SCI Chaplains Minister to Mexican Cadets and Crew After Tragedy

After the tragic allision of the ARM Cuauhtémoc with the Brooklyn Bridge on May 17, 2025, the Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI), with coordination of the US Coast Guard and GMD Shipyard in Brooklyn Shipyard, reached out to the vessel to offer support. SCI Chaplains Michelle McWilliams and the Rev. Dr. Bill Allport visited the vessel at GMD Shipyard after they arrived for initial repairs on June 10, 2025. Following that vessel visit, and further communication with Chaplain Allport, the ship’s captain and crew asked for assistance in setting up a Roman Catholic Mass and memorial prayers conducted in Spanish.

On June 23, SCI Chaplain Allport coordinated efforts to fulfill this request by inviting and escorting Fr. Andy Egargo, Fr. John Corbett, and Deacon Fred Ferrara of Stella Maris (also known as the Apostleship of the Sea), to provide a poignant time of prayer and reflections. More than sixty crew gathered for prayers, including memorial prayers for the two deceased crew members, Adal Jair Maldonado Marcos (23) and América Yamilet Sánchez (20), and time together before the crew prepared to depart for further repairs on Staten Island.