Women have been present at the missions for many years and the push for the name change came from the chaplains themselves, according to society headquarters in London. Rev. Brian Evans, at the mission in Halifax, often sees female crew from cruise ships. A group of female British and Canadian navy veterans, some of whom served during the Second World War, gather regularly for the pub lunch in Toronto. The Missions to Seafarers is one of the oldest and largest service organizations for ship crews in the world. Out of a total of some 900 missions to seafarers worldwide, the Anglican Church operates centres in about 100 ports 10 in Canada and has chaplains on-call in another 200.
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.