SAILORS’ PADRE

Grey River Argus, 29 December 1934, Page 8

SAILORS’ PADRE

HOLDS MASTER’S TICKET. WELLINGTON, December 27. The world is the parish of Father J. E. Rockliff and the welfare of sailors his special interest. He arrived by the Makura from Sydney and is on his way to carry out spiritual and research work in the Society Islands, in the South Pacific. Father Rockliff is in every sense a real sea priest. He is claimed to be the only priest in the world with a master mariner’s certificate. Besides being qualified to navigate world oceans, he is skipper, as international promoter of the Apostleship of the Sea,, of a crew of 700,000 sailors on spiritual waters. A man of short stature and a very genial person, Father Rockliff has had a most interesting career, and also an adventurous one. He went to sea first as a cadet on a sailing ship. He was in the Royal Navy as a chaplain, and then transferred to the institution known as the Apostleship of the Sea. Father Rockliff is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society of London, and is connected with kindred societies in Italy, France, Germany, and America.

In addition to spiritual activities in the Society Islands, Father Rockliff will be engaged in marine research work on behalf of the geographical societies with which he is connected. A schooner has been placed at his disposal for the purposes of his work. Father Rockliff’s work takes him to all parts of the world. His headquarters are in London. From the Society Islands, he intends going on to San Francisco and eventually to England. Last year, Father Rockliff visited India. Extremely rough weather was experienced at one place and the vessel he was in, was compelled to lie about a mile and a half off the shore. The natives, devout Catholics, came out in a canoe from their little fishing village. They assured him the chief had sent his best crew for him, and nothing could happen to a priest. But, said Father Rockliff, the canoe capsized just the same, and he received a thorough ducking. Father Rockliff is recovering from congestion of the lungs, which attacked him in Melbourne.