Vatican calls on governments and bishops to care more for those who live from the sea
The Pontifical Council for Migrants and Itinerant releases a message for Sea Sunday 2016, which falls next Sunday 10 July, to "remind to all Christian communities and to each individual how important and essential are the seafarer profession and the shipping industry for our daily life”.
Vatican City (AsiaNews) – The Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People issued a statement today ahead of Sea Sunday on 10 July.
In it, the Council stresses the hardships faced by those who make a living from the sea as well as the importance of the seafaring industry. It also appeals to bishops, especially those whose dioceses are on the sea, to establish and support maritime apostolates
The message notes that “Almost 1.200.000 seafarers of every nationality (many of them from developing countries) on board of 50,000 merchant ships are transporting almost 90% of every kind of cargo. The unforgiving forces of the open sea and of the oceans expose ships to significant risk, and the seafarers are ‘risking their life’ more than one way.
“The physical life of the seafarers is at risk because aside from the hazards of the forces of the nature, piracy and armed robbery, shifting from one area to another and constantly evolving and adapting to new situations, continue to be a major threat to the security of the crew. Their psychological well-being is at risk when after having been at sea for days or weeks they are denied shore leave and prevented to leave the vessel.
“The family life of the seafarers is in danger because their contracts force them to stay away from their families and loved ones for many months and often for several years on a row. Children are growing up without a fatherly figure while all the family’s responsibilities are on the shoulders of the mother.”
In view of this, the Pontifical Council goes on to “call on Governments and competent maritime authorities to strengthening the implementation of the ILO Maritime Labor Convention (MLC) 2006, especially the Regulation 4.4 whose purpose is: To ensure that seafarers working on board a ship have access to shore-based facilities and services to secure their health and well-being.
“Finally, on this occasion of the annual celebration of Sea Sunday we would like to remind to all Christian communities and to each individual how important and essential are the seafarer profession and the shipping industry for our daily life. We would like to call on the bishops, especially the ones of maritime Dioceses to establish and support the Maritime Apostolate as ‘a visible sign of your affectionate attention to those who cannot receive ordinary pastoral care’.”
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11/08/2017 20:05
