Father Thomas W Behan, USA
 There were cases that came forward the like of which I
never experienced in 48 years of parish ministry.
Father Thomas W Behan OSA describes how fourteen days
spent ministering to passengers had a surprising effect on
his own life and priesthood.
"With these few lines, I would like to share my experience
in ministry to people on a sea voyage. In October 2006, I
was the chaplain on a 14 day cruise to Hawaii aboard the
Celebrity lines ship, the GTS Summit.
Before leaving I was looking forward to the trip as a
wonderful vacation with a minimum duty of a daily Mass. What I actually
experienced was so much more than what I had anticipated,
especially in the spiritual world. The ship's dining, entertainment and recreational
facilities were top notch and quite a treat. It would be an
understatement to say that the ship's directors and crew
were very friendly, available and attentive to any need we
might have.
However, the thing that really surprised me was the
reaction of those passengers to whom I ministered on a daily
basis. I could not get over how many of these passengers
really put themselves out to let me know what a difference
my ministry and daily Mass made in their cruise.
I thought that for me the daily Mass and the few cases of
counselling I did were my job and just what I should be doing
as chaplain. However they made it very clear that the
chaplain service was far more than just ordinary. Hearing
this was a delightful surprise and gave me a new lease on my
74 years of life and 48 years as a priest.
This cruise to Hawaii gave me a new lease on life and my
priesthood. This very positive experience greatly reinforced
the fact that I still have much to give and that I can make
a real difference in people's lives by just being myself. I left the ship with a much better idea of just where and
how I fit into the senior world. In these days of clergy
scandal, a kind and truly spiritual priest can give an
example that is greatly needed.
On this cruise, I also discovered that the setting of a
cruise provides a unique opportunity for counselling and
spiritual direction. There were cases that came forward the
like of which I never experienced in 48 years of parish
ministry. One elderly gentleman who had not been to Mass in
years came forward to ask questions during the cruise. This
led to confession and finally receiving the sacraments again
after years of being away from the Church. The entire
assembly was moved by this man's reception of Our Lord.
There was not a dry eye at that Mass. |