Heroic Priest on Cruise Ship
The center of every priests life should be the Blessed Sacrament.
“A Catholic chaplain aboard the sinking Costa Concordia rushed to consume the Eucharist in an attempt to protect it as the cruise liner began to sink on Friday night.
Fr Rafaeli Mallena, 70, described his ordeal to Fr Giacomo Martino, director of the Apostolate of the Sea for the Italian bishops’ conference.
He said as he realised the ship was in serious peril he had two things at the forefront of his mind: protecting the valuables, which the staff had entrusted to him, and protecting the Blessed Sacrament.”
God bless Fr. Martino for his love of the Most Blessed Sacrament and his care for the other people on the ship.
Read the full article at the Catholic Herald.
There are several amazing things about this – not the least of which is the rumor that there are only two major cruise lines that have onboard chapels with a Catholic priest-in-residence who celebrates Mass for the passengers and crew.
I often bring Holy Communion to residents if a nursing home a few blocks from my parish. Even with the short commute, I’ve wondered how I would handle an emergency considering that my filled pyx is in my jacket pocket. What would happen if my car broke down? Or if I witnessed an incident where someone needed help and I could stop to assist? Or if I were in a car accident? Thankfully, none of these has ever occurred, but we who are Extraordinary Ministers might want to ask our priests how to respond to life’s emergencies and to protect our Blessed Lord also.