Stella Maris’ port chaplain in Mauritius Fr. Jacques-Henri David has provided pastoral support to the crew of a bulk carrier following the apparent murder of the ship’s captain.

He went on board the Meghna Liberty on Saturday 27^th November, to support the Filipino crew left traumatised by their colleague’s death.

“I held a prayer service, and the crew members were encouraged to speak about how the incident had affected them,” said Fr Jacques, who is Stella Maris chaplain in Port Louis.

“It was very poignant; but thankfully the service and blessing of the ship provided comfort and relief to them,” he added.

Media reports suggest that the chef of the 55,905 dwt Bangladesh-registered ship confessed to stabbing the captain while the vessel was sailing in the Indian Ocean. It has been suggested that there had been an ongoing dispute between the captain and the chef.

Following the cook’s confession, the ship’s officers were able to break down the door to the captain’s cabin. They found him lying in a pool of blood and attempted to revive him, but it was too late.

The vessel was diverted to Mauritius, arriving in Port Louis on 22^nd November, where the chef was handed over to the police, the reports added.

Stella Maris understands that a new captain and chief cook were due to join the ship on Monday 29^th November.

We will continue to track the vessel with a view to visiting it again at its next ports of call and providing continued care for the crew to help ensure that their emotional and pastoral wellbeing is supported.

Stella Maris is the largest ship visiting network in the world, with port chaplains and ship visitors in over 300 ports spanning 50 countries. This enables the charity to respond in a timely manner to support seafarers facing stressful and upsetting situations.

Message from Cardinal Peter Turkson, Prefect for the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development in the Vatican for World Fisheries Day, 21st November 2021

The World Fisheries Day was celebrated for the first time in 1998 by the fisherfolk communities, who wanted to highlight the way of living in the fisheries sector, that employs the largest number of workers, and generate one of the most-traded food commodities worldwide: the fish.

When we talk about fishing and fishers, it is like venturing into a sea as wide and deep as the one in which fishing vessels of different sizes and shapes, with fishers of all races and nationalities, are endlessly sailing, trying to fill their nets with fish to satisfy the insatiable appetite of our world.

During this World Fisheries Day, we would like to focus our attention to the industrial/commercial fishing sector, that is entangled already for too long, in a net of troubles and challenges related to Human Rights violations at sea, where the consequences of which were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and made more problematic the life for fishers and their families.

Despite the continuous efforts made by the international organizations to implement the various Conventions and Agreements regarding working conditions, safety at sea and IUU fishing, we have to admit that most of the time when the fishing vessel leaves the calm water of the port, the fishers become hostages of circumstances that are extremely difficult to monitor because of miles and miles away from land, and the crew is incapacitated to come ashore regularly since the fishing vessel does not leave the fishing ground for months, if not years at the time.

While on the fishing ground, fishers experience threats and intimidation by the skipper and officers, they are forced to work endless shifts day and night to catch as much fish as possible in any kind of weather. Because of overfatigue, frequent are the occupational accidents. With more than 24,000 deaths in a year, we can define the fishing industry, a deadly one. Little compensation or not at all is offered to the families and the relatives of the deceases often are not given even the consolation of a tomb where to pray and lay a flower, because the bodies are swiftly buried in the middle of the sea.

The average age of the world’s industrial fishing fleet is more than 20 years old, and it should be a source of great concern for owners and governments, especially on the issue of safety. The conditions on board are inhumane, since the kitchens and pantries are dirty, water tanks are rusted, drinking water is restricted, food is of poor quality and inadequate. Cabins for crew are small, without ventilation and not enough space to move around. Going to the toilet, often is a risky balancing act between two pieces of wood hanging on the open sea.

Because of lack of fish stocks in international waters and the expanding nationals, EEZ fishing vessels tend to poach in national waters. Armed clashes break out with the military patrolling the national borders, and if caught, the vessel is put under arrest, the catch is seized, the crew is locked in jail and abandoned in a foreign country by the owner that refuses to pay the tickets for their repatriation and back wages.

Salaries are not proportionate to the number of hours rendered; overtime work is not   considered. The agent keeps a portion of the monthly salary until the end of the three years contract, in this way fishers are forced to keep silence and not to complain to the authority, if they do not want to lose the savings kept by the agency.

To compensate the reduced income from fishing, because of intense competition from too many fishing fleets chasing fewer fish, unscrupulous fishing vessel owners are turning to Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing (IUU), and related transnational crime activities, such as trafficking in persons, slavery, as well as drugs and weapons smuggling.

