Cruise Ship Priest Program

[jlawrence01]

3 hours ago, kydems said:

Catholics are only required to attend Mass if there is one available. The catholic crew on ships are excused from this obligation if there is no Priest on board or Mass is not held

 

Agreed.  I was researching canon law a couple years back and noted that Mass attendance laws as well as the abstinence/fasting rules do not apply to those who are at sea.  I wish that I could locate the link but I cannot this late in the morning.

 

Personally, having talked with a number of the volunteer priests in this ministry, they have been having a great deal of problems finding available priests.  One priest told me that they had about 50% of the volunteers that they had in 2019.

 

I have talked over the years with mariners on bulk and tanker ships who are on 7-9 month contracts.  They generally have a prayer service once a week on Sundays as work allows.

[iflyrc5]

If you are upset with this policy change I suggest you do what I did and contact the President of Holland America at  gantorcha@carnival.com   I did this yesterday and awaiting a response.

Edited May 30 by iflyrc5

[TGCRUISEO]

I have just Emailed also.  I hope everyone will join in and try to make our Voices Heard

 

 

[lcand1923]

Email has been sent.  Thank you for posting Mr. Antorcha’s email address.

[Woofbite]

Maybe they heard you.  I just tried to view the link and got:

 

404 Error

WE CAN'T FIND THE PAGE YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.

Go back to the home page.

[Himself]

I was sad to learn of this new policy.  as i understand it, priests already assigned will minister on the cruises.  In the future i believe shot cruises will not carry a priest chaplain.

[cruisetravlr]

I was very disappointed to see about this. We just booked a 14-day Caribbean cruise yesterday and are now considering canceling. Not everyone can afford a long cruise or are able to fly to foreign ports. I did send an email to Mr. Antorcha to express my feelings on this. Maybe with many voices, he will reconsider.

[Ky Colonel]

3 hours ago, iflyrc5 said:

If you are upset with this policy change I suggest you do what I did and contact the President of Holland America at  gantorcha@carnival.com   I did this yesterday and awaiting a response.

Great suggestion, iflyrc5!!!  I've already sent an e-mail to HAL.

[VMax1700]

Probably another supply chain problem! 

I know the local diocese has had to drastically reduce the availablility of masses and I am sure it is a world wide problem with the fall in vocations.

[Ky Colonel]

56 minutes ago, Himself said:

I was sad to learn of this new policy.  as i understand it, priests already assigned will minister on the cruises.  In the future i believe shot cruises will not carry a priest chaplain.

Just curious, Father, but have you talked with anyone at AOS-USA about this matter?  Wondering if part of the impetus for HAL's change of policy/practice was AOS's difficulty finding priests to cover all of the cruises.

BTW, my wife and I have made regular contributions to AOS ever since we took our first cruise on HAL several decades ago.  We also regularly make gifts to local priests of $100 to cover their annual registration fee to serve in HAL's Cruise Ship Priests Program.  It might help AOS continue this service if more contributions were forthcoming ... just saying ...

God bless you and thanks for your service to the CSPP.

[Loreto]

I am not happy to hear of this change in policy!  I have always mentioned that I appreciated having a priest onboard in my survey.  I will be letting HAL know.

[Kay S]

Will those of you who emailed please tell us what you hear back (when or if you do.)

[mwj]

14 minutes ago, Kay S said:

Will those of you who emailed please tell us what you hear back (when or if you do.)

Response from HAL: "We are modifying our programming as we continue to serve the spiritual needs of our guests. Beginning in 2025, we will no longer provide a priest on every cruise, instead prioritizing pastoral care for longer cruises, for cruises where guests are further away from home, and cruises over religious holidays. We will provide congregation-led interdenominational services on Sunday mornings and congregation-led Jewish Shabbat services on Friday evenings on all cruises. In addition, a Catholic Priest will provide daily Catholic mass on ocean crossings and cruises to Hawaii, the Panama Canal, Asia, South America, Australia, and New Zealand. On Grand and Legendary Voyages, services will be held by a Catholic Priest, Protestant Minister, and Jewish Rabbi. On Christmas and Easter, both a Catholic Priest and Protestant Minister will lead services, and on holiday sailings over Hannukah, a Jewish Rabbi or Cantor will lead services on our cruises."

[Paulinda]

I know Heart of the Nation (and other Catholic organizations) have masses on TV.  These are recorded much earlier in advance.  Couldn't HAL somehow schedule one of these masses to be broadcast on the daily lineup of TV programming?  I don't know what technical issues would have to be worked out but it seems like it wouldn't be too difficult to make it work.   This is the 21st Century.  

[Ky Colonel]

36 minutes ago, Paulinda said:

I know Heart of the Nation (and other Catholic organizations) have masses on TV.  These are recorded much earlier in advance.  Couldn't HAL somehow schedule one of these masses to be broadcast on the daily lineup of TV programming?  I don't know what technical issues would have to be worked out but it seems like it wouldn't be too difficult to make it work.   This is the 21st Century.  

Good idea, Paulinda, especially if arrangements could be made to have an adequate supply of consecrated hosts onboard so that te remote/virtual Mass could be celebrated "sacramentally".

