"We are but travellers here" (Mary MacKillop 1866)
Sister Mary's Stella Maris Port Botany "Humpy". A Haven for Care & Hospitality for Visiting Seafarers. March 2025
In early March 2025, Sister Mary kindly provided an overview of her work with seafarers in Botany Bay for the AMWS E-News. A summary of her insights is shared below, and readers can access her full article via the blue link.
I highly encourage everyone to read it. (Editor)
In early March 2025, Sister Mary kindly provided an overview of her work with seafarers in Botany Bay for the AMWS E-News. A summary of her insights is shared below, and readers can access her full article via the blue link.
I highly encourage everyone to read it. (Editor)
| sister_marys_contribution_march_2025.pdf |
‘We are but travellers here” (Mary MacKillop 1866)
This quote of Mary MacKillop is a source of inspira5on for the Stella Maris ministry
in Port Botany/Sydney. The quote reminds us that we are all equal, except of course
in reality we know some people are more equal than others. It seems to me that our
beloved seafarers are regularly less equal in terms of the disadvantages they live
with, the workload they carry, the many dangers and isola5on they face in the
course of their job, the oFen meagre salaries that they receive in return. Most
distressing is that on top of these difficul5es are oFen the erosion of their human
rights, the stereotyping they suffer, the wage theF they are vulnerable to, lack of rest
and decent shore-leave. It is not difficult but to no5ce indicators of modern slavery
within the global shipping industry today.
The proverb “It takes a village to raise a child” could be applied to seafarers. I believe
it takes all sectors within the shipping industry/mari5me community to proac5vely
aLend to the care and wellbeing of seafarers. Un5l all are involved and commiLed,
the welfare/wellbeing of seafarers will be lacking.
A pressing issue in my opinion is that the engrained imbalance of power leaves
seafarers with limited ability to asser5vely influence their daily lives. This lack of
voice contributes to their culture of vulnerability where their needs are usually
overlooked. This ul5mately impacts their mental health and can lead to suicide.
Needless to say, this culture is fer5le ground for unsafe working situa5ons.
To this end Stella Maris focuses strongly on building up rela5onships within the
mari5me community. By collec5vely focusing on the well-being of seafarers we can
foster an environment that values respect, fairness/jus5ce, kindness and dignity for
all. Collabora5on with all sectors is the key to providing a safe haven for seafarers on
any day when they are in our terminals/ports. Port Welfare Commi;ees are vital to
this collabora>ve effort.
Stella Maris Sydney con5nues to priori5se the visita5on of ships, where we enter the
sacred ground of the seafarer’s reality, however that might look on any given day.
We keep our hearts, eyes and ears aLuned to the reality there. No5cing if seafarers
may be in need, no5cing if the air-con is working, no5cing if the food looks lackingetc.
We regularly share our findings with those who have to power to help . Our aim
always is to listen to seafarers , respec5ng their reality and allowing them to set the
agenda for our conversa5ons.
We con5nue to provide simple hospitality to seafarers and all mari5me workers at
the Stella Maris ‘Humpy’ at Port Botany. Through the kindness of volunteers and
generosity of others in the mari5me community, care packs of essen5als & treats
con5nue to be giFed to ships.
We have in recent 5me responded to the needs of seafarers visi5ng Kurnell by
providing free Opal cards at their gate. The cards allow them to get ashore by public
transport. This project inspired and financially supported by our marine pilots and
other generous dona5ons from AMWS, Ports Authority etc is welcomed by many
seafarers. Thanks also to the security at Kurnell for assis5ng with this project.
Stella Maris Sydney is forever grateful for the support and friendship from so many
in the mari5me community over many years. We can do so much more together
than we can separately. We will con5nue to respond as best we can to the needs of
seafarers as well as shining a light on the many abuses/hardships they endure. This
requires of us to always ‘comfort the afflicted’ and some5mes to ‘afflict the
comfortable ‘ in the course of our ministry.
There are good ships & wood ships
And ships that sail the sea,
But the best ships are friendships
And may they always be.
This quote of Mary MacKillop is a source of inspira5on for the Stella Maris ministry
in Port Botany/Sydney. The quote reminds us that we are all equal, except of course
in reality we know some people are more equal than others. It seems to me that our
beloved seafarers are regularly less equal in terms of the disadvantages they live
with, the workload they carry, the many dangers and isola5on they face in the
course of their job, the oFen meagre salaries that they receive in return. Most
distressing is that on top of these difficul5es are oFen the erosion of their human
rights, the stereotyping they suffer, the wage theF they are vulnerable to, lack of rest
and decent shore-leave. It is not difficult but to no5ce indicators of modern slavery
within the global shipping industry today.
The proverb “It takes a village to raise a child” could be applied to seafarers. I believe
it takes all sectors within the shipping industry/mari5me community to proac5vely
aLend to the care and wellbeing of seafarers. Un5l all are involved and commiLed,
the welfare/wellbeing of seafarers will be lacking.
A pressing issue in my opinion is that the engrained imbalance of power leaves
seafarers with limited ability to asser5vely influence their daily lives. This lack of
voice contributes to their culture of vulnerability where their needs are usually
overlooked. This ul5mately impacts their mental health and can lead to suicide.
Needless to say, this culture is fer5le ground for unsafe working situa5ons.
To this end Stella Maris focuses strongly on building up rela5onships within the
mari5me community. By collec5vely focusing on the well-being of seafarers we can
foster an environment that values respect, fairness/jus5ce, kindness and dignity for
all. Collabora5on with all sectors is the key to providing a safe haven for seafarers on
any day when they are in our terminals/ports. Port Welfare Commi;ees are vital to
this collabora>ve effort.
Stella Maris Sydney con5nues to priori5se the visita5on of ships, where we enter the
sacred ground of the seafarer’s reality, however that might look on any given day.
We keep our hearts, eyes and ears aLuned to the reality there. No5cing if seafarers
may be in need, no5cing if the air-con is working, no5cing if the food looks lackingetc.
We regularly share our findings with those who have to power to help . Our aim
always is to listen to seafarers , respec5ng their reality and allowing them to set the
agenda for our conversa5ons.
We con5nue to provide simple hospitality to seafarers and all mari5me workers at
the Stella Maris ‘Humpy’ at Port Botany. Through the kindness of volunteers and
generosity of others in the mari5me community, care packs of essen5als & treats
con5nue to be giFed to ships.
We have in recent 5me responded to the needs of seafarers visi5ng Kurnell by
providing free Opal cards at their gate. The cards allow them to get ashore by public
transport. This project inspired and financially supported by our marine pilots and
other generous dona5ons from AMWS, Ports Authority etc is welcomed by many
seafarers. Thanks also to the security at Kurnell for assis5ng with this project.
Stella Maris Sydney is forever grateful for the support and friendship from so many
in the mari5me community over many years. We can do so much more together
than we can separately. We will con5nue to respond as best we can to the needs of
seafarers as well as shining a light on the many abuses/hardships they endure. This
requires of us to always ‘comfort the afflicted’ and some5mes to ‘afflict the
comfortable ‘ in the course of our ministry.
There are good ships & wood ships
And ships that sail the sea,
But the best ships are friendships
And may they always be.
