The Holy See has appointed Monsignor Luis Quinteiro Fiuza, emeritus bishop of Tui-Vigo, as ad interim president of the Apostleship of the Sea, an ecclesial organization dedicated to the pastoral care of people linked to the maritime world. The appointment has been made by the Dicastery for the Service of Integral Human Development.
According to the Spanish Episcopal Conference, Father Ritchille Salinas SVD has also been appointed alongside Monsignor Quinteiro as ad interim general secretary of the Apostleship of the Sea. Both will assume the responsibility of coordinating this organism at the central level while its first General Assembly is prepared.
What is the Apostleship of the Sea?
The Apostleship of the Sea—internationally known as Stella Maris—is a work of the Catholic Church dedicated to the pastoral, human, and spiritual care of seafarers, fishermen, port workers, and their families. Its mission includes sacramental assistance, accompaniment in situations of isolation or precariousness, the defense of human dignity in the maritime sphere, and the presence of the Church in ports and coastal communities around the world.
On November 13, Pope Leo XIV officially erected the Apostleship of the Sea as the central and coordinating body of this pastoral work through a chirograph, also approving its statutes. With this decision, the Holy See strengthens the institutional structure of an apostolate with a long tradition in the Church, oriented towards spiritually and humanly accompanying seafarers, fishermen, and their families.
Following the pontifical approval, Cardinal Michael Czerny SJ, prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Integral Human Development, proceeded with the ad interim appointments that will allow the new organism to be set in motion in accordance with the approved statutes.
Preparation of the First General Assembly
As temporary leaders of the Apostleship of the Sea, Monsignor Quinteiro and Father Salinas will be the reference persons at the international level and will have as their main task the preparation of the first General Assembly, a key step for the consolidation of the new institutional phase of the apostolate.
A Long Connection with the Apostleship of the Sea
Mons. Luis Quinteiro Fiuza has been closely linked to the Apostleship of the Sea for more than two decades. In the Spanish Episcopal Conference, he held the position of promoting bishop for this apostolate for more than 20 years, accompanying and promoting its pastoral work in favor of those who work in the maritime field.