A Story of Hope with Stella Maris

This is a story of hope with Stella Maris in Algeciras and the Diocese of Cadiz and Ceuta (Spain)

The diocese of Cadiz and Ceuta is located along the Strait of Gibraltar, one of the busiest waterways in the world where about 300 boats pass every day, that is to say a boat every 5 minutes. In this maritime movement, there are many people who left their families, friends and homelands to seek a better future.  Pope John Paul II affirmed that the Church must have a particular pastoral support with the people of the sea (Apostolic Letter, "Motu Proprio" Stella Maris, on the Maritime Apostolate, 1997 Vatican City). It is in this spirit that the Diocese of Cadiz and Ceuta welcomes the invitation to establish Stella Maris Centres in the main ports of their territory, such as Cadiz, Algeciras and Ceuta. It hopes to bring the Gospel to the people of the sea and offers them social, spiritual and practical support. 

Concretely, Mgr. Rafael Zornoza Boy, started the process of establishing the Stella Maris center in the Port of Cadiz last July 2024 and appointed Fr. Antonio Diufain Mora as responsible for this initial process. In December 2024, Fr. Jovannie Postrano Serrano, CS, a Scalabrinian priest residing in Algeciras, was appointed coordinator of the Stella Maris services in the diocese of Cadiz and Ceuta. On 25 February 2025, the Stella Maris Center in the port of Cadiz was inaugurated and blessed. In addition, it has also initiated informal dialogue with the Port Authority and the port community of Algeciras. We discussed how we can collaborate for the well-being of seafarers. On the other hand, communication with the Port of Cadiz has not yet begun. It remains a plan that will certainly be implemented in the near future. 

At the start of the operation of Stella Maris, welfare services for seafarers are certainly very minimal due to lack of material and human resources. Our pastoral project and plan for this year is to secure sufficient material and human resources to provide adequate welfare services to seafarers. At first, it was not clear what path to take in order to meet these challenges. But then, the fraternal support of the chaplains in the Catholic Scalabrinian Network of Stella Maris, present in 18 ports around the world, offer some lights that illuminate our decision-making. In addition, the closeness of the National Director of Stella Maris (Spain), Rev. Deacon Ricardo Rodríguez Martos Dauer, who continues to send information, updates, news and offering his availability to help, is truly a treasure. 

The essential activities of the Stella Maris in the port, such as visiting ships, have not yet started due to the bureaucratic factor. However, we have started to explore the port of Algeciras thanks to some of our parishioners and also port workers who helped us. In addition to this, we have also started building the visibility of our online presence through social media and website. We have also started building networks at the international, national and local levels. 

In conclusion, it is not easy to establish Stella Maris from scratch but everything will work out according to the help of many good people and through the inspiration of Mother Mary, the Star of the Sea. The presence of the church in some important ports along the Strait of Gibraltar will soon be seen thanks to people in the diocese of Cadiz and Ceuta.

by Fr. Jovannie Postrano, CS