Tristan : Pastoral Visit to Tristan da Cunha – 2011
Submitted by Tristan Times (Sarah Glass) 05.05.2011 (Article Archived on 19.05.2011)

After a period of about eighteen months, I was particularly looking forward to this visit.

Pastoral Visit to Tristan da Cunha – 2011

 Mothering Sunday

After a period of about eighteen months, I was particularly looking forward to this visit. My anticipation of what lay ahead was enhanced by my journey to the Island.  This time, I made the voyage on the MS Prince Albert II, a floating first class hotel if ever there was one. I joined the ship on the Falkland Islands and after about ten days, arrive at my destination, having spent a few days visiting South Georgia.

It was then, the drama began to happen. A bulk carrier, the MS Olivia, had during the night, crashed on the rocks of Nightingale Island and sought assistance from the captain of our liner, in getting the crew off the stricken carrier to safety. This help was readily given. Within twenty four hours, the ship (bound for Singapore) split in two and shortly afterwards, sank completely – losing its entire cargo, 65,000mt of soya beans. Fortunately, no human life was harmed or lost.

The Catholic community immediately made a collection of clothes for the Pilipino crew members and gave a cash donation to them, as all their personal possessions went down with the ship.

For the remainder of my time on Tristan, Island life was dominated by the disaster. It seemed that everyone was involved, in one way or another, with the ‘necessary clean-up’ procedures. Thousands of penguins, contaminated by the leaking diesel fuel from the Olivia, had to be brought to Tristan to be washed and fed, until they were able to return to the sea and their natural habitat. The specialist conservation team was ably helped by Tristanian volunteers in their time consuming endeavors.

I believe all this had impinged on my pastoral visit to an extent I could not have predicted. However, I took away some very notable memories.

First, there was a Harvest Festival Sunday, where produce from the Patches were brought and displayed around the altar and in other parts of the Church building of St Joseph. I was told that this year there was a ‘bumper harvest’, so there was much to thank God for. Afterwards, the produce was distributed among the elderly and house-bound members of the community, as is done every year.

That same Sunday, we celebrated ‘Mothers Day’. In the Mass, we thanked God for our own mothers for the love and sacrifice they made in rearing us. We also gave thanks to God for young mothers of today, in their task of bringing up the next generation. This was followed by the children giving their mothers bunches of flowers in church.

Another great highlight was the day young Rachel Green was confirmed. Despite the demands on many adults to attend the penguins, the church was full of Rachel’s family and friends to be with her on her special day. Afterwards, her parents organized a party in her home, and I think the whole island attended as the evening started to draw in.

My original intention was to be with the Catholic community to celebrate the entire Easter celebrations. However, it became obvious that this was not going to be possible, as the polluted waters around the Archipelago meant that the fishing season was coming to abrupt halt.

I was booked on the MV Edinburgh to sail for Cape Town, in South Africa, scheduled to depart Tristan during Easter Week. But it became increasingly clear that it would have to leave early, as it was not able to complete the season.

I was able to celebrate Palm Sunday with the people and almost made it to the highlight of the Easter ceremonies. But it was not to be. On Maundy Thursday, I had to leave, about two hours before the Mass was due to start. How close could one have got?

We were on the High Seas on Easter Sunday. The captain of the MV Edinburgh gave permission for an ecumenical Easter Service to be held on board. We held it in the crew’s dining room, and there was standing room only.

I tell you, it was a real celebration of the Lord’s resurrection – in every sense of the term.

Rev Mgr Michael Bernard McPartland      SMA

Apostolic Prefect of the Falkland Islands.