On Thursday, November 13, 2025, the chirograph was published, by which the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, established the Apostolate of the Sea as the central and coordinating body of the Work of the Apostolate of the Sea, simultaneously approving its Statutes.
For a long time, the Church has accompanied the people of the sea, taking care of the unique spiritual needs of those who live and work in the maritime environment. The establishment of this central, coordinating body stems, therefore, from the “fervent desire that the spiritual care of the Church in the field of maritime pastoral care may continue with enthusiasm and generosity,” as stated in the chirograph.
This body was shaped after a significant process of consultation that began in October 2023, involving national directors and bishop promoters of the Work of the Apostolate of the Sea on different continents, and continued in 2025 with more focused consultations on the objectives and structure of the Apostolate of the Sea.
The consultations were conducted and coordinated by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, which, in accordance with Article 166 § 1 of the Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium, exercises care for both the direction of the entire Work of the Apostolate of the Sea and the supervision of its central body (Article 1 § 3 of the Statutes of the Apostolate of the Sea).
Following the creation of the Apostleship of the Sea, the central and coordinating body of the Work of the Apostleship of the Sea, with the Chirograph of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on 6 November 2025, Card. Michael Czerny S.J., Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, appointed His Excellency Luis Quinteiro Fiuza as President ad interim of the Apostleship of the Sea and Reverend Fr Ritchille Salinas SVD, Secretary General ad interim of the Apostleship of the Sea.
In addition to being the reference persons for the Apostleship of the Sea, they will have the main task of preparing the first General Assembly as its temporary central and coordinating body. We thank Most Rev. Quinteiro and Fr Salinas SVD for their availability and for the work they will carry out in the coming months to prepare for the first General Assembly.