Sea Sunday 2026: Remembering and Supporting Seafarers

This Sunday, 12th July, the Church marks Sea Sunday, a special day of prayer for all those who live and work at sea. It is an opportunity to recognise the vital contribution made by seafarers and fishers, whose work touches every aspect of our daily lives, often without us ever noticing.

The goods we rely on, from food and clothing to fuel and medicine, are transported across the world's oceans by dedicated crews who frequently work in difficult and hazardous conditions. Today, many seafarers face additional challenges as geopolitical tensions continue to affect key shipping routes, including the Straits of Hormuz and the Red and Black Seas. These are risks and pressures that most of us will never experience firsthand.

Many seafarers are understandably anxious about their own safety and the wellbeing of their colleagues. Particular concern remains for the 20,000–30,000 seafarers affected by the closure of the Straits of Hormuz, leaving many facing uncertainty and isolation. At times like these, the work of Stella Maris becomes even more important.

Stella Maris provides vital pastoral, practical and emotional support to seafarers and fishers around the world. Additional helplines and online support services are available around the clock for those working in conflict-affected regions. Through its chaplains, ship visitors and welfare teams, Stella Maris offers a lifeline to those who often spend months away from home and loved ones.

As a Stella Maris Ship Welfare Visitor serving the ports of Cardiff and Newport, I continue to visit cargo ships and tankers and see firsthand the challenges faced by crews. Increasingly, conversations centre on concerns for personal safety, worries about family members back home, and fears for colleagues caught up in dangerous situations. These pressures contribute to stress, loneliness and uncertainty for many seafarers.

One of the most encouraging aspects of this ministry is the generosity shown by parishioners. Thank you to everyone who has supported seafarers in the past. The collection box in the church narthex is rarely empty, and your kindness makes a tremendous difference. Time and again, I have seen seafarers' faces light up when they receive gifts from our parish community. These simple acts of generosity reassure them that they are remembered, cared for and held in prayer.

This Sea Sunday, we once again invite you to support seafarers and fishers through prayer, donations and practical gifts.

Items especially appreciated include:

• Biscuits and chocolates
• Chewing gum
• Soap and shower gel
• Deodorant
• Toothpaste and toothbrushes
• Rosaries
• Prayer books

Donations can be placed in the Seafarers' Box in the narthex.

You can also support Stella Maris financially by:

• Donating in church
• Visiting stellamaris.org.uk/donate
• Texting SEA to 70460 to donate £5

This annual collection is essential in helping Stella Maris continue its invaluable work among seafarers and fishers around the world. Every contribution, no matter how small, helps bring comfort, hope and practical support to those most in need.

Above all, please remember in your prayers all seafarers, fishers, their families, and those who work to support them.

Our Lady, Star of the Sea, pray for them.

Barbara Thomas
Stella Maris Volunteer Ship Welfare Visitor
Ports of Cardiff and Newport