As Catholic Church, while we acknowledge some improvements in the human and working conditions of fishers, we recognize nevertheless that there are still too many human rights violations at sea and, we call once again, the international organizations, governments, civil societies, the different players on the supply chain and NGOs to join forces to stop it!

The problems affecting the fishing industry are interconnected. Unless we draw our attention to these continuous abuses and violations at sea and work together to create a fishing industry where the human and labor rights of the fishers are guaranteed and promoted, it might become more difficult to eradicate it and the human and economic cost for the industry would be very high.

The Holy See, following the teaching of the Gospel and the Magisterium of the Catholic Church has always advocated“Respect for those [human] rights is the preliminary condition for a country’s social and economic development. When the dignity of the human person is respected, and his or her rights recognized and guaranteed, creativity and interdependence thrive, and the creativity of the human personality is released through actions that further the common good (Fratelli Tutti, 22)”.

We would like to call on the Stella Maris chaplains and volunteers to continue their compassioned mission to welcome the fishers and see in their faces the face of the suffering Jesus Christ and provide them with spiritual and material support.

As Pope Francis tells us in “Fratelli Tutti”: “We cannot be indifferent to suffering; we cannot allow anyone to go through life as an outcast. Instead, we should feel indignant, challenged to emerge from our comfortable isolation and to be changed by our contact with human suffering (68)”.

On this World Fisheries Day, our indignation for the many Human Rights violations at sea, should be transformed in a new strength that would influence the fishing industry to place at the center of its interests, the respect of the human and labor rights of the fishers, because, as Pope Francis said in July 2019 to the participants of the European Meeting of Stella Maris: “…without fishermen, many parts of the world would starve.”

Cardinal Peter K. A. Turkson, Prefect

* To mark World Fisheries Day, please join us for an online panel discussion on Tuesday 23^rd November from 7.30pm to 9pm GMT . In this webinar we will look at the darker side of the maritime world: slavery aboard some fishing vessels, and what is being done about it. For more information and to register please go to www.stellamaris.org.uk/modernslavery

Prayer inspired by the Message for World Fisheries Day of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development

O God, provident Father, who through your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, you give life to all things and make them holy, we thank you for the marvellous gift of the sea and fish, which you offer us for our sustenance.

Protect the fishers who, while in the fishing ground, face threats and intimidation by the skipper and officers, who force them to take endless shifts day and night to catch as many fish as possible, under any weather conditions.

Convert unscrupulous fishing vessels owners who practice illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, human trafficking, slavery, as well as drug and arms smuggling.

Enlighten international organizations, governments, civil societies, different players in the supply chain and NGOs to join forces to stop abuses and violations of human rights at sea.

Help them to work together to create a fishing industry in which the human and labor rights of fishers are guaranteed and supported, a prerequisite for the social and economic development of every country.

Bless the chaplains and the volunteers of the Stella Maris, so that they continue their compassionate mission of welcoming the fishers, recognizing in them the image of your suffering Son Jesus Christ, providing them with spiritual and material support.

Give eternal rest to the countless fishers who died and were buried at the sea, console their families and relatives with the hope of eternal life.

O Blessed Virgin Mary, Star of the Sea, watch over the communities of fishers, keeping them in Your Immaculate Heart. Amen!

Mass and a reception was held on October 5th at St George’s Cathedral in Southwark, London, to mark the end of Stella Maris’ centenary year.

A huge thank you all our supporters, volunteers, friends and colleagues who turned up in person as well as those who joined the Mass via live stream.

Mass was celebrated by Bishop Paul Mason, Bishop of the Armed Forces and Stella Maris Bishop Promoter for England & Wales.

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 over 100 years is testimony to the fact that it holds Christ at its centre.

“Stella Maris is the face of the faceless and voice of the voiceless.” said Bishop Paul.

It was a delight and joy to meet many of our supporters and donors in person after almost two years of catching up online and we are truly grateful for their continued support and generosity which has allowed Stella Maris to assist seafarers and fishers for the past 100 years and for many years to come.

More photos can be found here https://www.flickr.com/…/cathol…/sets/72157719974198137/

Photo credit: © Mazur/cbcew.org.uk

Stella Maris is reiterating the need to get back to basics in crew welfare provision ahead of World Maritime Day 2021 which carries the theme ‘Seafarers: At The Core of Shipping’s Future’.

As the world emerges from Covid-19, the charity is increasing its efforts to provide personal, human connection with seafarers via face-to-face ship visits in port.

“This year’s theme is an excellent reminder that seafarers really are at the heart of world trade and are frontline heroes. Despite the growth in digital welfare provision made necessary by the pandemic, the issues faced by seafarers still persist – abandonment, crew change difficulties, lack of shore leave, non-payment of wages and piracy,” Stella Maris Chief Executive Martin Foley said.

