Great Britian
 Profiles of Bishop Promoters Bishop Tom Burns is AOS Bishop
Promoter for England and Wales. Bishop Peter Moran is AOS
Bishop Promoter for Scotland. In 2005, the two sections
united to form AOS Great Britain. Together the bishops
support a thriving national apostolate.
AOS is active in 55 ports and berthing facilities around
Great Britain. There are 26 port chaplains, both lay and
ordained, and over a hundred volunteer ship visitors and
pastoral workers. Some five hundred volunteer parish
contacts spread the word about the work of AOS in parishes
throughout the country. In addition, seven administrative
staff and numerous volunteers work in the national office in
London.
The
bishop promoters are both members of the Board of Trustees
of AOS GB. According to local law regarding charitable
organisations, the trustees are responsible for overseeing
governance and financial affairs. Other responsibilities
include participating in the appointment of personnel,
advising on policy issues and representing the organisation
to external bodies.
The bishops are involved in the day-to-day work of AOS
Great Britain. They offer spiritual support to pastoral
workers during conferences and retreats. In addition, they
participate in the very popular pilgrimages which AOS GB
organises for supporters in different parts of the country.
Most importantly, they play an active role in the ministry
to seafarers. Both bishops frequently visit seafarers
centres, often accompanying ship visitors and celebrating
Mass onboard.
Every year Bishops Tom and Peter address their own
Bishops' Conferences, reporting on the work of AOS. They
also report to the international departments of the
conferences on the situation of seafarers and migrants in
Great Britain. In this way, they promote the work of AOS to
the whole Church.
Bishop Tom Burns
Bishop Tom was ordained as a priest in 1971 and spent
some years teaching in Marist schools. In 1986, he was
commissioned as full time chaplain in the Royal Navy, i.e.
the maritime section of the British armed forces, and spent
time at sea and in naval bases and colleges. In 2002 he was
appointed Bishop of the Forces with responsibility for
Catholic personnel in the British Army, Navy and Airforce.
These are served by over fifty full-time chaplains and many
more officiating chaplains.
Bishop Peter Moran
Bishop Peter was ordained as a priest in 1959 after
studying at the Pontifical Scots College in Rome. He worked
as a teacher and later as a parish priest and school
chaplain. Committed to Ecumenism, he has served as Roman
Catholic “Corresponding Member” of the Gordon Presbytery of
the Church of Scotland. In 2003 he was ordained Bishop of
Aberdeen, a diocese encompassing one third of the landmass
of Scotland including the Shetland and Orkney Islands. He is
also chaplain to the local francophone community many of
whom work in the oil industry.
Photograph: AOS GB Bishops Bishop Tom (left) and Bishop Peter |