[Ky Colonel]

1 hour ago, mwj said:

Response from HAL: "We are modifying our programming as we continue to serve the spiritual needs of our guests. Beginning in 2025, we will no longer provide a priest on every cruise, instead prioritizing pastoral care for longer cruises, for cruises where guests are further away from home, and cruises over religious holidays. We will provide congregation-led interdenominational services on Sunday mornings and congregation-led Jewish Shabbat services on Friday evenings on all cruises. In addition, a Catholic Priest will provide daily Catholic mass on ocean crossings and cruises to Hawaii, the Panama Canal, Asia, South America, Australia, and New Zealand. On Grand and Legendary Voyages, services will be held by a Catholic Priest, Protestant Minister, and Jewish Rabbi. On Christmas and Easter, both a Catholic Priest and Protestant Minister will lead services, and on holiday sailings over Hannukah, a Jewish Rabbi or Cantor will lead services on our cruises."

Huh????  That's HAL's original announcement of the change in policy/practice and, hopefully, not HAL's response toan yone who wrote in to complain about the new policy/practice.

[recruiter 28]

We just successfully sent an email re this issue.  My concern is with the crew members...they cannot always attend Mass at ports.  It is sad for them...as well as us.

[Himself]

4 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

Probably another supply chain problem! 

I know the local diocese has had to drastically reduce the availablility of masses and I am sure it is a world wide problem with the fall in vocations.

Colin:

I always do this on my Vacation time. Canon Law gives all priests four weeks for vacation. As a senior priest I can get away more often.

[Himself]

4 hours ago, Ky Colonel said:

Just curious, Father, but have you talked with anyone at AOS-USA about this matter?  Wondering if part of the impetus for HAL's change of policy/practice was AOS's difficulty finding priests to cover all of the cruises.

BTW, my wife and I have made regular contributions to AOS ever since we took our first cruise on HAL several decades ago.  We also regularly make gifts to local priests of $100 to cover their annual registration fee to serve in HAL's Cruise Ship Priests Program.  It might help AOS continue this service if more contributions were forthcoming ... just saying ...

God bless you and thanks for your service to the CSPP.

AOS USA learned of the change several days ago. I first learned of this tuesday afternoon. I doubt AOS knew ahead of time.  I would suspect they they got the word on Monday or Tuesday. 

[VMax1700]

54 minutes ago, Himself said:

Colin:

I always do this on my Vacation time. Canon Law gives all priests four weeks for vacation. As a senior priest I can get away more often.

 

46 minutes ago, Himself said:

AOS USA learned of the change several days ago. I first learned of this tuesday afternoon. I doubt AOS knew ahead of time.  I would suspect they they got the word on Monday or Tuesday. 

Thanks Father.

Do you know or have any indication if AOS was having difficulties in getting members to offer their services?  

[Himself]

1 hour ago, VMax1700 said:

 

Thanks Father.

Do you know or have any indication if AOS was having difficulties in getting members to offer their services?  

I think they have only 15 or twenty unfilled for this year.  They fill about 300 or so per year.

[iflyrc5]

I have not received a response from HAL yet or Gus.  Below is the letter I received from the AOS and from that it appears that a shortage of priests is not the reason behind the policy change.  If HAL does not change the policy I guess we will be forced to look for Mass on YouTube and purchase the premium internet package. 

 

Thank you for asking.

 

I’m very sorry to report that Holland America is changing their policy on having priests onboard.  Here is a note from our President, Capt. George P McShea, Jr.

 

Our long-standing cruise line partner Holland America Lines (HAL) has advised AOS-USA that they are scaling down the assignments of Priests to their vessels.

 

Effective immediately HAL will no longer have priests on the following cruises:

 

 • Caribbean 

 • Alaska 

 • Mexico 

 • Canada/New England

 • Europe

 

Priests already assigned to one of the above HAL cruises will be allowed to complete their ministry.

 

Should an already assigned priest not be able to complete his assignment, AOS-USA will not be allowed to back fill the assignment.

 

 

HAL will continue to assign priests on the following cruises:

 

 • Hawaii 

 • Ocean Crossings 

 • Panama Canals 

 • Asia 

 • South America 

 • Australia/New Zealand 

 • Grand 

 • Legendary 

 • All cruises crossing Christmas & Easter

 

We all know the value of having a priest onboard. Our cruise ship priests have brought the Eucharist to Catholic crewmembers who spend months at sea away from families and the formalities of their religion; Priests have performed burials at sea, counseled crew and passengers after deaths or catastrophes onboard, conducted ecumenical services for passengers of all faiths as requested, and many more unseen services.

 

This year we were looking at over 300 priest assignments with HAL. We estimate in 2025 that number will be less than 100.

 

AOS-USA will continue our ministry to cruise line crews and passengers and continue to work on establishing and strengthening our relationships with all cruise lines going forward.

 

Through the intercession of Servant of God Brother Marinus, may God help us in this challenging time.

George

 

 

So, as stated above, this is effective immediately, but those sailings which already have priests assigned, will not be affected.

 

In Our Lady Star of the Sea,

Doreen

 

 

 

 

Doreen M. Badeaux

Secretary General

Apostleship of the Sea of the United States of America

1500 Jefferson Drive

Port Arthur, TX 77642-0646

phone: 409-985-4545

fax: 409-985-5945

[RuthC]

I am bitterly disappointed as I have appreciated the opportunity to attend Mass on my HAL cruises. 
I feel fortunate that most of my cruising life has been when this program was in effect. 

[loveapug]

I just emailed as well. Hoping our combined voices may have a positive influence. 

[dockman]

I don't know the current mix of hal crew but I believe many of them are muslim as they are from Indonesia..

 

Indonesia is considered a Muslim nation because of its large Muslim population, with 87% of Indonesians identifying as Muslim in 2022.