.

“To help you with this mercy,” he said, “I concede to all seafarer chaplains the same permissions that I gave to the ‘missionaries of mercy’ so that you can help many hearts find interior peace.”

The “missionaries of mercy” were priests chosen by the Vatican for the 2015-2016 Year of Mercy to preach about God’s mercy and, especially, to encourage Catholics to rediscover the grace of the sacrament of reconciliation.

In a permission later extended to all priests, Francis granted them the power to absolve penitents who regretted having an abortion or playing a role in someone’s decision to have an abortion. He also authorized them to lift some penalties imposed by canon law.

Through the chaplains and volunteers of the Apostleship of the Sea, the Catholic Church gives support and solace to a group of workers facing constant danger and frequent exploitation, Francis told the group.

While sailors and fishermen deliver the goods people rely on every day, they face the seafaring dangers of storms and piracy, long periods of time away from their families and working conditions that are often harsh and low-paying, the pope told chaplains and volunteers working at ports across Europe.

“Without sailors, the global economy would come to a standstill; and without fishermen, many parts of the world would starve,” the pope said.

Isolation and distance are not the only hardships seafarers face, he said. They also risk the “shameful experiences of abuse and injustice,” including human trafficking and forced labor.

“At other times, they are not paid their rightful salary or are left behind in distant ports,” he said. “In addition to threats from nature - storms and hurricanes - they must face human threats, such as piracy or terrorist attacks.”

Too often, he said, “they cross the world’s oceans and seas, landing in ports where they are not always welcome.”

But the Apostleship of the Sea and its Stella Maris centers at some 300 ports worldwide bring human kindness, material support and the Gospel, Francis said.

“With compassion and discretion, you give them a chance to pour out their hearts,” he said. “This is the first and most precious service that you provide, above all to those who have few similar opportunities.”

“Listening can then lead to action,” both for spiritual healing as well as for defending the rights of workers who often are invisible to the larger society, the pope said.

The presence of chaplains and volunteers at ports around the world is “a sign of God’s fatherhood and the fact that, in his eyes, we are all children, brothers and sisters to one another.”

AMOSUP pays tribute to Filipino seafarers on their ‘International Day’
June 27, 2019 https://business.mb.com.ph/2019/06/27/amosup-pays-tribute-to-filipino-se...

The world’s largest union of seafarers – the Associated Marine Officers’ an d Seamen’s Union of the Philippines (AMOSUP), with an estimated current 120,000 to 130,000 members paid tribute to Filipino seafarers on board various ships from all over the world, citing their contribution to national economy, the civil society, the nation and the world as a whole.

In his message to all stakeholders on the eight world celebration of international Day of the Seafarer (DotS) held at the AMOSUP Convention Center in Intramuros, Manila on June 25, AMOSUP president Dr. Conrado F. Oca expressed thanks to Filipino seafarers describing them as working heroes benefiting not only their families but the whole nation as well. He told AMOSUP seafarers: “We are doubly proud of you, for raising the Philippine flag in foreign shores and ports, and for demonstrating to the world your skills and competence, aside from maintaining your caliber of the English language-which is the world’s medium of communications.”

In this year’s DotS celebration, the importance and value of women within the professional ranks were given emphasis, to highlight the opportunities for women to make their contributions, including those already done by them. Hence, the 2019 campaign: “I am on board with gender equality!”

Admiral Santos, AMOSUP EVP, for his part said: “For many years now, our students at Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific (MAAP) have been consistently taught and oriented to observe and respect gender equality. This is to prevent discrimination or bullying on board ship or at any other work place.”

MAAP headed by Santos, the Academy’s pioneer president, is the education and training arm of AMOSUP, whose governing board is chaired by Dr. Oca. Du ring this year’s DotS celebration, several female graduates of MAAP were given awards of recognition by both government and private maritime agencies.

At the same time, The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) noted it is still rare to find women workers at sea. However, it thanked concerned maritime labor and trade unions as more women seafarers now surface airing, standing, fighting for their rights. Women make up an estimated of only two percent of the merchant fleet in the world, They work mainly on cruise, ferries sectors, more often for flag-of-convenience (FOC) vessels.

There are currently 1,647,500 seafarers on board worldwide, 774 officers and 873,500 ratings. The top five nations that supply manpower to the global merchant fleet are the Philippines, China, Indonesia, Russian Federation and Ukraine.

The first DotS was first celebrated on June 25, 2011.