THE P RTAL
March 2015
Page 22
The Apostleship of the Sea
Jackie Ottaway and Ronald Crane visit Tilbury Docks
For seafarers,
the ship is their place of work, but for many months of the year it is also their
home. So all the usual problems associated with work are present for them, as are the usual problems
associated with home. This makes the role of the Catholic Lay Chaplain all the more important.
Wojciech Holub (front cover photo) is originally
from Poland, but now lives in the UK and is the
Apostleship of the Sea Chaplain at Tilbury. He invited
us to spend the day with him. He is highly intelligent,
chirpy and at home with most people. It was obvious
that the staff at Tilbury value his work highly.
“I am employed by Stella Maris (the Apostleship of
the Sea) and the Catholic Church, and we are part
of the Seaman’s Centre here, but we do not run it. It
has its own Manager. I may go anywhere from the
Thames Barrier to where the river meets the sea.
There are seventy berths along the river and they are
on both sides.
Settled in the Seaman’s Centre with a hot drink he
told us something of his work. “We have a web site that
“I started at Tilbury two years ago, but I have lived
displays every ship coming to us. We can see where in the UK since 2004. I am married now, just one year
they are and how large the ship is. We know when they ago. I was a good student, and hold MA degrees in
will dock, so we can plan our day.
both Theology, from Catholic University of Lublin,
Poland, and in Philosophy from Heythrop College.
“As part of London Docks we cover the area of the Then I contacted the Chaplaincy here.
Thames from London to the Queen Elizabeth Bridge
at Dartford. This includes the docks at Tilbury, London
“Most seafarers know we are here and they seek us
Gateway and the gas terminal at Canvey Island. Each out, but we also have to seek some seafarers out. We
ship may have from six to twenty in the crew and we offer practical help explaining the transport system to
have between ten and twenty vessels a day.
get about if they have time; we change money; help
Commissioner Bill Cochrane - continued from page 21
were amongst those who were brought to Christ for
the first time and put on what William Booth called
an elevator. In his book, In Darkest England and the
Way Out he wrote about ‘darkest England’ rather than
‘darkest Africa’. Remember this was Victorian England
and the days of the Empire. He had a vision of how we
could elevate the poor out of their poverty. He wasn’t a
‘hand out’ kind of person; his aim was to rescue people
from poverty and get them on their feet. Many modern
Salvationists are the recipients of this aim and that’s
what having your life turned round does. You reassess
your priorities.
“Our work is still geared to those who are on the
margins of society. Many people are shut out from
the things that we take for granted and that’s the case
whether you are living in a village, in a war zone, a
drought-ridden, disease-infested part of the world or in
a city in our own country. We want to be found in those
places where that need is great, but we don’t do that
alone. Sometimes we work with other denominations,
and I believe that the church can speak to the world, by
our co-operative actions. Jesus said we will be known
by the love we have for one another. To be seen working
contents page
together for the common good is happening more than
I’ve ever seen during my life and ministry.
“Initially, our strength was our holistic ministry.
Booth said he would not preach to someone who was
hungry. We feed, clothe and care, and in so doing
we preach the Gospel. The church is strongest in a
community when it is more than just praying and
singing; when it is engaging with the needs of the
people. Often the only professional who is prepared
to stay in a poor community is a priest, minister or
Salvation Army officer. I want us to be seen to be living
at the heart of the community.
“We were delighted to be invited to an audience
with the Holy Father. It was the first time a General of
the Salvation Army has met with the Pope in private
conversation. We were conscious that we were making
history in this journey to meet with Pope Francis and
were treated with great respect and warmth in the
Vatican.”
We are grateful to Commissioner Cochrane for his
welcome, time and frankness.