STELLA MARIS - MANILA

Happy New Year to ALL!Happy New Year to ALL!Happy New Year to ALL!

German Friends visited

AOS-Manila

Last October 2010, Kaja

Grope of Kiel, Germany and

Karin Kreuder, of Hamburg,

Germany came to visit the

Philippines to do some

studies on the Filipino

seafarers and their families.

They sought the assistance

of AOS–Manila to arranged

with AMOSUP Hospital for

January 2011 Vol. 2, Issue 1 January

Stella Maris Manila News

Apostleship of the Sea– Manila Planning

for a fresh new start...

Last Dec 6 & 7, 2010, the

Apostleship of the Sea–

Manila Office Staff went to

Lagos del Sol, Cavinti,

Laguna for a 3 year plan

and staff bonding.

Headed by AOS Manila

Director , Fr. Paulo H.

Prigol, a Scalabrinian

Missionary, directed and

guided the AOS Staff into

the formulation of the

AOS Vision, Mission and

There are no

strangers here,

only people we

have not yet met.

AOS Vision

We, the AOS-Manila,

commit our selves

to witness and

proclaim the

Gospel Values to

seafarers/ fishermen

and their families.

AOS Mission

An integral

evangelization

of ourselves and

of those entrusted

to our ministry.

AOS Goal

To reach out to:

seafarers, fishermen,

families, maritime

students, maritime

stakeholders.

In Photo: Fr. Paulo Prigol,CS (AOS Director), AOS Staff: Nards Servidad,

Sr. Marivic Ching, sjbp, and Sr. Flor Salimbagat, sjbp. -photo by Isa Yñiguez

At the center of the photo are Karin and Kaja from Germany flanked by the

residents of the Stella Maris—Pius Seafarers Center also in the picture are the

Pastorelle Sisters Flor and Marivic (AOS Staff).

continued on page 2...

continued on page 8...

2

Goal. With a clear direction for the AOS Manila all its

programs are geared in bringing Christ to those who are

entrusted in its care .

Part of the 3 year planning is to strengthen the Value

Formation Programs for maritime students, Seafarers

and to their families.

AOS—Manila has re-invented the program to suit the

need of the present time. This seminar is a half-day

formation offered for free to maritime colleges especially

for graduating students.

Ship Visiting will continue to be one of AOS-Manila’s

apostolate program to extend our presence to the ship’s

crew whose ships are docked in the Ports of Manila.

Pre-departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS)

tackles the gains and pains of seafaring but it also focuses

on the Value Formation that will help guide seafarers live

a Christ centered life on board.

Sick Visiting To visit the sick seafarers and seafarers

families confined in the hospital or at home. Many of

whom are just happy to see our sisters when they are

visited not for anything else but the feeling of visited.

Christian Leader Formation Program & Extra-

Ordinary Eucharistic Minister (on-board)

Program will help develop seafarers to be Christian

Leaders leading the ship’s crew to pray devotional

prayers and para-liturgical celebrations.

Networking with CBCP - Episcopal Commission for

the Pastoral Care of the Migrant’s and Itinerant People

(ECMI) will strengthen our Parish & Seafarers Family

programs. This program is reaching out to families not

just in Manila but all region of Luzon.

Advocacy & Lobbying. For the promotion and

protection of the Filipino Seafarers’ rights the AOS-

Manila has widened its network partnership with the

Government Agencies like POEA, OWWA, MARINA,

PPA to mention a few and also with PMRW, CCFOW,

PCHAN and other NGOs.

Publications for distributions. AOS publishes its

Stella Maris Newsletter quarterly. It is sent out via e-mail

to contacts locally and all over the world, to seafarers

and their families.

Jesus and the seafarer prayer card is widely given for

free to propagate the seafarers prayer.

Publications from other sources are also distributed

freely during ship and hospital visiting.

