Emanuel R. Mallia, Msida
Sunday Mass on cruise liners
Now that the cruise season is fast approaching, it would undoubtedly be appropriate to look back on practices on renowned cruise ships and adopt them on cruises sailing from Malta.
Last year I joined a cruise from Dover in the UK to the Baltic capitals on the luxurious cruise liner Norwegian Jewel, a sister ship to the Norwegian Gem which sails from Malta.
Mass was celebrated on board with fellow guest Fr Tom Cauley on the two consecutive Sundays of the cruise. Some 300 passengers attended.
It was indeed an encouragement as well as an incentive to many passengers to know that the ships line had provided this much-wanted service.
Should the local travelling agents consider extending such a service on cruises, attracting many Maltese, wishing not to miss their Sunday Mass while on a cruise?
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John Dingli
May 12th 2009, 12:52
@ Mr Alex Tonna;
Thank you! What a pleasant relief to read a religion-oriented comment that comes from the reasoning mind and not the traditional heart of sentiment.
I agree with you wholeheartedly. Religion is a thing of the soul; a personal thing. A cruise ship, always so diverse in the origins/religions of its crew and passengers, is no place for a religious celebration of any one particular denomination.
Franco Farrugia
May 11th 2009, 19:40
As far as I know, mass is said in such a situation and context when a priest happens to be on board, punto e basta!
Joseph Galea
May 11th 2009, 18:58
Contrary to what many believe, religious services on cruise liners are not that uncommon, albeit not necessarily a Catholic Mass. I have been on cruises and attended non-denominational religious services on a Sunday.
Kevin Bonnici
May 11th 2009, 16:24
Did I understand the last sentence correctly? Does the writer believe that people would not go on a cruise (or distinguish between lines/ships) because there is no Sunday Mass? Dream on!!
S. Camilleri
May 11th 2009, 12:30
A simple solution would be to assess demand from various major denominations beforehand... pretty much like to what happens for airline food. If the demand is sufficient, the cruise company could easily request services of a Priest/Imam/Rabbi beforehand. Alternatively, cruise ships often provide a quite, non denominational, corner for the use of religious communion.
Alex Tonna
May 11th 2009, 10:44
Whilst I personally have no problem with Sunday Mass on a cruise liner, however, I can also comprehend why religious functions are not standard on most liners.
If you include one religion, then the rest will rightfully want to be present on board as well. The organisers will have to know beforehand all the religions involved to successfully organise the respective events . Priests, Imams, Rabbis ets will also have to be recruited for the function.
On the other hand , it would be rather embarrassing to have a cruise liner's advert with a "Catholics Only Please !!"
History should have enlighted us without a shadow of doubt, that :
"Religion is best left to the Soul."
When it goes public , something always seems to irritate other people beliefs.