AOS-USA is the official branch of the Roman Catholic Church dedicated to the ministry of the sea. Today they announced that more chaplains are needed. The full message is below AOS-USA Secretary General, Doreen M. Badeaux sent the message below. She can be contacted at 409-985-4545 or aosusa(at)sbcglobal.net Priests can also go to the AOS-USA website and join using the following link:
Join the Cruise Ship Priest Program
Looking for a Few Good Men!
Dear Friends,
As you know, AOS-USA has run the Cruise Ship Priest Program since 2003. The program has continued to expand, and we now serve onboard Holland America Line, Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Seabourn Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Azamara Club Cruises.
We are now at the point where we are in need of more priests to serve onboard.
In particular, we have several Alaskan Cruises, and even Norwegian Fijord cruises that are available in the months of April, May and June.
If you know of priests who are interested in the ministry onboard, and would serve well, please ask them to contact us.
The ministry is very important in that the Cruise Ship Priest serves the Staff, Crew and Passengers onboard. The Staff and crew are often onboard for several months, away from family, working long hours. The Priest is there to bring the Sacramental Life of the Church to them, and to offer Pastoral Care to Catholic and Non-Catholic crew alike. Many of the crew are in need of counseling, or just a friendly listening ear.
The same goes for Passengers. The Priest provides daily Mass onboard, in addition to Weekend Masses and Ecumenical Services. Many priests find that fallen away Catholics, or others interested in the Catholic Church, take advantage of the priests' presence onboard, and have long conversations that sometimes lead to that person coming back into the Church, or having a better understanding of questions that have always nagged them.
Many couples have talked to priests about procedures for getting their marriages blessed in the Church, and the Cruise Ship Priests have often gone to great lengths to keep connected to these couples once off the ship, and taken time to help re-connect them to their local parish priests.
Sadly, it is not uncommon to have death or serious illness/injury onboard, and the priest is there to help the victims, and their families and friends traveling with them. Last year, we received a beautiful letter from a Methodist gentleman who stated that he and his wife decided to take a cruise. They knew she was dying but this was on her "bucket list". His wife was a devout Catholic, and they met the Cruise Ship Priest at dinner one night. They explained their situation to him and he had several conversations with them during their trip. One night the Priest was called to the couples room, as she was dying, and the husband told the priest, "Her Church was HERE! In the middle of the Ocean! That means so much to us!"
I could go on with stories like this, but suffice to say, the ministry is important, it is needed, and it is rewarding!
If you know a priest who is interested in the ministry, please have him contact me at 409-985-4545 or aosusa@sbcglobal.net One can also go directly to our website to join at the following link:
Join the Cruise Ship Priest Program
Wishing each of you a Blessed & Relaxing Weekend,
Doreen M. Badeaux
Secretary General
As you know, AOS-USA has run the Cruise Ship Priest Program since 2003. The program has continued to expand, and we now serve onboard Holland America Line, Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Seabourn Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Azamara Club Cruises.
We are now at the point where we are in need of more priests to serve onboard.
In particular, we have several Alaskan Cruises, and even Norwegian Fijord cruises that are available in the months of April, May and June.
If you know of priests who are interested in the ministry onboard, and would serve well, please ask them to contact us.
The ministry is very important in that the Cruise Ship Priest serves the Staff, Crew and Passengers onboard. The Staff and crew are often onboard for several months, away from family, working long hours. The Priest is there to bring the Sacramental Life of the Church to them, and to offer Pastoral Care to Catholic and Non-Catholic crew alike. Many of the crew are in need of counseling, or just a friendly listening ear.
The same goes for Passengers. The Priest provides daily Mass onboard, in addition to Weekend Masses and Ecumenical Services. Many priests find that fallen away Catholics, or others interested in the Catholic Church, take advantage of the priests' presence onboard, and have long conversations that sometimes lead to that person coming back into the Church, or having a better understanding of questions that have always nagged them.
Many couples have talked to priests about procedures for getting their marriages blessed in the Church, and the Cruise Ship Priests have often gone to great lengths to keep connected to these couples once off the ship, and taken time to help re-connect them to their local parish priests.
Sadly, it is not uncommon to have death or serious illness/injury onboard, and the priest is there to help the victims, and their families and friends traveling with them. Last year, we received a beautiful letter from a Methodist gentleman who stated that he and his wife decided to take a cruise. They knew she was dying but this was on her "bucket list". His wife was a devout Catholic, and they met the Cruise Ship Priest at dinner one night. They explained their situation to him and he had several conversations with them during their trip. One night the Priest was called to the couples room, as she was dying, and the husband told the priest, "Her Church was HERE! In the middle of the Ocean! That means so much to us!"
I could go on with stories like this, but suffice to say, the ministry is important, it is needed, and it is rewarding!
If you know a priest who is interested in the ministry, please have him contact me at 409-985-4545 or aosusa@sbcglobal.net One can also go directly to our website to join at the following link:
Join the Cruise Ship Priest Program
Wishing each of you a Blessed & Relaxing Weekend,
Doreen M. Badeaux
Secretary General
