When seafarers and fishers arrive in a port, they are strangers in a foreign land.

They do not know the locals and often don’t know who to turn to when they need help.

That’s where Stella Maris step in to help.

Port chaplains and volunteer ship visitors from Stella Maris (the Catholic Church’s maritime agency and formerly known as Apostleship of the Sea) are there for those in need.

Each year, the Catholic Church highlights Sea Sunday (12 July) to encourage us to pray for and donate to the charity.

Recently, Renar – a Latvian seafarer out of Cairnryan in Loch Ryan – collapsed with a heart attack.

Stella Maris had him transferred to Hairmyres Hospital in East Kilbride where it was discovered he had heart failure and was close to death.

He was transferred to Golden Jubilee Hospital in Clydebank where it was discovered that only a heart transplant could save him. 

He didn’t qualify to be put in the transplant list. Legal loopholes were found by Deacon Joe O’ Donnell, senior port chaplain for Stella Maris. He was put on the list and four days later they found him a heart. 

He suffered a stroke during surgery but Renar has worked hard to regain his movement and is 95 per cent of the way to full health. 

Joe and his team visited him every day ensuring he had all he needed for a full recovery . 

Stella Maris paid for his family to come back and forth from Latvia and by all best efforts, he went home to Latvia for Christmas. 

Simple acts of kindness by Stella Maris port chaplains and ship visitors mean so much to seafarers who are far from home and feeling isolated.

On Sea Sunday let us pray for seafarers, fishers, and the ongoing good work of Stella Maris.

Parishes have the option of holding a special collection for Sea Sunday on 12 July. Donations can be made to Stella Maris here.