Monsignor Noel’s Good, Bad and Amazing News

29 November 2009

The Apostleship of the Sea (AoS) Bristol Port Chaplain, Monsignor Noel Mullin, has had an eventful time of late.

Amazing news:  In the course of a visit by Monsignor Noel to a new ship, the Ida Theresa, he heard of the amazing rescue of an officer a couple of weeks prior to the ship coming in to Bristol.  Unknown to the rest of the crew, the man had fallen overboard.  The ship had steamed away from him for well over five hours before the crew realised he was missing when a search was done after he failed to turn up for his watch.  The ship was then turned round and the man was eventually found in the ocean, in the dark - at 3.00 am the following morning.  An amazing 12 hours after falling overboard!

Bad news:  During October Monsignor Noel was asked by a seafarer to contact the ITF (trade union) representative concerning the non-payment of wages over a five month period.  Because there was no consensus on the part of the man’s shipmates to take concerted action the ITF rep felt unable to take action.  This unwillingness on the part of most of the crew was probably out of fear of possible future retribution.   The only solace in this sad instance is that the AoS port chaplain was available to help and at the very least share the seafarers’ difficulty.

Good news: Just to give us an idea of how busy the AoS are.  In the last month they have been involved with:
627      ship visits
182      occasions of helping seafarers to contact family back home
102      times of providing transport for seafarers - to places like shops and seafarers centres
13        AoS port chaplains (Great Britain)
2         welfare cases - such as unpaid wages and bereavements

The AoS provides practical and pastoral care to all seafarers. Port chaplains and volunteer ship visitors welcome seafarers, offer welfare services and advice, practical help, care and friendship, according to the guiding principles of mission, solidarity, welfare and hospitality. AoS in the UK is part of an international network known to the maritime world as Stella Maris.

John Green