Sacred spaces onboard

The AOS pastoral team from Portsmouth, England, report on creative ways of attending to seafarers' spiritual needs.

Spiritual deprivation is rarely mentioned as an important issue affecting the lives of seafarers. However the AOS pastoral team in Portsmouth, England, know that the spiritual welfare of seafarers must accompany their physical welfare. Elfi Ip and Geoff Breeze, both ship visitors in Portsmouth, realised that when seafarers are asked if they need any help, they are often shy and do not make their requests openly.

In order to solve this problem, the Portsmouth team decided to include a questionnaire when distributing news and information pamphlets among crews. To their great surprise, the most requested items were Bibles and the celebration of Mass at each port of call. Clearly the crew’s spiritual needs were very important to them.

On many of the ships which they visited, there was no private place where members of the crew could meditate or pray. Seafarers clearly needed a sacred space where they could be alone with God. Elfi spoke to the Chief Officer of one such ship, the Coldstream, and suggested providing a chapel. He discussed it with the Captain and fellow crew members who were all very enthusiastic. The AOS team provided a crucifix, several icons and a Bible. These were placed in an unused cabin on the ship. This “sacred space” is now used every day when the ship is at sea.

The sacred space onboard the Coldstream

However, not many ships have an empty cabin available. After discussions with the AOS Portsmouth team, the Captain of another ship had a large cabinet built in the crew’s mess. Into this they placed a crucifix, an icon of Our Lady Stella Maris, prayer cards, rosary beads and holy water. The crew now uses this “cupboard altar” every day while at sea as a focus for prayer and hymn singing.

The AOS Portsmouth team have subsequently discussed the question of a sacred space onboard with numerous ships’ masters. They report that they are very encouraged by the positive reactions. Several of the ships which they visit regularly now have “cupboard altars” of different sizes and styles according to the needs of the crew and talents of the ship’s carpenter!

One such ship is the Elvira. When the AOS team raised the subject with Captain Olimato Galang, he was very enthusiastic and immediately asked his bosun to start building an altar. When the ship returned to Portsmouth several weeks later, the Captain and crew invited the AOS pastoral team to visit the officers’ rest room where the completed altar was in position.

The team supplied a crucifix, Stella Maris icon, rosary beads and candles. A Holy Communion service was held to celebrate the dedication of the altar which the AOS team was delighted to attend. Two weeks later, they received the following message in an email from Captain Galang expressing the thanks of the seafarers.

MV ELVIRA’S MINI CHAPPEL

What makes Filipinos different is their unwavering faith in God. Their faith is what protect them from every battle of nostalgic and give them the triumph to happiness. They never forget giving thanks to our Lord for the blessings and trials that come along the journey of their lives. Most especially the friends that they meet along the way. Here in M/V Elvira, you cannot feel homesickness because of the crews’ camaraderie that treats each other not only as colleague but also as true friends.

As faithful as we are to our Good God, the crew requested Mr. Geoffrey Breeze and Mrs Elfi Ip of the Apostles of the Sea (Seaman’s Mission), Portsmouth, U.K. to provide an altar for the ship. It was then agreed that the ship is to make an altar and the seaman’s mission will provide the cross, candles, and other materials for the altar. Joyfully, on the 15th of October, the altar was finally made real. After the altar was mounted, a Holy Communion in the ship was then celebrated with the ship’s crew.

Thanks to Mr. Breeze & Mrs Ip, the crew can now spend some time in a solemn prayer room where they can reflect and say their prayers for the safety of the vessel and the families we left home, hoping that we will be reunited again in safety, love and loyalty.

Now, our officer’s smoke room is converted into a prayer room where the altar is sited. Consequently, every time our ship calls Portsmouth, Seaman’s Mission come on board and celebrates Holy Communion or Holy Mass with the ship’s crew and the crew of other ships nearby.

M/V Elvira Crew

According to the AOS Portsmouth team, it is receiving such letters that makes ship visiting so rewarding and worthwhile.

Captain and crew of the MV Elvira with AOS ship visitor Elfi Ip in front of their altar.

click here for contact details of AOS in Portsmouth