About AOS
Seafarers in prison
Ship visitor Pat Brenan describes how supporting seafarers in prison was both emotionally demanding and spiritually enriching
In late November 2006, Pat was making his regular visit to one of the passenger ferries which serves the route between North Shields on the Tyne and the port of Ijmuiden in Amsterdam. He went to the car deck to sign in as usual and was surprised to be asked about the contents of the two plastic bags he was carrying and to hear the words "I hope there's nothing illegal in them". The bags in fact contained two chocolate fountains which the chef de cuisine had asked him to obtain for her.
Ship visitor Pat Brenan in the port of |
Pat then heard that the port had been a scene of drama that morning with helicopters, customs officers and police. Three Polish members of the crew had set off from the ship on bicycles carrying rucksacks. When asked to show their passes at the gate they became evasive. When told to open the rucksacks, they had attempted to flee. Two of them were subsequently caught and arrested. The rucksacks were later found to contain substantial quantities of cocaine.
The ferry sailed as usual. Shortly after, Pat received an email from the chef de cuisine. She was concerned about one of her colleagues, Kristina, who was the older sister of one of the arrested seafarers. Since her brother's arrest, Kristina had been distraught but also withdrawn and distrustful of her colleagues. She needed emotional support from someone who could be neutral and objective. Pat agreed to his email address being passed on. Kristina, who had seen Pat on his ship visits, soon contacted him.
Pat arranged for Kristina to visit her brother who was being held on remand in HMP Durham. He drove her to the prison where she spent time with her brother Pavel and Pat befriended the other seafarer Marek. This began a regular pattern. Every week, when the ship put into North Shields, Pat and Kristina would visit the two seafarers in prison. According to Pat, the two seafarers always found something positive to say about their circumstances. Their co-operative attitude meant that they got on well with the officers and were respected by fellow inmates.
At Christmas, the mother of Pavel and Kristina came to visit. Normally, her son and daughter would have been working. However the ferry company allows families to come onboard so that they can spend time together at Christmas. Visiting her son in prison was a very distressing experience. Pat admits to feeling emotional as he drove Kristina and her mother to HMP Durham. But while Pavel had the support of his family, his colleague Marek relied on Pat. Marek promised Pat that, when he came out of prison, he would be his friend for life.
Ten months after their arrest, the two seafarers were put on trial. The trial lasted five days. Pat attended court every day. Both Pavel and Marek were always aware that Pat was there for them. The defence argued that the two had been unaware of the real content of the rucksacks which their colleague, who was never caught, had asked them to carry. The argument was accepted and they were acquitted.
When the trial finished, Pat waited for the two seafarers. He describes how they came through the doors, each carrying his belongings in a black bin liner, and says
"for me, it was a sacramental moment in my life".
Pat took the seafarers to his home. They spent a few hours with him, sitting in his garden sharing coffee and cigarettes before leaving for overnight accommodation which had been arranged in town.
Pavel subsequently returned to Poland and is working again. Marek remains in England. He has kept his promise of maintaining the friendship. He telephones Pat regularly for a chat and the two often have a beer together. Marek refers to Pat and his wife Eileen as "my English mum and dad". Pat also remains in contact with Kristina who is expecting her first baby. In one email, he told her that, although they had been through a difficult experience, they had at least gained a friendship.
Pat describes the experience of being alongside the seafarers in their particular time of difficulty thus
"it was very emotional but at the same time very spiritual, it felt apostolic"
In late 2007, Pat was on the organising committee of a conference in Newcastle at which Sr Helen Prejean spoke. Sr Prejean wrote the book "Dead man walking" about a prisoner condemned to death in the US. She told the conference that, before she was approached to write to a prisoner on death row, she had never seen the inside of a prison. The comment resonated with Pat who had also never been in a prison until he found himself making weekly visits to HMP Durham.
At Pat's request, we decided not to tell this story immediately in order to protect the anonymity of those involved. For the same reason, their names have been changed. AOS undertakes to be alongside seafarers whatever their circumstances. We offer pastoral care that is non-judgemental and unconditional as we remember the words of Our Lord
"I was in prison and you visited me"
Matthew 25, v36