Indonesia

In Indonesia, AOS is training pastoral workers to respond to the needs of seafarers, fishers and their families. The support of the local Church is vital.

In early September 2007, a seminar on seafarers’ ministry was held in Batam, Indonesia. Eighteen pastoral workers attended. These included priests, sisters and lay people, young and old, from different parts of Indonesia.

The participants had the opportunity to meet seafarers onboard ship and in port. For many participants, it was the first time that they had heard about seafarers’ issues from the seafarers themselves and seen the confined space inside a ship which is their home.

Seafarers Brando and Denis in the ship's mess in Batam.

Pastoral workers meet seafarers close to the port of Batam.

Later the same month, a workshop was held in the port of Bitung. The theme of the workshop was pastoral ministry to seafarers and their families. Opening Mass was celebrated by Bishop Mandagi in a small community church called Salib Suci, Holy Cross Chapel, in the fishing village of Aertembaga. Members of the congregation warmly welcomed the participants of the workshop who came from all over Indonesia.

The workshop lasted for five days. Seafarers and their families spoke directly to participants during the workshop. After each session, there was time for reflection to enable participants to respond with their hearts to the stories they had heard and consider them from a pastoral perspective. At the end of the workshop, commitments were made for developing ministry for seafarers, fishers and their families. These included:

Building small groups of seafarers and fishers and their families as basic ecclesial communities in their parishes or ports of origin.

Translating the AOS Manual and other training materials into the local language for use by pastoral workers.

Recruiting new pastoral workers for the ministry and organising training in appropriate languages.

Campaigning for the Government of Indonesia to ratify the Consolidated Maritime Labour Convention of 2006 and the Work in Fishing Convention of 2007.

Delegates of the workshop at the celebratory Mass

AOS in Indonesia

Fr Bennie Salettia is the national director of AOS Indonesia. He says of the workshops:

Fr Bennie Salettia

"We discussed many situations pastorally and socially. For me, the most important part of the workshops was challenging misconceptions about seafarers and their families. Many of the participants were shocked when they realised how bad the conditions are for seafarers and fishers in Indonesia today.

I am very happy now. There are now lots of people in our Church in Indonesia who are learning about the importance of seafarers’ issues today. Bishop PC Mandagi MSC, the president of Pastoral Commission for Migrant and Itinerant People of Bishops’ Conference of Indonesia, is very supportive of our work in bringing the issue of seafarers to the church in Indonesia."

click here for contact details of AOS in Indonesia

 

click here to read more about the Combined Maritime Labour Convention 2006
click here to read more about the Work in Fishing Convention 2007