Annual International Sea Sunday Service in the Port of Durban

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This year the Annual International Sea Sunday Service in the Port of Durban was a warm and inspirational morning held in a big white tent in the premises of the Mission where the Port Chaplains are located.

Besides new and old friends, the Port Chaplains were joined by the National Ports Authority, SA Army Band, SA Navy, Natal Sharks Board, National Sea Rescue and the Sea Cadets.

The Rt Rev Rod Botsis,moderator of the Uniting Presbyterian Church of South Africa and a vice president of the International Sailors Society took the service.

Message for Sea Sunday: raise awareness of the working conditions of thousands of seafarers

“‘This world of the sea, with the continuous migration of people today, must take into account the complex effects of globalization and, unfortunately, must come to grips with situations of injustice, especially when the freedom of a ship’s crew to go ashore is restricted, when they are abandoned altogether along with the vessels on which they work, when they risk piracy at sea and the damage of illegal fishing.

The vulnerability of seafarers, fishermen and sailors calls for an even more attentive solicitude on the Church’s part and should stimulate the motherly care that, through you, she expresses to all those whom you meet in ports and on ships or whom you help on board during those long months at sea’. These words were addressed by Pope Benedict XVI to the participants of the XXIII AOS Congress held in the Vatican City, November 19-23, 2012.

 

Please take a look at our photos of the Service on Flikr. If you have more photos of Sea Sunday to add to our gallery please send them to Olga – olga@saiss.co.za

 

Rev Rod Botsis