He added, “In our experience nothing can replace the face-to-face friendship and care provided by our chaplains and ship visitors. Because of this, seafarers know us, trust us and look for us in ports.”

Stella Maris is also building on its partnerships with ship managers, owners, P&I clubs and legal firms, all of which are vital in ensuring the right assistance is given to seafarers in a timely manner, and in times of crisis.

For the third successive year, Stella Maris’ international work to support seafarers in the UK and across the world is being sponsored by Britannia P&I Club on World Maritime Day.

During this period Stella Maris’ global network of chaplains and ship visitors have made thousands of routine visits to vessels, talking to tens of thousands of seafarers and providing them with MiFi (mobile WiFi) units, phone SIM cards, clothing, food and toiletries. The charity has been able to respond efficiently to requests for assistance from crew on board vessels as far and wide as Japan, Morocco, South Korea and USA.

“Stella Maris is hugely grateful for the significant and sustained support by Britannia which enables it to make a significant impact on the welfare and wellbeing of seafarers,” said the charity’s Head of Corporate Engagement and Partnerships Ian Stokes.

“Britannia is delighted to continue to support the vital work of Stella Maris to help seafarers in ports around the world. The past year or so has been especially challenging for seafarers and the support provided by charities like Stella Maris is more important than ever to support the welfare and wellbeing of crew,” Ella Hagell, Claims Director, Britannia P&I.

For more details about Stella Maris and supporting the charity please contact: [email protected] or phone +44 (0)7732 682090 or visit www.stellamaris.org.uk

Around 11,500 seafarers will benefit from support in the ports of Cape Town, Durban, Richards Bay and soon in Port Elizabeth after Stella Maris South Africa was awarded a substantial grant by The Seafarers’ Charity.  

This grant will enable Stella Maris to continue supporting seafarers across these four ports through the local port chaplains and ship and hospital visitors. The main focus of this programme is to meet the pastoral and welfare needs of seafarers, regardless of nationality, belief or race. Thereby improving their mental, physical, and spiritual health and wellbeing and quality of life. 

Our programmes also include the empowerment of and access to employment for seafarers through training and educational programmes; referral of crew and cases of abuse of seafarers to the appropriate Government Offices; growing our capacity and reach by increasing the number of port chaplains and ship visiting volunteers at each port and therefore the numbers of ships visited and seafarers helped.  

Plans to develop the work of Stella Maris in South Africa over the past year were slowed by Covid-19 and national lockdowns. Meanwhile the need for this work has only grown amidst the backdrop of the Crew Change Crisis. With the support of The Seafarers’ Charity we are pleased to have the resource to drive this work forwards.   

In May, Fr Rico Talisic, one of our port chaplains in Cape Town, provided invaluable support to the crew of a fishing vessel after a crew member jumped overboard and drowned. He was only 24 years old. Three of the crew witnessed the suicide and the entire crew were deeply shaken by the incident. Fr Rico supported them with a listening ear and looked after their spiritual needs offering prayers and blessings. Support such as this is hugely important in preventing other crew members becoming depressed and suicidal themselves. 

Fr Herman Gerardo, National Director for Stella Maris South Africa, said, “We are grateful to The Seafarers’ Charity for their ongoing support of our work. This grant will make a huge difference to the lives of the seafarers and their families whom we help.  

“Support from this grant will enable us to continue carrying out our national ship visiting and crew welfare programme across the ports of Cape Town, Durban, Richard’s Bay, and Port Elizabeth (where Stella Maris will soon have a presence) helping more than 11,500 seafarers throughout the year who are struggling with loneliness, exhaustion, bullying and exploitation. We provide them with help when they need it the most.

“Without the support of The Seafarers’ Charity, we would not be able to be there for seafarers in need and we wish to thank them for their grant which makes our work possible.” 

Stella Maris is delighted to be among four seafarer charities to have received a donation from insurance company Britannia P&I ahead of the International Day of the Seafarer on June 25th.

Stella Maris CEO Martin Foley said, “Stella Maris’ global seafarer support network of 1,000 ship-visiting volunteers and chaplains visits hundreds of Britannia members’ vessels annually to assist and support their crews. Britannia’s consistent support over the years and its generous and much appreciated sponsorship of Stella Maris operations on International Day of the Seafarer on 25th June, enables our support for seafarers to grow as the demands and pressures on them increase.”

You can read a full press release issued by Britannia here at https://britanniapandi.com/2021/06/britannia-pi-makes-donations-to-four-seafarer-charities/