Southampton

Goodbye to Emer

After more than 30 years of working with AOS in Southampton, Emer Lyons is taking well deserved retirement. Friends and colleagues said goodbye to Emer at a special Mass celebrated in the Southampton Seafarers' Centre. The celebrant was Fr Patsy Foley who was, co-incidently, celebrating the fortieth anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood.

Emer worked for many years at the Stella Maris Centre in Southampton. In April 2005, the ecumenical seafarers' centre opened in Southampton. There Emer helped port chaplain Fr Patsy with administrative and secretarial work. Emer's help was invaluable. She took care of bills and paperwork leaving Fr Patsy free to attend to the pastoral needs of visiting seafarers.

At the beginning of 2008, Fr Patsy moved to the port of Tilbury and Fr Jack Padua moved to Southampton to take up the post of port chaplain. Fr Jack was particularly grateful for the help Emer gave him in settling in. He said that her presence in the office would be missed.

The Southampton team presented Emer with a set of golf clubs. She was delighted with the Mass and her send off and thanked everyone who had been involved in planning her leaving party. All her friends at AOS wish Emer a very happy retirement.

Fr Jack Padua

Fr Jack became AOS port chaplain in Southampton in February 2008. After just a few months in post, he reflects on his task and pays tribute to the Southampton AOS team.

"As one of the newest port chaplains of the Apostleship of the Sea, I realise that one of my pressing challenges is to make the port of Southampton a 'home away from home' for seafarers. To accomplish this however, I need to move from ship to ship and, in each ship, climb the ladder or ramp step upon step. Thank God for colleagues and volunteer ship visitors who accompany and guide me, meeting this formidable challenge these past weeks has been smooth".

click here to read the full text of Fr Jack's reflection on the AOS international website