CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk Provided by Analecta Cracoviensia Polonia Sacra 18 (2014) nr 3 (36) ∙ s. 95–107 Edward Pracz CSsR1 The Pontifical University of John Paul II in Cracow John Paul II’s contribution to development of the Apostleship of the Sea Canonization of blessed pope John Paul II is a special opportunity to eluci- date invaluable contribution of the blessed pope John Paul II to the Apostleship of the Sea. In his message for Sea Sunday in 2011 President of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, Cardinal Antonio Maria Vegliò quoted the words of John Paul II addressed to the seamen and fishers of Fano town in Italy in His homily of 12 August 1984: “My presence among you today would like to stress that the Church is close to you, honours your often dangerous and hard work, is aware of your worries and concerns, supports your rights, and gives comfort to your loneliness and homesickness.”2 The words above constitute a message of hope for almost one and half million seamen from more than one hundred nations who incessantly, days and nights, work in a globalised fleet of one thousand vessels. Two third of 1 Edward Pracz, born in 1959, presbyter in the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. Since 1993, Chaplain of the People of the Sea. In 1998 nominated National Director of the Apostleship of the Sea by the Polish Episcopal Conference. Since 2002 nominated European co- ordinator of the Apostleship of the Sea by Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People. In 2005 decorated by the Minister of Infrastructure with a Maritime Badge of Merit. Chief organiser of the XXII World Congress of the Apostleship of the Sea in Gdynia in 2007. Ph.D. student at the Theological Faculty of the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Cracow. Since 1993 he has lived in Gdynia. 2 Giovanni Paolo II, Visita Pastorale a Fano (Ancona) Santa Messa per i pescatori e ma- rittimi. Omelia, Domenica, 12 agosto 1984, www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/homi- lies/1984/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_19840812_lavoratori-mare_it.html (21.03.2014). 95 Edward Pracz CSsR those are seamen from developing countries. They serve each day to meet the needs of the global economy carrying on board of their vessels ninety percent of goods of the world trade.3 People living ashore are not always aware that they, in their daily lives, enjoy the fruits of the seamen’s hard work. They remind themselves about the seamen when, from the headlines of newspapers and TV news, they learn about another catastrophe at sea or about highjacking ships by pi- rates, what recently happens even more often. These people, living in long separation from their families, experience solitude. Sometimes they are abandoned in foreign ports by ship owners. It also happens that they are left without money and food. Sometimes they are not allowed to go ashore for administration reasons. Undoubtedly all these factors cause stresses and tensions not only among seamen, but also among their families and acquaintances. Consequently “The Apostleship of the Sea is aware of the many inhuman sit- uations that persist in the maritime world and it stands at the side of seafarers to reiterate that their human and labour rights must be respected.”4 We may not forget about a human being who, being on the move, needs spiritual support. This very need was noticed by saint John Paul II. His contribution in the development of Apostleship of the Sea will be presented in the following order: terminology, continuation of the work of former popes, novelty in the John Paul II’s teaching on the Apostleship of the Sea, homily by John Paul II given in Gdynia, constitution Pastor Bonus, and apostolic letter motu proprio of John Paul II regarding Apostleship of the Sea. 1. Terminology Upon arriving to the Baltic Sea on 11 June 1987, John Paul II undertook to define the concept of “people of the sea”. In his homily to the people of 3 See: A. M. Vegliò, J. Kalathiparambil, Message for Sea Sunday 2011, “Apostolatus Maris Bulletin” 108 (2011) III, p. 2. 4 A. See: M. Vegliò, J. Kalathiparambil, Message for Sea Sunday 2011, “Apostolatus Maris Bulletin” 108 (2011) II, p. 2. 