AOS Memorial Mass for Stella Gallagher
A Mass has been celebrated in memory of Stella Gallagher who was, for many years, (from the mid fifties until the early eighties) the Manager of Westoe Towers, the Apostleship of the Sea residential centre in South Shields which welcomed seafarers from all over the world.
Stella Gallagher with Fr Fitzpatrick, the first Chaplain
at Westoe Towers
Westoe Towers in its heyday
The Mass, at St Bede’s in the town was led by Fr Michael McKenna, who himself has long standing connections with the Towers, and was concelebrated by Fr Michael Weymes parish priest, Mgr Ronnie Brown (AOS Trustee) and Fr John James. The congregation included many people who were volunteers at Westoe Towers over the years, plus members of the current AOS team from all parts of the region.
In his homily Fr McKenna paid tribute to Stella for her years of hard work at Westoe Towers, and recalled the time before she came north when she was in charge of a huge canteen on the site where Heathrow Airport was being built, and where she coped easily with the demands of providing up to 2000 meals a day for the construction workers which is perhaps evidence of her resilience and fortitude.
On display during the Mass was a statue of Our Lady which was given to Stella by some Portuguese seafarers, possibly as far back as the 1950’s, and which was originally kept in the Chapel at the Towers; this has now found a new home with Fr McKenna. This was a wonderful Mass and an occasion which quite rightly recognised the contribution made by Stella Gallagher to the lives of visiting seafarers.
The statue originally given to Stella by Portugese Sefarers
Our Lady Star of the Sea – Pray for us.
For more information about the present day work of the AOS, please go to www.apostleshipofthesea.org.uk
See also Diocesan Societies-Apostleship of the Sea
Mr Tony McAvoy AOS NE Regional Co-ordinator
e-mail teesportnorth@aposmar.net