Apostleship of the Sea supports to fishers following typhoon

20th November 2013

Apostleship of the Sea extends support to seafarers and fishers following typhoon

Seafarers’ charity Apostleship of the Sea (AoS) is assisting fishermen in the Philippines affected by Typhoon Haiyan.

It has emerged that fishermen and coastal communities make up more than half of the casualties in the Visayas, one of the main areas ravaged by the storm.

This startling statistic provided by Pamalakaya, a national fishers’ group in the Philippines, comes as World Fisheries Day is celebrated tomorrow (Thursday, November 21).

Father Bruno Ciceri of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, which coordinates the activities of AoS worldwide, said AoS Manila is providing free accommodation to returning seafarers who need somewhere to stay while they trace their families.

“The AoS centre in Cebu has also been turned into a logistics hub for aid material and people involved in the relief operation."

It is estimated that as many as 160,000 Filipino seafarers are directly affected by the typhoon.

AoS Dublin port chaplain Rose Kearney said volunteers were collecting and packing baby clothing to give to seafarers onboard their ships.

“While some may not have children they might like to donate the items to families they know.”

AoS Barcelona port chaplain Deacon Ricardo Rodriguez-Marto said he and his colleagues had distributed a message and a prayer among Filipino seafarers.

Across the globe AoS’ port chaplains have come out in full force to support Filipino seafarers and fishing communities affected by Typhoon Haiyan.

The Pontifical Council is putting together plans to support those affected by the storm in the long term.

The Apostleship of the Sea, AoS, is a registered charity and agency of the Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of England & Wales and Scotland. It is wholly reliant on voluntary donations and legacies to continue its work.

90% of world trade is transported by ship, and more than 100,000 ships visit British ports each year. However the life of a modern seafarer can be dangerous and lonely. They may spend up to a year at a time away from home, separated from their family and loved ones, often working in harsh conditions.

AoS chaplains and ship visitors welcome seafarers to our shores - regardless of their colour, race or creed and provide them with pastoral and practical assistance. They recognise them as brothers with an intrinsic human dignity which can be overlooked in the modern globalised maritime industry.

www.apostleshipofthesea.org.uk

ENDS

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