Opinion Articles

SOUL MATTERS: Coming together for seafarers
By Fr Garry Dodd

Imagine an organisation with 40,000 patrons being told that in the next decade it will treble! This is the story of the Port of Newcastle.

The front page of The Herald states, “Super Port: Era of Prosperity” (25 July 2009). Already Newcastle is the world’s biggest exporter of coal and this will increase threefold, not to mention the ever increasing role of other commodities, the current redevelopment of the old BHP site for container shipments, and the new P&O cruise industry starting in 2010. Newcastle Port is about to explode!

Why is this important? Well, who looks after these seafarers? Who tries to reach out a hand of friendship in a foreign port and offer a place of safety? Which organisation has the sole charter to help all these seafarers when they come to our beautiful city? We do.

The Anglican Church, under the umbrella of the Mission to Seafarers and the Catholic Church, through Stella Maris (Star of the Sea), are working together to create the Newcastle Seafarers Centre. This will be a place where all seafarers can come and enjoy Aussie hospitality, have free access to internet and enjoy entertainment and support. The centre offers free transport to and from the vessels, as well as counselling, worship and above all, care for every seafarer who comes through its doors.

This new service is about to start under the leadership of Fr Stefan Sapun and Fr Garry Dodd who have joined forces to make the centre a reality. Using the former Mission to Seafarers Centre at 96 Hannell Street Wickham, the two young priests are about to set the shipping industry on fire! They have a vision of creating a second home for all seafarers who enter our port of Newcastle and are asking for assistance from Novocastrians.

The centre presently requires many things to make it warm and homely, but its greatest need is volunteers. These will be people prepared to commit time to show warmth and understanding. They will be ambassadors for Newcastle. Language is no barrier, all that is required are smiles and gentle actions – these speak louder than any words!

So when you are looking out on the horizon at night and admiring our beautiful city on the sea, please remember that there can be up to a thousand seafarers who are looking at our lights, desiring to be on solid ground and waiting to contact loved ones back home.

The Newcastle Seafarers Centre will be a home for these people, even for just a day. Will you come and make this a reality with us?

The Reverend Garry Dodd is the Chaplain to the Port of Newcastle for the Mission to Seafarers along with Fr Stefan Sapun, chaplain for Stella Maris. They would love anyone prepared to assist in this grand adventure to contact them on 4961 5007. Any assistance is greatly appreciated. This article is submitted by the Churches Media Association www.cmahunter.com.au


*This article was published in The Herald, 3rd August 2009