Imitating St. Paul, priests sail to Malta, encounter stormy seas

Published: 2004-10-26

VALLETTA, Malta (CNS) -- Eight sailor-priests traveling to an international meeting in Malta wanted to imitate St. Paul's journey to the country, but did not count on encountering stormy seas. The priests, chaplains at Poland's Christian School of Sailors, sailed the Straznik Poranka from Dubrovnik, Croatia, to Brindisi, Italy, where they stopped for supplies. But south of Brindisi, in the Ionian Sea, they encountered a storm. Severe winds slammed the boat and broke the mast, forcing it to return to Brindisi for repairs. Once in Brindisi, one crewman, Father Slavomir Grodecki, climbed the 18-foot mast and repaired the damage. Father Mieczyslaw Piotrowski, editor of the magazine Love One Another, described the storm as enriching from a spiritual point of view. "When you experience the power of God, you have to pray," he said. "After the storm, the water got very peaceful. It was rewarding."

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