Piotr Kowalczuk
A ship cannot be a modern Tower of Babel
The hierarch pointed out that the sea, which has long connected people and nations, is increasingly marked by tension, uncertainty, war, and fear. Many seafarers have been trapped on board due to armed conflicts, condemned to hunger and fear for their lives. Moreover, “increasingly difficult working conditions,” wrote Cardinal Czerny, “leave little room for rest or authentic human encounters.”
The hierarch quoted the words of Leo XIV from the encyclical “Magnifica humanitas” that the human person cannot be reduced to data, “a cog in a machine or a commodity,” and that a ship should never be a place of isolation or indifference, a modern Tower of Babel. Cardinal Czerny emphasized that “life at sea can be a testament to the fact that people of different nations, cultures, and religions are still capable of fraternity, solidarity, mutual respect, and maintaining peace.”
When the oceans suffer, humanity suffers
The hierarch noted that the sea calls humanity to deeper reflection: “Oceans are not merely trade routes or sources of economic wealth; they are part of God’s creation, entrusted to human responsibility and care. They feed populations, sustain livelihoods, and remind us of both the beauty and fragility of our common home. Today, however, the seas are increasingly suffering from pollution, exploitation, and environmental degradation. When the oceans suffer, humanity suffers with them.”
The Church is to enter the boat
Cardinal Czerny emphasized that protecting marine life, promoting ethical and sustainable practices, defending the dignity and safety of maritime workers, and cultivating a spirit of responsibility are not competing priorities, but dimensions of a single moral obligation. He indicated that the Church is called to enter the boat: to accompany, listen, comfort, defend human dignity, and become a visible sign of hope and home amidst the storms of human life.
Supplication
The hierarch concluded the Message with a supplication: “May this Sea Sunday renew in all of us a deeper commitment to closeness, solidarity, care for creation, and care for all people living on the sea and inland waterways. Entrusting them to the care of Mary, Star of the Sea, we pray for safety, dignity, peace, and hope for all who travel and work on the waters.”
