From May 17–22, 2026, maritime chaplains, ship visitors, students, volunteers, and welfare leaders from around the world gathered in Malmö, Sweden for the annual training program of the International Christian Maritime Association. Hosted by the Malmö Seafarers’ Chaplaincy, the week combined lectures, discussion, worship, fellowship, and practical reflection on the realities facing seafarers and those who serve them.
Among the participants were two North American representatives from the Apostleship of the Sea: Fr. Paul Makar and Dcn. Stéphane Zara. Both came away from the week with a renewed appreciation for the complexity of maritime ministry and the importance of ongoing formation for chaplains serving ports and ships.
The training took place in the longtime seafarers’ welfare buildings of the Malmö chaplaincy, a setting shaped by generations of ministry to people of the sea. Participants from New Zealand, South Africa, Belgium, Germany, Canada, the United States, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Northern Ireland gathered in spaces filled with maritime history, chapel life, and hospitality. The environment itself reflected the heart of seafarers’ welfare: offering welcome, friendship, and practical care to those who spend long periods far from home.
Throughout the week, sessions explored topics including ship visiting, pastoral care, ecumenical cooperation, mental health, maritime law, fatigue at sea, cultural awareness, shore leave, and the rapidly changing realities of global shipping. Participants also visited the port and reflected together during daily worship and shared meals.
For Fr. Paul Makar, one of the most important aspects of the course was the international fellowship among chaplains and welfare workers. Speaking during the week, he reflected: “Meeting seafaring chaplains around the world, but also reviewing items of importance to seafarers.”
Fr. Makar also emphasized the importance of continuing education in maritime ministry. “So that we’re kept abreast on developments. As a prior sailor, I know the importance of continuous training, and it’s good to know the issues that come up, not just on a day to day, but stuff that changes from year to year.”
Originally from the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia, Fr. Makar serves with the Apostleship of the Sea in the ports of Newark, New Jersey, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, while also working with the Seamen’s Church Institute. His comments reflected one of the central themes of the week: maritime ministry requires both pastoral sensitivity and a strong awareness of the changing conditions affecting crews around the world.
Dcn. Stéphane Zara of the Apostleship of the Sea in the Port of Hamilton in Ontario likewise spoke about how the course deepened his understanding of the maritime sector and the pressures faced by seafarers. He noted: “Just the number of different dynamics that are in play in the maritime world, because it’s so foreign to most of us, and there’s tremendous information with respects to what seafarers’ concerns are, what their, how their welfare is at play, but also the dynamics of the owners of the ships, the people managing the ships, there’s a lot of things that nobody knows about.”
For Dcn. Zara, understanding the wider maritime system is essential to effective pastoral care. He continued: “I think that having that background information is important for us, because it better informs us when we go and visit these seafarers to know all of the balls that are in the air, and all the things that are at play, and that might be impacting them. So, getting this background information is instrumental in us being able to be more effective at what we do.”
The annual ICMA training program continues to serve alongside the Houston training by NAMMA as one of the most important opportunities for formation and networking in maritime ministry. The course in Malmö reminded participants that chaplaincy and welfare ministry seek not only to provide practical support, but also to restore dignity, recognition, and human connection to those who often remain unseen.