Romana

The Apostleship of the Sea (Opus Apostolatus Maris) provides specific pastoral care for “people of the sea”. that is, sailors, seafarers and their families, as well as other people whose lives are existentially linked to navigation and fishing on the seas, rivers and lakes. It has long been a subject of particular concern for the Church.

This is attested to by various pastoral and legislative interventions by the Apostolic See, which have provided for the spiritual needs of the faithful who, for reasons of human mobility, cannot enjoy ordinary pastoral care, such as the Motu Proprio Iam pridem, of 19 March 1914, by Saint Pius X; the Apostolic Constitution Exsul Familia, of 1 August 1952, by Pius XII; the Decree on the Pastoral Office of Bishops in the Church, Christus Dominus, of 28 October 1965, of the Second Vatican Council; and the Motu Proprio Pastoralis migratorum cura, of 15 August 1969, of Saint Paul VI.

Among various categories of people affected by the phenomenon of migration, the Apostolic See has provided in a particular way for the needs of “people of the sea”, which provisions that have always emphasized the specific nature of this group of the faithful.

The Opera of the Apostleship of the Sea, established at the beginning of the twentieth century, received its first approval from the Apostolic See in 1922. Subsequently, in 1942, Pope Pius XII decided that the then Sacred Consistorial Congregation would have the “high direction of the Opera” of the Apostleship of the Sea (cf. Ex Audientia Ss.mi, of 30 May 1942, no. 334/40). This provision was confirmed by the aforementioned Apostolic Constitution Exsul Familia (cf. no. 8). On 21 November 1957, the Consistorial Congregation issued the Leges Operis Apostolatus Maris, laying down the norms for the pastoral care of seafarers and sailors, as well as granting certain faculties and privileges to the Chaplains of the Apostleship of the Sea. With the Decree Apostolatus Maris of the then Pontifical Commission for the Spiritual Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples, dated 24 September 1977, the norms and faculties were revised in the light of the Second Vatican Council. Saint John Paul II, with his Motu Proprio Stella Maris, dated 31 January 1997, updated the previously issued norms and, finally, Pope Francis decreed that the direction of the Apostleship of the Sea should be entrusted to the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, which in the meantime has assumed responsibility for the pastoral care of migrants and travelers (cf. art. 166 § 1, Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium).

Considering the current circumstances and needs, as observed by those who work in the service of the “people of the sea”, and with the fervent desire that the spiritual care of the Church in the field of maritime pastoral care may continue with enthusiasm and generosity, I hereby establish the Apostleship of the Sea as the coordinating body of the Opera of the Apostleship of the Sea, with public canonical legal status, and at the same time approve its Statutes.

This central body of the Opera of the Apostleship of the Sea, pursuant to Article 166 § 1 of the Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium will depend canonically on the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development and, in addition to the aforementioned Statutes, will be governed by the Motu Proprio on instrumental juridical persons of the Roman Curia, of 5 December 2022, and by the applicable laws of Vatican City State.

The above is without prejudice to the provisions of the Motu Proprio Stella Maris, of 31 January 1997, for the Opera of the Apostleship of the Sea.

I order that this Chirograph and the attached Statutes be promulgated by publication in L'Osservatore Romano, entering into force immediately, and to be published in the official commentary of the Acta Apostolicae Sedis.

From the Vatican, 6 November 2025

LEO PP. XIV

Statutes of the Apostleship of the Sea

Article 1

§1. The Apostleship of the Sea is the central coordinating body of the Opera of the Apostleship of the Sea.

§2. The Apostleship of the Sea has public canonical legal personality and is headquartered at Via del Pellegrino, Vatican City State.

§3. The Apostleship of the Sea depends canonically on the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, which, in accordance with Art. 166 § 1 of the Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium, exercises both the direction of the entire Opera of the Apostleship of the Sea and oversight of its central body. To this end, the Dicastery, in the manner deemed appropriate, participates in the meetings of the General Assembly and the Council of Representatives and, in the cases provided for by these Statutes, makes appointments and confirms offices.

