November 8, 2012 — At a press conference in Rome on November 8, the Pontifical Council for Migrants outlined plans for the 23rd annual congress of the Apostleship of the Sea, to be held at the Vatican on November 19-23, with over 400 participants expected from 71 different countries.
Cardinal Antonio Maria Veglio, president of the Pontifical Council for Migrants, pointed out that pastors and chaplains working with seafarers face a number of special problems: the fact that fishing is “one of the most dangerous professions in the world,” the frequency of illegal fishing, the long voyages that keep sailors away from their homes, the involvement of some shipping firms with human trafficking, the danger of piracy, and the exploitation of some poor sailors by shippers.