Scottish Catholic Observer

Pope Francis has been invited to Glasgow for the centenary of Catholic charity Apostleship of the Sea.

Deacon Doug Duncan, Apostleship of the Sea (AoS) port chaplain for Aberdeen and the North East, met the Holy Father while in Rome for the European regional meeting of AoS, which is also known as Stella Maris.

The charity helps seafarers around the world, and was founded in Glasgow in 1920.

“It was a real blessing to meet Pope Francis on the final day [of the conference],” Deacon Duncan, who is also chairman of the pastoral committee for Stella Maris Great Britain, said.

“I just asked him if he could make a special visit to Glasgow for our centenary celebrations.

“Of course, I realise he is a very busy man but we will leave it in the Lord’s hands and pray for his presence in body as well as in spirit.”

Before his audience with the Pope, the previous three days from June 24-June 26 included presentations from national directors, chaplains and trustees.

Wide-ranging topics included serving seafarers worldwide, cruise chaplaincy and the centenary celebrations that are to be held in Glasgow next year.

Pope Francis thanked Cardinal Peter Turkson, the president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace in Rome, for his introduction and presentation and also highlighted that it was most important to meet seafarers in their place of action in real life situations.

He thanked Stella Maris chaplains and ship visitors for their presence in the ports and said: “Your presence is… an incentive for everyone, starting with the poorest, to work for justice and respect for fundamental rights.”