707 W. Hornet Avenue

Pier 3

USS Hornet Aircraft Carrier-Chapel
Alameda, California

"The USS Hornet Museum is a museum ship in Alameda, California, USA. (Link 1.)  Tucked away on the lower deck is the Library which also serves as the Chapel.  In front of rows of blue chairs are the altar, the small organ, and the lectern.

Sign for the Library and Chapel

Chapel area of the Library

"• Every Sunday – Protestant Divine ServicesHornet Chaplain John Berger conducts church services at 11:00am in the ship's Chapel. All hands and guests are welcome." (Link 4.)  The Sunday bulletin is titled "All Hands General Worship". (See photo below.)

"All Hands General Worship" Bulletin

The Office of the Chaplaincy is adjacent to the worship area.  Hanging on the side walls are photos of past chaplains as well as the crest of the "Chaplain Corp, U. S. Navy". (See photo below.)

Crest of Chaplain Corps, U. S. Navy

Bibles, spiritual books, and hymnals are available in bookcases lining the walls of the library area.

In a glass case opposite the worship area is the banner used at outdoor services. (See photo below.)

Outdoor 

Worship services are held on deck for special occasions such as the one that was held this Memorial Day.

On Deck Worship Service

"This year marks the 13th year the museum is holding this ceremony (Memorial Day) and it will include a special invocation by retired U.S. Navy Cmdr. Chaplain John Berger, a special wreath-tossing ceremony off the ship, and the presentation of Colors by the Boy Scouts of America. There will also be musical performances featuring the Hornet Band and the Young American Patriots Fife & Drum Corps beginning at 11 a.m." (Link 3.)

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"It (USS Hornet Museum) is composed of the USS Hornet (CV-12) aircraft carrier, exhibits from the NASAApollo moon exploration missions, and several retired aircraft from the Second World War and the transonic and early supersonic jet propulsion period. A number of compartments contain exhibits concerning contemporary carriers that are supported by related associations. The flight deck, hangar deck, and first deck below are open for self-guided tours. Docent-led tours are available into the ship's navigation and flight deck control areas of the island and down into one of the engineering spaces containing two of the four ship's propulsion turbines.

"It is located on the southernmost pier of the former Naval Air Station Alameda. There are plans to relocate it to the corner of the Seaplane Lagoon closest to the Alameda Point Museum in conjunction with a ferry terminal and a light rail or bus connection toBART." (Link 1.)

"The USS Hornet CV-12 is one of the 24 legendary Essex-class aircraft carriers built during and after World War II. Built at Newport News, Virginia, and the eighth ship to be named “Hornet,” she is one of the most decorated ships of the US Navy.  For 16 continuous months Hornet was in action in the forward areas of the Pacific combat zone, sometimes within 40 miles of the Japanese home islands.

"Hornet participated in World War II, the Vietnam War, and the first moon missions.

• Earned 9 battle stars for her service in WWII
• Awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for her WWII operations (only nine carriers so cited).
• Flawlessly recovered the Apollo 11 space capsule and the first men to walk on the moon. A few months later, she also recovered the Apollo 12 capsule and its all-Navy crew; 1969
• USS Hornet (CVS-12) is designated a National Historic Landmark; 1991
• Hornet opens to the public as an aircraft carrier museum in Alameda, California; 1998
• USS Hornet is designated a State Historic Landmark; 1999.
• The F/A-18 strike fighter carries on the name of Hornet in today's NAVY." (Link 2.)

Photos: Taken in June 2013 by SW.
Link 1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Hornet_Museum
Link 2: http://www.uss-hornet.org/history/heritage/index.shtml
Link 3: http://articles.latimes.com/2013/may/23/news/la-trb-memorial-day-uss-hornet-20130522
Link 4: http://www.uss-hornet.org/calendar/upcoming/

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Prayer

God, be with the persecuted Christians through out the world. Amen (SW.)

