NARRAGANSETT — On the sunny, late July morning people walked up and down the boardwalk along Salty Brine Beach, while others sat on the shore or browsed among the many stores and restaurants that dot the Rhode Island coast. Acoustic music played faintly in the background as various organizations set up stands bringing attention to various causes.
Such was the scene on Saturday, July 27, the last day of the Blessing of the Fleet. The annual event, organized by the Narragansett Lions Club, a three-day event that includes live music, a seafood festival and a race. Yet, the celebrations reach their most meaningful element on the third and final day, when clergy are asked to attend the event and bless ships used by local fishermen and merchants.
Archbishop-elect Richard G. Henning was asked to say the prayers and perform the blessings. Upon his arrival, he sailed into the bay just outside of Salty Brine Beach, blessing with Holy Water ships stationed along the dock and those sailing along the coast. The archbishop-elect then blessed a wreath that symbolically represented those lost at sea.
The celebrations culminated with the parade of ships, with each ship decked out with ornaments and decorations and judged in a contest presided by the organizers to determine the most festive ship. The archbishop-elect stood on the dock and blessed the ships as they passed by.
In his prayers, Archbishop-elect Henning asked God to send down his protection upon those who frequently take part in seabound activities or ship-related work.
“Heavenly Father, Lord of sea and sky, we give You thanks for the beauty, and the bounty, and the grandeur of the sea,” the archbishop-elect prayed. “We give you thanks for those who risk the waters to bring back that bounty to our tables. We ask that you protect them from all harm, that you guide them safely home to port. … Most particularly we commend to your eternal mercy those who have been lost as sea. We ask that you bring them safely home to the safe port that is your heavenly kingdom.”
The Blessing of the Fleet is based on a series of similar traditions dating back thousands of years. In ancient times, many pre-Christian civilizations would invite local religious leaders to bless ships at the start of long journeys or at the beginning of the fishing season.
Similar customs were also found among some Jewish and early Christian communities. As Christianity began to spread, this tradition became a deeply rooted part of many cultures, particularly those found near coastal areas. Such traditions became quite common in the Mediterranean region, where they were often accompanied by many larger festivities in the local community. Such customs were also found in some of the coastal regions of northern Europe.
Although many of the traditions associated with the blessing of ships were closely connected with certain traditions within Catholicism, they were preserved in various forms well into the modern era even among some non-Catholic communities.
These traditions were introduced to the United States by way of various fishing communities, particularly in predominantly Catholic parts of the nation, but eventually evolved into the modern Blessing of the Fleet in the period immediately following World War II, during which time they began to experience a drastic increase in popularity.
The Blessing of the Fleet was first introduced to Rhode Island in the early 1970s. The primary group responsible for organizing the event is the Lions Club. Founded in the early 20th century, the Lions Club began as an association of local professionals who sought to use their resources to help the local community.
The connection between the Blessing of the Fleet and life in the local community is something strongly emphasized by event organizers.
“The archbishop-elect will stand on the podium, and the boats will come through, and he will bless them,” said Sue Buonanni, one of the organizers. “This is really the heart and soul of the weekend blessing.”
Buonanni emphasized how the cultural and emotional significance of the Blessing of the Fleet took on a very personal meaning for those involved.
“It’s wonderful. I think for the port, too, for all the fishing boats, it’s great,” she noted.
This element was on full display when Archbishop-elect Henning met with Bob Champlin. Champlin, age 94, is the oldest living fisherman on Point Judith. Over the course of his career, which stretches roughly 70 years, Champlin owned and operated seven fishing boats. Champlin was one of those honored during the day’s events.
Champlin’s presence is symbolic of a broader mindset that defined the Blessing of the Fleet, namely that the annual tradition is an expression of the culture and heritage of the local community. This was something reinforced by the fact that there were almost 4,000 registered participants in the race associated with the Blessing of the Fleet, which some of the organizers believe may be a record.
“By the time the blessing actually takes place, the boardwalk will be full,” said Stephen Jordan, a member of the Lions’ Club since 1998 who oversaw the logistics of the event.
“I think it’s a great community builder, because it draws so many people out,” said Father Robert Forcier, the pastor of St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish in Narragansett. “We take for granted oftentimes the resources, what the bay does financially, economically, recreationally. We have a renewed appreciation of being close to the water, what a great gift the ocean is. It draws people together.”