Vol. 2, Issue 1 January 2011

Stella Maris Manila Newsletter

AOS – fresh new start ...cont’d from page 1

The National Seafarers’ Day is a continuing

activity of the Apostleship of the Sea as mandated by

Presidential Decree 1094 and that the NSD will be

celebrated every last Sunday of September. This year it

will be celebrated on September 25, 2011. For more

details wait for the next Stella Maris Newsletter

issues.

Schedule of NSD meetings will be every 3rd Tuesday

of the Month at the AOS-Manila Conference Room at

10:30am.

The much awaited NSD Oratorical Contest and Art

Contest for maritime students are schedule on

September 20, 2011 and on September 22, 2011

respectively, venues are yet to be determined .

For the NSD Memorial Rite at Sea. A memorable

spiritual experience in remembering the deceased

seafarers and all sea travelers that perished is held on

board a PCG vessel right off the Manila bay.

NSD Eucharistic celebration it will be held on

September 25, 2011 at the Manila Cathedral at 10am .

Inter-Dorm Sports Tournament will be held at SCPM

to promote sportsmanship.

16th NSD

September 25, 2011

3



AOS-Manila-Staff Bonding Moments

4 Vol. 2, Issue 1 January 2011


AOS-Manila-Staff Bonding Moments

Photos by Isa Yñiguez—AOS Staff

5

By: Bro. Loyd Philip Divinagracia—AOS-Manila

Piracy is a major problem in the maritime industry today. The growing

number of armed-robbery episodes at sea around the globe is alarming.

Consequently, piracy does not only constitute financial loss but more

seriously it affects lives to victims, such as seamen, and inevitably their families

left behind.

As of 2006, 239 incidents of maritime armed robbery were recorded

in various maritime locations. But in 2009 the occurrences of such crime

doubled reaching the latest toll to 406 cases (Maritime Piracy – A

Humanitarian Response, Symposium, AMOSUP Convention Hall, Intramuros,

Manila, December 7, 2010). With such criminal incidence, thousands of

seafarers are in danger, making the sea a dangerous place for them. Thus,

most of these cases happen in the Somalian Coast

which as there has been no coordinated actions

from authorities has become dreadfully deadly.

This scenario is not what we see in

movies popularizing the adventurous life of these

brigand pirates. Movies such as Pirates of the

Caribbean starred by Hollywood actors Johnny

Depp and Keira Knightley and of course the funny

tale of Captain James Hook in the Hook movie

with Dustin Hoffman and the funny Robin Williams and many other Pirate

films. In the actual incidents, the horrid accounts of fear, torture, and in

certain extent death comprise the real encounter of victims under the hands

of pirates. The dehumanizing events taking place in such crime cause traumas

that surely affect the seafarer’s life for a considerable long period of time or

may perhaps a lifetime. That is why, to protect seafarers from the terrors of

maritime piracy, solutions must be made.

The initiative made by the International Maritime Organization (IMO)

supported by seafarers’ unions, ship operators, insurers and welfare

organizations petitioning a decisive action to solve this problem should urge

governments around the world to take part. Subsequently, at present, the

International Law governing maritime activities does not have clear guidelines

on how to deliberately handle or to persecute apprehended pirates. This

considerably caused maritime robbers or pirates to continue this profitable

crime.

In response to this world-wide advocacy, the Apostleship of the Sea

(AOS) participated a symposium-cum-training organized by the Filipino

Association for Mariners’ Employment Inc. (FAME). This event aimed to

heighten public awareness on the huge effect of piracy to the maritime

industry. This symposium-cum-training held last December 7 and 9, 2010 in

the Associated Marine Officers’ and Seamen’s Union of the Philippines

(AMOSUP) building in Intramuros Manila was well attended by government

agencies, manning agencies, union representatives and welfare organizations in

the country. It provided the participants the theoretical concepts of crisis

interventions on the impact of traumas experienced by victims of piracy. With

this, AOS commends FAME for the opportunity and the invitation given to us.

