Strangely, it’s hard to find good prayers out there for commercial fishermen. Sure, there are gimmicky ones for sport fishermen, but none that truly capture the please-help-us-God-thank-you-so-much vibe that I was looking for. So, this is generally what I say when I start to worry:

“God, thank you for a safe and prosperous passage for Chris and for giving me faith with what I cannot control. Amen.”

And when I’m in a rush:

“Please, God. Don’t let him die. Thank you. Amen.”

AMEN

Finally, I found two prayers that work! Judge Bob Moon wrote the first for Deadliest Catch’s F/V Northwestern. It’s pretty awesome, one that deserves to be printed out. (Switch out the names when praying; I’m sure Bob won’t mind.😄) The second one is for our fishermen to recite.

I also included an image I took of a fisherman’s altar of the Virgin Mary in Mulege, Mexico, near the mouth of the river. The last image is the coolest pulpit I’ve ever seen located in the Coronation of Mary Church Traunkirchen, Austria. It depicts “miraculous catch of fish” in Luke, chapter 5 (one of my favorite Bible stories).

Prayer of the Northwestern by Judge Bob Moon

Commercial Fisherman’s Prayer by Kathryn Birren

A fisherman’s altar in Mulege, Mexico

Pulpit at the Coronation of Mary Church Traunkirchen, Austria

Namaste

I love blending Eastern and Western philosophy, so I searched around to see how they do it in Asia. It turns out there is a Buddhist deity named Tin Hau, the Goddess of the Sea and the patron “saint” of seafarers. She goes by different names, depending on the country. One legend says that she used her spiritual powers (possibly in a trance or while dreaming) to save her father and brothers when caught in a typhoon. A slightly different version of the story is here. There are many temples dedicated to her, even large festivals in her name. The first image is of Tin Hau, and the second I found on Sharon’s Iconic Travel Photography Blog. The last photo is “the Fishermen’s Buddha and that the women there were praying for the safe return of their husbands and a good catch.”

No matter your spiritual background, I pray that your loved ones have a very safe and prosperous season! On top of that, I pray for peace in your heart as you continue to be the strong POCF you are. And if you’re ever feeling doubtful or lonely, please remember that a group of Partners of Commercial Fishermen are here for you! Hop on our private FB group – we’re only a few clicks away! 💗 🐟

How do you handle it when your fisherman is at sea? Is there a prayer or ritual, or thought process you use to make it through? Please let us know in the comments below!