Port chaplains from across Canada from the Apostleship of the Sea (AoS) gathered last week in Montreal for their annual conference, organised by their national office, to review their work and plan for future growth.
The Conference heard a number of moving accounts from chaplains, describing how their work in Canada continues to play a vital role in the mental health of seafarers.
The conference specifically heard from John Green, from AoS Great Britain and their experience of renewal to extend the ministry to more seafarers and their twinning programme to share this experience and their capacity with other countries including AoS Canada. Mr Green said ‘collaborating with chaplains around the world means welfare for seafarers is more joined up’.
Further, regional coordinator, Karen Parsons, outlined developments in the US and the Caribbean to strengthen the outreach.
In addition, the conference was an opportunity to launch of their new website www.apostleshipofthesea.ca
Concluding, the conference considered a number of recommendations; to improve their identity, to extend the ministry into new ports, to attract more volunteers to visit more ships and to raise much needed funds.
AoS Canada’s Bishop Thomas Dowd said: “One thing I’ve noticed is your enthusiasm, you folks care; you care about the ministry, you care about seafarers, you care about the future of the ministry.”
