Page 4 - LOTN Spring Issue 46 2021

DIOCESE
Stella Maris supporters

providing Christmas

comfort to seafarers

any people last year spent Christmas alone,
confined to their own home, and it was also a
Mparticularly lonely time for many seafarers who
found themselves far from their homeland in the midst
of a pandemic.
Our local Port Chaplain Rev Doug Duncan was reluctant
to make his usual Christmas appeal for gifts, thinking charity
should begin at home, especially when many people in the
North East have lost their jobs as a result of the slow-down Sister Rosario, Ships' Visitor and native of the Philippines,
in the economy. handed over presents and spoke with some of the Filipino crew
However, at the beginning of December Doug was in their own tongue, a change from Deacon Doug’s Doric!
pleased to receive several calls from supporters throughout
the North East enquiring if Stella Maris, otherwise known as I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
the Apostleship of the Sea, would be giving out presents I will tell of all thy wonderful deeds.
during Christmas, and would the charity still require gifts. I will be glad and exult in thee.
Soon, a flood of gifts began arriving from every quarter - I will sing praise to thy name, O Most High.
hats, mufflers, socks, gloves, sweets, rosaries, books and Praise indeed to those who were not thinking of
clothes, enough to supply the crews for over a hundred
vessels!
Doug and his team of ship visitors and volunteers
collected the items, many of which had been delivered to
local churches including Inverness, Peterhead, Fraserburgh
and St Peter’s and St Columba’s, Aberdeen.
Stella Maris also received a generous offering of Christmas
gifts from the parishioners of Stonehaven and Blairs. The
gifts were blessed by Rev Doug following a Mass by Fr Mark
Impson on 7th December, the feast day of St Ambrose.
Doug said he was reminded of Psalm 9, written in
thanksgiving to God for David's triumph over evil:

Hats and scarves knitted by Joyce Webster, former PA to Bishop
Hugh Gilbert OSB, who regularly provides a supply of winter
woollies in her retirement.

themselves but thinking of others, especially of our
seafarers.
Doug said he was also delighted to receive a 'phone call
from the Captain of the FS Arendal thanking Stella Maris
for delivering their gifts. The vessel had just returned from
a difficult voyage when they had had very little sleep in 24
hours due to the stormy weather. The captain said his crew
were delighted that Stella Maris too had braved the wintry
weather conditions to deliver their gifts.

After a Mass celebrated by Fr Mark Impson in St Mary's, You can find out more about the work of Stella Maris at:
Stonehaven, gifts donated by the parishioners of Stonehaven https://www.stellamaris.org.uk/
and Blairs were blessed by Deacon Doug Duncan.

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