§4. The Apostleship of the Sea is governed by canon law and by the civil legislation of the Vatican applicable to legal entities with their seat in the Vatican City State.

§5. In pastoral matters, the Apostleship of the Sea is guided by the Motu Proprio Stella Maris, dated January 31, 1997.

Article 2

§1. The Apostleship of the Sea coordinates the activities of local pastoral entities established by Episcopal Conferences with maritime, river, or lake territories, drawing the attention of these Episcopal Conferences and offering them pastoral guidance, formation opportunities, accompaniment, and support for initiatives benefiting people and communities engaged in navigation, fishing, and the care of related areas.

§2. The Episcopal Conferences referred to in § 1 that invite the activities of the Apostleship of the Sea, either by establishing a local canonical legal entity for this purpose, or by promoting it as a pastoral project or office of the Conference itself, after communicating the way this adherence will take place to the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, which will notify the Apostleship of the Sea of this adherence, participate in the General Assembly of the Apostleship of the Sea.

§3. The Apostleship of the Sea, while respecting the autonomy of local pastoral entities, fosters their collaboration, mutual spiritual and material assistance, exchange of information, and coordination in the pastoral field.

§4. The activities of the Apostleship of the Sea and, where applicable, of the local pastoral entities of the Opera of the Apostleship of the Sea, within the scope of international law, are authorized in advance by the Section for Relations with States and International Organizations of the Secretariat of State.

Article 3

The governing bodies of the Apostleship of the Sea are:

a) General Assembly;

b) Representative Council;

c) President;

d) Secretary General;

e) Treasurer;

f) Auditor.

Article 4

§1. The General Assembly is the principal governing body of the Apostleship of the Sea.

§2. The General Assembly is composed of representatives of the Episcopal Conferences referred to in Art. 2. Each Episcopal Conference is represented by the Promoting Bishop or, in his absence, by the National Director of the Apostleship of the Sea.

§3. The General Assembly meets every four years.

§4. The General Assembly is convened and presided over by the outgoing President of the Apostleship of the Sea.

§5. The Assembly acts collegially, in accordance with the Regulations approved by it.

§6. The Secretary General, the Treasurer, and the Regional Coordinators, if appointed, participate in the General Assembly without the right to vote.

§7. The General Assembly is responsible for:

a) determining the strategic framework and financial plan of the Apostleship of the Sea for the next four years;

b) electing the President and the members of the Representative Council;

c) receiving and reviewing the report on the implementation of the previous strategic plan;

d) setting the amount of membership dues;

e) approving the financial report and the overall budget for the period since the last General Assembly;

f) approving amendments to the Statutes so that they may then be submitted to the competent Authority for final approval;

g) approving any Regulations, as well as subsequent amendments thereto.

Article 5

§1. In the period between two meetings of the General Assembly, the Apostleship of the Sea is governed by the Council of Representatives.

§2. The Council of Representatives consists of 9 members of the General Assembly, elected in accordance with the Regulations approved by the General Assembly, respecting geographical representation as well as the actual proportions of the pastoral service of the represented Episcopal Conferences.

§3. The Council of Representatives is convened and presided over by the President of the Apostleship of the Sea or, should that office be vacant or the President be unable to serve, by the senior member of the Council.

§4. The Council acts collegially, in accordance with the Regulations approved by the General Assembly.

§5. It is the responsibility of the Council:

a) to make governance decisions not reserved for the General Assembly that are necessary for the promotion of the activities of the Apostleship of the Sea;

b) to prepare the multi-year work plan of the Apostleship of the Sea and submit it to the General Assembly for approval;

c) to approve the budgets, both estimated and final, of the Apostleship of the Sea;

d) to oversee the work of the Secretary General of the Apostleship of the Sea;

e) to assume any additional functions explicitly conferred by the General Assembly or necessary for the good governance of the Apostleship of the Sea.

