Supporting seafarers chaplaincies
One of the primary aims of the charity Crown of Thorns is the promotion of the Holy Rosary and of devotion to Our Lady. We print and distribute several publications and prayer materials to achieve this. During the long months of the Covid-19 pandemic we have been particularly privileged to assist in supporting many of our hospital chaplains in the U.K. with rosary cards, rosary packs and other items to support their work in the hospital wards. These items have been for the benefit of not only the Covid-19 patients but also for the support of the hospital staff, other patients, patient’s family members and visitors.
The provision of these simple items of devotion continues to prove to be a great comfort, and over the last twelve months hospital chaplains have returned to us time and time again for further supplies, having seen first-hand the effect that these rosary cards and rosaries can bring to those who receive them, especially for those in the very depths of exhaustion or despair. It is heartening for us to hear of all the different ways that the rosary cards have been used, and how they have benefited those who have been given one, or picked one up at the chaplaincy tables.
Apart from the hospital chaplaincies, we have also continued to receive many requests from prison chaplaincies over the last year. These chaplains have had a challenging time through the pandemic. We have done what we could to provide what items we had available for these situations, including the provision of rosary packs and small devotional booklets for the prisoners. We also had several requests for art supplies for inmates, to enable them to paint and write during long hours of lockdown.
Another area of chaplaincy that we have continued to support in similar fashion, are the chaplaincies of the sea. By supporting these chaplains ecumenically, we can enable Anglican chaplains to have items available for any Catholic seafarers on the ships that they visit.
Despite the lockdowns we were still able to ship three large deliveries to poorer dioceses abroad. These not only included supplies for the promotion of the Holy Rosary but also many items that have been donated to the charity by parishes and individuals for redistribution, including diocesan vestments and sacramental items which are of great benefit to the local dioceses, parishes and seminaries.
We are grateful to all our donors for enabling our work through this time. Small actions carried out with love can have a huge impact on those around us. This was something reflected deeply in the words of St. Mother Theresa of Calcutta when she said “I don’t want the work to become a business but to remain a work of love.”
Please continue to support us in this work through prayer and donation where possible. All donations to the charity are used in their entirety for the work in hand.