The symposium-cum-training has introduced several insights that help us in

our ministry. Hence, in unison with all welfare organizations in the maritime

industry in the cause to eradicating piracy, AOS stamps our support to end

maritime piracy and dedicate our efforts to work for the betterment of the

seafarer’s life.

AOS-Manila supports the Campaign against Maritime Piracy A Divine Grace from the

Scalabrinian Missionaries

Bro. Loyd Philip Divinagracia is the

youngest of a family of five. He first

answered the call to serve the Lord

as a diocesan seminarian and at

present committing himself for the

Missionaries of St. Charles,

Scalabrinian.

A native of Negros Oriental,

Philippines, he took his philosophy

degree at St. Joseph Seminary

College of the Diocese of

Dumaguete and his theological

studies at Seminario Mayor de San

Carlos of the Archdiocese of Cebu.

He took Theologies of Migration at

Loyola School of Theology, Ateneo

de Manila. Presently, he is helping

the Apostolatus Maris (AOS-Manila)

of the Archdiocese of Manila visiting

seafarers in ports and in hospitals.



Duc in altum!

6

AOS/SMCS/SCPM 2010 - Christmas Party at Avilon Zoo



7 Vol. 2, Issue 1 January 2011

Photos by Isa Yñiguez—AOS Staff


AOS – Manila Advent & Christmas

Activity

With Sr. Flor’s initiative the AOS-

Manila Staff gathered to celebrate

the blessing of the crib and the

image of the infant Jesus.

Fr. Paulo lead the rite and blessing.

Advent candles were lit-up every

Monday as the week began.

“Come Lord Jesus and

be born in our Hearts!”

… till next 20

11 Christmas

AOS/SMCS/SCPM Family

get togethe

r! Ho-Ho-Ho!

8

them to document the seafarers and

seafarer’s family members. Thanks

to the cooperation and kindness of

AMOSUP Hospital, Karin and Kaja

were allowed to visit and to take

some pictures to document the

close family ties of Filipino seafarers.

They were accompanied by AOS-

Manila Staff Srs. Flor & Marivic.

They also visited AOS-Manila

Centers—Ermita and Pius. Took

some pictures of the residents and

staff.

Karin and Kaja ...cont’d from page 1

Apostolatus Maris Seafarers Center, Inc. Apostleship of the Sea—Manila

Apostleship OftheSea Manila

ERMITA — METROBANK BLDG.

1149 A. MABINI COR A. FLORES STS., ERMITA, 1000 MANILA PHILIPPINES TEL NO. 63 2 525 9435 [email protected]

PIUS — PIUS XII CATHOLIC CENTER

1175 UNITED NATIONS AVE. COR. CORREA ST., PACO, 1007 MANILA PHILIPPINES TEL NO. 63 2 527 0337 [email protected]

1175 UNITED NATIONS AVE. COR. CORREA ST., PACO, 1007 MANILA PHILIPPINES

TEL NO. 63 2 527 0337; FAX NO. 63 2 527-2638 [email protected]



Stella Maris

Star of the Sea,

Pray for us.

PRAYER FOR SEAFARERS

Dear Lord, we ask you to take all Seafarers into Your care and protection. Make them alert and wise in their duties, Help them to be faithful in the time of routine, prompt to decide and courageous to act in any time of crisis. Protect all our Seafarers from the dangers and perils of the sea; and even in storms—natural or spiritual—grant that there may be peace and calm within their hearts. When they are far from home, far from their loved ones and from their homeland, give them the grace to be quite sure that, wherever they are, they can never be beyond Your loving concern. Take good care of our loved ones in the days and weeks and months when they are separated from us—sometimes with half the world between us. Give us the grace to be true to them, and keep them true to us. And when we have to part, bring us together again in safety and loyalty. This we ask for your love’s sake. Oh mother Mary, star of the Sea, guide us and our beloved seafarers. Though separated often, help us to grow in love of one another and Your Son, Jesus. Amen.

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STELLA MARIS - MANILA