Page 24 - Catholic Extension Magazine Winter 2019

24 INSPIRE

Lumen Christi Finalist

DEACON JOHN ARCHER |
ARCHDIOCESE OF MOBILE, ALABAMA
On ocean’s tide:

a maritime ministry

brings faith alive

hey are the unseen minister of the Apostleship of the
ones. Arriving in the Sea, he serves the sailors by ener-
Port of Mobile, Ala- gizing their faith through prayer
bama, on cargo and simply “passing time” with
freighters nearly them on board.
T1,000 feet long, they “I bring them the ministry of
load and unload shipping con- presence and remind them that
tainers, moving tons of freight and their Church is here to visit them,”
advancing a global econ- he said. “We sit together
omy. They are essential to 2019 u 2020 prayerfully, and eventually
international commerce the sharing begins. They
and yet, are invisible to tell their stories, and their
most people. needs emerge.”
They are the 32,000 sea- Additionally, he runs ability of sailors to leave their ships
faring workers who arrive errands for them or brings while docked.
in the port annually, sailing Lumen sailors into town for shop- When Archer joined the Apos-
from distant corners of the Christi ping. tleship of the Sea in 2017, after
world. AWARD About 30 times a year, retiring from 40 years working in
They spend up to nine FINALIST he arranges Mass to be cel- finance in California, he was instru-
months at sea. With spotty ebrated on board by Father mental in reimaging this ministry
cell service, making regu- Lito Capeding, chaplain of with its new regulations. He knew
lar family contact is difficult. With the ministry. “You can really feel that his presence was critical for
limited shore time, due to regula- the joy they experience in receiv- those who could not leave the ship.
tory issues and work duties, going ing our Lord,” Archer said. Many During a recent visit, he noticed
to Church is almost impossible. have not been able to attend Mass a sailor who seemed particularly
These seafarers are Deacon for months. down.
John Archer’s ministry. While the archdiocese has pro- “I sat with him awhile, and he
He coordinates the Catho- vided ministry and hospitality to eventually opened up, sharing that
lic Maritime Ministry in the Arch- seafarers since 1948, this ministry his daughter was heading off to
diocese of Mobile, Alabama. As a changed after 9/11 when security college. Though this would usu-
measures and visa requirements ally be a proud moment for a par-
tightened, drastically limiting the ent, he was feeling sad that he had