Apostleship of the Sea Hawaiʻi

August 23, 2026

Bringing the Church to Those Who Work at Sea

Bishop Emeritus Larry Silva, center, celebrated Mass July 12, 2026 at Pier 36 in Honolulu as the Diocese of Honolulu marked Sea Sunday in recognition of the seafarers who toil on the open ocean. (Courtesy Dann Ebina)

The Apostleship of the Sea Hawaiʻi (AoSH) is a diocesan ministry serving seafarers, shoreside support workers, and their families. Established in October 2024, the ministry is based at the Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Parish in Kalihi, near the Honolulu Habor, and is part of the Diocese Office for Social Ministry-OSM. AoSH is a member of Apostleship of the Sea–USA and USCCB Stella Maris, the Catholic Church’s ministry to seafarers. Apostleship of the Sea Hawaiʻi is now recognized among the U.S. ports with AoS chaplains serving under USCCB Stella Maris.

“I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” ~ Matthew 25:35

Who We Serve

Today, AoSH primarily ministers to foreign fishermen working in Hawaiʻi’s longline fishery at Piers 36–38 in Honolulu Harbor. Many of these fishermen come from the Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia, along with several Pacific Island countries and territories. They spend extended periods away from their homes and families while providing an essential service that helps bring fresh fish to Hawaiʻi’s tables. AoSH provides liturgical and devotional services, but its ministry extends beyond worship. At its heart, Apostleship of the Sea Hawaiʻi is a social ministry of accompaniment.

We journey alongside seafarers spiritually and communally, building relationships, sharing fellowship, responding to practical needs, and creating a sense of belonging. Through this ministry, strangers become friends, community becomes family, and together we become One ʻOhana in Christ.

Seeing and Serving an Often Invisible Community

Seafarers are often unseen members of the Body of Christ. Their work sustains everyday life in ways many of us rarely recognize. They help bring fresh fish to our tables, transport goods across oceans, support global commerce, and serve the maritime industries upon which island communities depend.

The Need

“Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” ~Matthew 25:40

Yet because their lives and work often take place beyond public view, their personal stories, sacrifices, and needs can also remain unseen. Many spend months away from their families while working under demanding conditions at sea. Foreign fishermen working in Hawaiʻi’s longline fleet face an additional challenge. Although they are legally working under contract with vessel owners, many do not have immigration status allowing them to freely enter the United States. Their movement beyond designated pier areas is therefore highly restricted.

As a result, they may have limited access to everyday goods and services, places of worship, and the broader community.They need not only material assistance, but also human connection, emotional support, fellowship, and spiritual care.

They cannot always come to the Church.

So the Church goes to them.

Through visits to the harbor, prayer, liturgical services, fellowship, and personal relationships, Apostleship of the Sea Hawaiʻi helps ensure that the men working aboard these vessels know they are seen, valued, and accompanied.

Our Mission

Foreign crew of the fishing vessel offloading fresh bigeye tuna early in the morning at the fish auction in Honolulu (Photo credit: Dcn. Marlowe Sabater)

Becoming “Fishers of Men”

“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” ~ Matthew 4:19

Apostleship of the Sea Hawaiʻi gives the people of God an opportunity to live the Gospel through service and accompaniment — becoming, in a very real way, fishers of men.

Our mission is to:

Uphold human dignity and the dignity of labor, recognizing the inherent worth of every person who works at sea.
Minister to the physical, emotional, and especially spiritual needs of seafarers.
Provide opportunities for prayer, worship, and devotional life for those who may otherwise be unable to participate in a parish community.
Raise awareness of Hawaiʻi’s seafarers — their lives, their personal stories, the sacrifices they make, the challenges they face, and the often-unseen service they provide to our islands.
Build community through fellowship and relationships, offering seafarers a sense of belonging while they are far from home and family.

A Ministry of Presence

Sometimes ministry begins with something very simple:

Showing up. Listening. Praying. Sharing a meal. Remembering a name. Being present.

For those who spend much of their lives at sea and away from the people they love, these acts of accompaniment can become a powerful reminder that they are not forgotten. This is why the Apostleship of the Sea-Hawaii is a diocesan ministry under the Office of Social Ministry (OSM). OSM ministers with people at the margins. In fact, all the people mentioned in Matthew 25:31-39 are vital to the mission of OSM: the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the ill, and those in prison. By accompanying seafarers and sharing our gifts and vulnerabilities, together we discover what it means to be the Body of Christ — caring for one another with compassion and building God’s Kingdom of justice, peace, and love.

“My thoughts go out to all sailors, fishermen and port workers around the world who… sustain trade and the lives of many peoples through their patient and quiet labor.”
~ Pope Leo XIV, Sea Sunday, 2026

Apostleship of the Sea Hawaiʻi seeks to be that presence — bringing Christ’s love to the waterfront and building a community where every seafarer is welcomed as family. Just as seafarers have a mission, the Apostleship of the Sea-Hawaii accompanies them in theirs.