What is Stella Maris Ministry?
Sr. Joanna Okereke, HHCJ Assistant Director of Cultural Diversity in the Church and National Director of Stella Maris
Stella Maris is the official name of the Church’s Apostolate to the People of the Sea, replacing “Apostleship of the Sea” (AOS). Stella Maris from its Latin roots means “Star of the Sea”. It is one of the titles given to our Divine Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. This title is significant to us Catholics because it assures us that Mary, our mother, is both our guide and our protector in our ever-constant journey of life.
Stella Maris is an international ministry of the Catholic Church that cares for the spiritual well-being and social needs of seafarers, their families, port personnel, and all those who travel and work at sea. It was founded in Glasgow, Scotland, in October 1920 to support seafarers in need. For over one hundred years, this ministry has been the largest ship-visiting network in the world, providing seafarers with practical and pastoral support, information, and a friend in times of need.
The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development in Rome empowers countries and supports their initiatives for the growth of the maritime ministry. They provide guidelines and exhortations concerning pastoral ministry among people of the sea and ensure that the ministry is carried out in a dignified and fruitful manner.
In the Stella Maris ministry, we ask our Lady to guide, direct, and protect all seafarers. As stated by Pope John Paul II in his Motu Proprio on the AOS, Stella Maris, in this ministry we ask our lady to guide, direct, and protect all seafarers. Stella Maris or Star of the Sea has long been the favorite title by which the people of the sea have called the blessed mother to implore her protection. And so the Church accompanies seafarers, caring for the special spiritual needs of those who for various reasons live and work in the maritime world.”
In the United States, the Stella Maris ministry is organized through the United States Conference of Catholics Bishops, Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church, under the Pastoral Care of Migrants Refugees & Travelers. The chaplains of the Stella Maris ministry assist seafarers to meet their basic needs, offer spiritual renewal, facilitate communications with loved ones back home, and offer recreational opportunities.
Due to the nature of their work, seafarers are often away from their home parishes, and some have no parish setting to help them maintain lasting ties with their faiths. A network of Catholic chaplains and pastoral teams, including priests, religious men and women, deacons, and lay ecclesial ministers work to serve people of the sea in a way that accommodates a seafarer's unique lifestyle and needs. They continue the mission of Christ himself, in the maritime world, through Encounter, Service, and Celebration.
Stella Maris centers mostly operate as Catholic centers. However, some centers are ecumenical, and they provide services through the cooperation of two or more church denominations. In the United States, Stella Maris ministry is present in 53 maritime ports in 48 Arch/dioceses and in 26 States. There are over 100 chaplains and pastoral teams who assist in the ministry.