On the occasion of the so-called “Sea Sunday”, which will be celebrated next July 14, the Vatican Press Office published the message of Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Integral Human Development.
This day was officially established in 1975 as an occasion to value the importance of maritime workers, who often go unnoticed.
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It is also a day in which Catholic communities around the world draw attention to and pray for all those who carry out this work: the crews of the ships that transport goods and those who tie them to the dock, the stevedores, the fishermen, etc.
In his message, the cardinal stressed that “seafarers are among the least visible members” of society and highlighted that “it is through their hidden efforts that many of our needs reach us.”
Likewise, he denounced the “injustices and inequalities” to which they are subjected and insisted on the need to defend the dignity and rights of those who work at sea.
He also urged the “defense of strengthened international relations and policies to safeguard the human rights of those who travel and work far from their families and homelands.”
Along these lines, he expressed that the Church “is called to serve each member of the human family” and to work for unity.
“As Saint Paul reminds us, the Church must not flee from these challenges if it wants to be faithful to the mission that the Lord has entrusted to it,” he continued.
The call to welcome the stranger, Cardinal Czerny continued, “can challenge us when we prefer to remain socially and spiritually isolated.”
“We cannot open ourselves to the possibilities of life if we prefer the comfort of the familiar. The path of openness is the path of hope,” he added.
For this reason, he invited “everyone to do their part to courageously repair our common home and grow in fraternity and social friendship.”
“Let us support the ministry of welcoming those who need a listening ear and a place to belong, a safe harbor, a community that welcomes all who wish to return home.”
Finally, he asked that “we be inspired by the example of mutual exchanges in the lives of seafarers. May the people of the sea feel part of the Church wherever they go.”
Almudena Martínez-Bordiú
I am a graduate in Journalism and Advertising from the CEU San Pablo University in Madrid. Specialized in religious information in Spain since 2015. I have been a senior correspondent for ACI Prensa and EWTN Noticias in the Vatican for two years and I am currently a European correspondent based in Spain.