                                                                                                                                    1/15/12

 Costa Pacifica in port in Malta

Costa Pacifica Cruise Ship Chapel

The Cruise Ship Costa Pacifica is a "home away from home" during its eight day cruise of the Western Mediterranean. The 3,789 passenger luxury ship built in 2009 features music as its theme. Classical music is played in the halls and music of the day's destination in played in the elevators. Entire lounges are dedicated to a single style of music: classical, jazz, swing, disco, calypso. Afternoon and nightly shows feature a single style or a the whole range including classical, rap, and pop. Decor also features music with: treble clef railings in the lounge, cello motifs on the elevator doors, paintings of musicians in the state rooms, wallpaper sketches of musicians on the hall walls.

The 112,000 tons of this cruise ship are decked out in ultra Vegas with spectacular amenities. There are: two retractable-roof swimming pools as well as an outdoor swimming pool, five hot tubs, a kiddie pool, a Formula 2 race car driving simulator, one of the largest spas at sea, a library, a music studio, and 13 bars/lounges.

The route of this floating beauty is: Civitavecchia (and hour and a half on the train from Rome), Savona (with an excursion to Monaco available), Barcellona Spain, Mallorca, Tunis Tunisia, Malta, and Catania Sicily. Passengers board at several of these ports. (See map below.)

 

Since the Costa Pacifica is an Italian ship, Italian is the main language used on board.   On the first week of April 2010 cruise only 500 of the 3,789 passengers were English speakers. Italian and French were predominant. Announcements were made taking this proportion into consideration.  Important information such as the life boat drill were repeated in every language represented.  As the 3,789 passengers stood on deck sporting their life jackets all the information was repeated in: Italian, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Japanese, and English. Only then was the all clear horn  sounded.

Another pleasant surprise on the Costa Pacifica Cruise line is the age range.  Families with with babies, preschoolers, and teens, honeymooners, and  extended family groups dominate the roster.

                                                                           Chapel

The Costa Pacifica Cruise Ship includes this beautiful petite chapel for daily worship. The chapel seats 18 and is 45 square meters in size.  Christ, Mary, and Joseph and perhaps the feeding of the multitudes are depicted behind the altar. Brightly painted single Saints are painted in the side wall niches of the chapel. Framed spiritual paintings are mounted between these wall niches. The blond wood pews, gold trim, crystal chandelier, and warm overhead lights reset in circular alcoves and chandelier give the chapel a golden glow. Dark carpeting contrasts with the shiny marble center aisle with its stylized cross border. The marble pedestaled altar is covered with a scalloped linen. An urn of flowers sit in front of the altar. Daily church service times at the Chapel on the deck 4 are varied to fit in with excursion schedules.

                                                                          Chapel
Other church services are held on board as well. On Easter Sunday the 8:45 am Holy Mass was held on deck 5 in the Around the Clock Lounge. This facilitated a larger congregation. On Saturday night at 8:45 pm a renewal of marriage vows was held on deck 5 in the Amadeus lounge. Honeymooners and those celebrating special wedding anniversaries were invited. Again a venue larger than the chapel was needed to accommodate the many couples that attended.

For personal worship a Gideon Bible can be found in the bedside table in each state room. Since this is an Italian ship, the Bible is in Italian, of course.

 For more information regarding the Costa Pacifica see Blog Post http://www.demolitionmama.blogspot.com/ June 19, 2010.

Photos: Taken on Costa Pacifica Cruise Ship in April 2010 by SW.
Thank you: To Carol Pennington Senior Advisor, Office of the Sr. Vice President- Guest Relations on the Costa Pacifica for details regarding the chapel.

Link 1: http://cruises.about.com/od/costapacifica/ig/Costa-Pacifica.-odC/
Photos: Costa Pacifica Cruise Ship taken in Malta in April 2010 by SW.

Note: Sympathy to passengers and their families involved in the tragic accident on Pacifica's sister ship Concordia.  (See Link 2 for photos and details.)
Link 2: http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/01/16/striking-photographs-of-tragedy-in-shallow-waters-as-the-costa-concordia-sinks/

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