Article 6

§1. The President of the Apostleship of the Sea is elected by the General Assembly from among the Promoting Bishops and confirmed by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.

§2. The President’s term of office begins at the close of the General Assembly that elected him and ends at the close of the next General Assembly.

§3. In the event that the President vacates office between two Assemblies, the Council of Representatives shall elect an ad interim President from among its members, who must be confirmed by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. The term of the ad interim President ends with the closing of the subsequent General Assembly and does not preclude eligibility for election as President.

§4. No one may be elected President for more than two terms.

§5. It is the responsibility of the President:

a) to direct the Apostleship of the Sea;

b) to convene and preside over meetings of the General Assembly and the Council of Representatives;

c) to maintain and manage, assisted by the Secretary General, relations with the competent bodies and agencies of the Holy See.

Article 7

§1. The Secretary General of the Apostleship of the Sea is proposed by the Council of Representatives and appointed by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development for a renewable five-year term.

§2. The Secretary General is the legal representative of the Apostleship of the Sea.

§3. It is the responsibility of the Secretary General:

a) to implement the decisions taken by the General Assembly and the Council of Representatives and to carry out any additional tasks entrusted to him by them;

b) to draft, in collaboration with the Treasurer, the proposed budgets to be submitted to the Council of Representatives;

c) to ensure regular updates to the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development;

d) to prepare the meetings of the Representative Council and the General Assembly, as well as to manage activities pertaining to the functions of the Apostleship of the Sea.

Article 8

§1. The Treasurer of the Apostleship of the Sea is elected by the General Assembly upon the proposal of the Representative Council and confirmed by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.

§2. The Treasurer’s term of office begins at the close of the General Assembly that elected him and ends at the close of the subsequent General Assembly.

§3. No one may be elected Treasurer for more than two terms.

§4. It is the responsibility of the Treasurer:

a) to inform the Representative Council regarding the economic, financial, and budgetary impact of its decisions;

b) to submit the budgets approved by the Council of Representatives for final approval by the competent Authority;

Article 9

§1. The Auditor is appointed by the Secretariat for the Economy for a five-year term and may be reappointed to the position.

§2. It is the Auditor’s duty to:

a) oversee the maintenance of the accounts and the consistency of the budget with those accounts, in accordance with the provisions of applicable laws on the matter;

b) prepare reports on budgets, estimates, and final accounts;

c) the Auditor may at any time conduct inspections and audits and subsequently submit this report to the Secretariat for the Economy;

d) to participate, without the right to vote, in Council meetings when the matters under discussion require his presence.

Article 10

The Ecclesiastical Assistant of the Apostleship of the Sea is appointed by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, which establishes the procedures for the exercise of his pastoral service.

Article 11

§1. The assets of the Apostleship of the Sea consist of:

a) an initial endowment fund of €50,000 (fifty thousand euros), deposited with the Institute for the Works of Religion (IOR);

b) offerings, donations, inheritances, bequests, charitable contributions, and funds designated for this purpose;

c) any other acquired assets.

§2. The income and proceeds from the assets of the Apostleship of the Sea are allocated to the achievement of the institutional purposes specified in these Bylaws, in accordance with the criteria and procedures determined by the Council of Representatives.

§3. The Apostleship of the Sea is funded by contributions from the Episcopal Conferences referred to in Article 2.

§4. The participation fees are established by the General Assembly.

§5. The distribution, in any form, of profits, budget surpluses, reserves, or capital is expressly prohibited; these must be used to achieve the institutional purposes of the Apostleship of the Sea.

§6. In the event of dissolution, the remaining assets shall be devolved to the Holy See.

Article 12

Amendments to these Statutes are the prerogative of the Roman Pontiff and may be proposed by the General Assembly with the favorable vote of an absolute majority of the members.

Article 13

For matters not provided for in these Statutes, the applicable norms of Canon Law shall apply.

From the Vatican, November 6, 2025

LEON PP. XIV

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