Apostleship of the Sea

399 Fremont Street
San Francisco

The Apostleship of the Sea is a worldwide ministry for seafarers.  It arrived in San Francisco in 1932 with a part time pastor on loan from St. Patrick’s Church working from hotels on the Embacadero.  It served the waterfront during the depths of the depression in 1933, and during the longshoremen’s strike in 1934.  It provided meals to as many as 1700 men each day. In 1937, it moved to the burned out shell of St. Brendan the Navigator Church at 399 Fremont St. and erected partitions for a recreation area, kitchen and chapel.

Matt Connelly was appointed pastor in 1948 and soon began planning a permanent building.  His dream was fulfilled when the present building was dedicated on September 8, 1962.  The facilities for 40 residents, recreation areas, kitchen and residence for the pastor were designed by Hewitt C. Wells.

The chapel is octagonal in shape with the eight points of the compass in the design of the terrazzo floor.  The lectern is the shape of the bow of a wooden sailing ship.  The clerestory stained glass windows were designed in nautical themes by Carl Huneke, Century Stained Glass Studio, San Francisco.  The medallions in those windows include St. Christopher, the Patron Saint of the chapel, and Mary, Star of the Sea, the Patroness.

Msgr. John Heaney succeeded Msgr. Connelly in 1979, and served as pastor until The Apostleship of the Sea closed in 1995.