July 15, 2013: Sunday July 14, churches around the world marked Sea Sunday, a day
to remember seafarers and pray for them, their families and those who’ve made it their
apostleship to support them. On many people’s minds as we celebrated this year’s event
undoubtedly was Pope Francis’ recent visit to the Italian island of Lampedusa in solidarity
with the tens of thousands of migrants who’ve braved the sea in search of a better
life in another country Many never make it ashore.
John Green, Director of
Development for the Apostleship of the Sea in the U.K., says he was struck by two
aspects of the Pope’s visit to Lampedusa: “There were two really important aspects
of the Pope’s visit I think. One is that migrants, not only those traveling from North
Africa to Lampedusa but across the world, generally fall between different jurisdictions
and areas of responsibility to different people. And it’s very difficult for agencies
to help them or for people to take responsibility because as (migrants) are on the
move, they can fall between different people’s areas of responsibility. And secondly,
this phrase that the Pope used, a “globalization of indifference:” that to some extent
we’ve become so used to seeing great tragedies on our screens and hearing them on
our airwaves that we can think, as the Pope said, “poor fellow” and move on. And
within that context, particularly in the maritime world, he highlights also the responsibility
of those who work behind the scenes and who, anonymously, make socio-economic decisions.
All those people who work in the background in shipping companies and in the fishing
industry and to some extent, that’s all of us really. We all depend on seafarers for
much of the trade that comes to us, we depend on - certainly on fishermen for the
fish we eat – and to some extent, we’re all involved in this and it’s our responsibility
as the Holy Father has done, to cry out really when we see instances of injustice
in these situations, and say hold on, these people deserve much better for their dignity.”
“What
is really going to help the maritime sector and the fishing industries has been two
new conventions that have been about 10-15 years in the making. Both are promoted
by the U.N’s International Labor Organization, the ILO: the Maritime Labor Convention,
which has been ratified by sufficient states and should come into international law
early next year we hope. Also of great significance is the fishing convention. Now,
insufficient countries are coming forward to ratify this so it looks like this may
not be put into international law and a lot of fishing communities that live in desperate
conditions may actually not benefit from the great work that’s been done at the ILO.
So that’s a real concern.”
Sea Sunday Green says that part of the Apostleship
of the Sea U.K.’s efforts this weekend will include raising awareness in parishes
about the difficulties facing those who work in the maritime world.
“We’ll
be contacting local parishes and first of all we’ll appeal to them to pray for the
people of the sea, to remember them for much of what they do directly affects our
lives. They bring much of our food to us, our clothing, much of the things we need
each day. And they are separated from their families, their separated from their communities.
On Sea Sunday, many of those at sea will not be able to get off the ship they’re on
and go to church that day - so to remember them in prayer. But also to remember the
port chaplains and the ship visitors of the Apostleship of the Sea. Many of them day
in and day out, they visit ships, care for seafarers on their own. And for them it’s
a great source of consolation and comfort knowing that there are many many people
in the Church supporting them with their prayers.
Additionally, many churches
will hold a collection to support the work of the Apostleship of the Sea. Pretty much
all the work of the Apostleship of the Sea is supported by voluntary donations and
support from many individuals within the Catholic Church. This is a great news story
of the generosity of many individuals who make such a difference to many people whose
lives are off the radar and on the margins.”