Sea Sunday 2026

Pastoral Letter

By The Most Rev Bishop Donald Sproxton VG
Auxiliary Bishop of Perth

12 July 2026

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Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

On Sea Sunday, 12 July 2026, the Church throughout the world turns her heart toward the men and women whose labour upon the oceans sustains our daily lives. In recent months, global attention has focused heavily on the movement of fuel, oil, and essential goods. Yet the human beings who make this movement possible, the seafarers who endure long months away from home, unpredictable seas, and increasing geopolitical tensions, are too often mentioned only in passing.

This year, I ask you to pause and truly see them.

Behind every shipment that reaches our shores stands a seafarer who has sacrificed comfort, safety, and time with loved ones. Their work is demanding, often dangerous, and frequently hidden from public view. In times of conflict and instability, their burdens only increase. Still, they continue to serve the world with quiet dedication, ensuring that the necessities of life reach every nation.

Sea Sunday invites us to give thanks for these courageous workers and to pray earnestly for them and for the families who wait anxiously for their return. It is also a moment to recognise the vital ministry of Stella Maris, whose chaplains and volunteers offer seafarers a ‘home away from home’. A warm welcome, a listening ear, a chance to step on land and rest, these simple acts of kindness become lifelines for those who spend months confined to a vessel far from all that is familiar.

This ministry, however, can only continue through the generosity of the faithful. Your prayers strengthen those who serve at sea and those who minister to them. Your financial support enables Stella Maris to meet practical needs; transport from port, hospital visits, emergency assistance, and the everyday acts of care that remind seafarers they are not forgotten.

I ask you, therefore, to hold seafarers in your hearts. Pray for their safety, their families, and all who support them. Let us walk with them in spirit, encouraging them as they ‘put out into the deep’ in service of the world.

May Christ, the Good Shepherd and the calming presence upon every stormy sea, bless all who travel the oceans and all who care for them.

Yours Sincerely in Christ

+ Donald G Sproxton VG
Auxiliary Bishop of Perth