96 John Paul II’s contribution to development of the Apostleship of the Sea the sea he said: “The sea is an open space that calls man. Calls people. Calls nations. All those who follow this call are named People of the Sea.”5 This popular description was deepened and more precisely voiced in his apos- tolic letter motu proprio on the Apostleship of the Sea. This document does not mention any definition of the people of the sea. However, the pope spec- ifies various categories of people associated with the sea. These are: “peo- ple at sea”, “seafarers” and “people of the sea.” The term “people at sea” includes all those who, for whatever reason, travel by sea, either on a mer- chant vessel, fishing or passenger vessels. This term refers to any people who at a given moment are at sea. On the other hand, however, the term “seafarer” is restricted in its mean- ing to those people at sea who hold appropriate marine certificates and that authorise them to work at sea. These also include those working on drilling platforms. The pope also mentioned retired seamen in this group. Students of maritime schools were also included into this term, because they com- plete shipboard apprenticeship during their studies. John Paul II also enu- merated dockers and longshoremen, i.e. those who work in sea ports. They provide services to vessels that berth in ports. The term “people of the sea” is the broadest, because the pope not only included people at sea and seafarers, but also their families, spouses, under aged children and all persons living with the seafarer in the same home. It is worth underlining that the term “people of the sea” also refers to a sea- man who is already retired. The term “people of the sea” also describes all those who work in or for the Apostleship of the Sea.6 Therefore the pope takes into account both those working at sea and their families. He notices those working, because people of the sea earn their living from sea service. He also appreciates family members of those workers. He also refers to them as “people of the sea.” 5 John Paul II, Homily of the Holy Father, [in:] For the third time in the mother country: Addresses, homilies, reportage, reflexions, Warsaw 1988, p. 229. 6 John Paul II, Apostolic letter motu proprio on the Apostleship of the Sea Stella Maris (31.01.1997), II. § 1, “L’Osservatore Romano” No. 4–5 (1997), p. 4. 97 Edward Pracz CSsR Consequently, people of the sea are those whose work, life and free time are linked with the sea. In his teaching, John Paul II emphasizes that people of the sea form a large community that must be noticed. 2. Continuation of the work of former popes The pope appreciates His predecessors with gratitude, especially those who from the very origins of the Apostleship of the Sea were involved in the work of Apostolatus Maris. John Paul II’s predecessors remembered hard lives and difficult working conditions of these exceptional category of people, sea- farers and their families, very often unnoticeable within parish communi- ties. Seamen need support from the part of Apostolatus Maris, as an organ- isation present throughout the world serving people of the sea. The first who drew attention to the needs of the Apostleship of the Sea was pope Pius XI, who, on 17 April 1922, approved a document Apostleship of the Sea for Catholic Seafarers. This document became foundation stone for the Apostleship of the Sea. The pope emphasized spiritual wealth of catho- lic seamen all over the world. He also indicated measures leading to achieve this wealth. These are: prayers, taking Holy Communion, participation in the holy mass, activities such as visiting vessel and hospitals, pastoral coun- selling, circulation of good literature and devotional objects, keeping the seamen in contact with the Church.7 An increasing care of the people of the sea led to the fact that the Holy See included Apostleship of the Sea into the Vatican structures. On 30 May 1940 the pope Pius XII continued this process by entrusting the Apostleship of the Sea under the leadership of Consistorial Congregation. By establishing the Statutes, the Saint Consistorial Congregation assured seamen the Church’s care. The Statutes were approved by pope Pius XII on 23 October 1957.8 7 Pius XI, Apostleship of the Sea for Catholic seafarers Approved and blessed by his Holiness Pius XI, [in:] Duc in altum, ed. The Apostleship of the Sea, Glasgow 1926, p. 3. 8 F. Baldelli, Cenni storici e sviluppo dell’Apostolato de Mare nel mondo, [in:] XXV Annuale Italiano, ed. A. Recagna, Genova 1959, p. 64. 98 John Paul II’s contribution to development of the Apostleship of the Sea The next pope who, with great joy, engaged in the Apostleship of the Sea was John XXIII. He emphasized that AOS is undoubtedly a providential tool serving “moral life and reliable human and religious formation.”9 For all these reasons care showed by popes was noticed by Second Vatican Council II. This was emphasized in a document Christus Dominus relating to the bishops’ pastoral office, by writing that special attention should be drawn to the people on the move, to those who cannot enjoy regular pas- toral care in parishes, and that it is necessary to find appropriate and well addressed pastoral methods.