Maritime ministry helps provide Christmas joy to visiting seafarers

By Deacon John Archer
For The Catholic Week
Volunteers of Stella Maris-Mobile, the Catholic Maritime Ministry, distributed 430 gift bags to seafarers on 19 vessels who visited the Port of Mobile in December. 
The gift bags included toiletries, clothing items, games and cards, hard or boxed candy and other small items. The gift bags were made possible thanks to donors who brought items to drop boxes at various parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Mobile.
According to Deacon John Archer, of the Maritime Ministry of Mobile, the first vessel visited in early December, the Ototchibana, sailed to China and did not arrive until January 2021. The gifts are the basis of many Christmas day celebrations while at sea. 
Deacon Archer added that one captain they visited shared a message for all involved with the ministry. The program, he stressed, “reminds seafarers that someone is thinking about them.” The captain further indicated that the gifts were especially important this year because seafarers have been unable to shop for necessities while in port due to COVID,
The ministry made 83 ship visits over the last six weeks. Fr. Lito Capeding, director of the ministry, celebrated Mass onboard six different ships for crews celebrating Christmas while they were in port.
Stella Maris is a global ministry of the Catholic Church supporting seafarers wherever they travel. 
The ministry celebrated its 100th anniversary in October 2020.