Chaplains also visit ships, bringing reading material and a sympathetic ear. Rev. Ed Swayze, in Thunder Bay, noted that the ship itself and its cargo are visited by any number of officials, from grain inspectors to stevedores, but we are the only body off-ship that is interested in the crew. Rev. David Mulholland, in Toronto, presides over the mission s weekly pub lunch. Clergy who work with seafarers must learn to be flexible, Mr. Mulholland says. I hear, Father, I haven t been paid, Father, there are unsafe conditions, Mr. Evans said.
Chaplains often phone union representatives and port safety officials about conditions aboard ship.
Worldwide, the missions served a million seafarers last year and clergy made about 75,000 ship visits. Working at sea has never been easy, but these priests hear how tough conditions have become. More crews are hired from Third World nations, and paid less, containerization means turnaround time in port is shorter and crews are at sea without a break longer. And then, there are the eternal dangers of the sea. In her address to the society s annual meeting last year, the Princess Royal noted pirate attacks on 198 ships the year before had resulted in the deaths of 67 seafarers.