Daring rescue of ship's captain leaves Vermont parish overjoyed

By Chaz Muth
Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- When news of the bold liberation of U.S. Capt. Richard Phillips from the grip of pirates off the coast of Somalia filtered through his Vermont Catholic parish April 12, members of his church community felt like their Easter prayers had been answered.

"We're so happy that it turned out the way that it did," said Donna Schaeffler, secretary of St. Thomas Church in Underhill Center, Vt., the parish where Phillips, 53, and his wife, Andrea, regularly attend Mass.

"There is so much media here and we're trying to give the Phillipses their privacy, but we've been praying at Mass for his safe release," Schaeffler told Catholic News Service April 13 in a telephone interview.

"Our pastor (Father Charles R. Danielson) also asked everyone to pray for the Phillipses during the Easter morning Mass. We were just so happy to hear the news of his rescue later in the day," she said.

Phillips allowed himself to be taken hostage by four pirates who tried to seize the U.S.-flagged Maersk Alabama April 7 in the Indian Ocean, in order to keep the crew of the 17-ton ship safe.

He was detained by his armed captors on one of the ship's lifeboats for five days. U.S. naval forces surrounded the small boat, and Navy snipers fired three shots to kill a trio of Somali pirates and free the American sea captain, a Navy commander told The Associated Press April 13.

The fourth pirate, who had been aboard the USS Bainbridge for negotiations about the captain's release, surrendered and could face life in a U.S. prison, the AP reported.

President Barack Obama, who told the AP he was pleased with the rescue, said Phillips' courage was "a model for all Americans."

The White House had authorized the Navy to take action to resolve the five-day standoff.

Father Danielson told CNS he prayed with Phillips' wife privately at the couple's Underhill Center home the day before the dramatic rescue, and spoke to "excited and overjoyed" family members April 12 after he learned the captain was safe.

The U.S. sea captain told news reporters shortly after his rescue that he was not a hero, and praised the Navy SEALs for their efforts in securing his freedom.

Bishop Salvatore R. Matano of Burlington, Vt. -- who spoke with a member of the Phillips family April 11 and plans to have a face-to-face meeting with them after they are reunited with the captain -- said this ordeal has reminded Catholics all over Vermont how much they need the peace that Easter brings.

"I'm sure the Phillips family understands that wonderful peace since their horrible ordeal is over," Bishop Matano said. "They realize the peace of Easter and we hope that continues."

The event that unfolded for the family and citizens of Vermont has helped locals focus on tragedies all over the world and reminded them to pray for the safe return of members of the military serving in war-torn regions around the planet, he told CNS April 13.

"It's been a real eye-opener, I'll tell you that," Father Danielson told CNS in a telephone interview. "An event like this really humanizes the news. It really brings home that the faces of people in the news belong to real human beings. It's someone in your parish, in your community, and we're hoping and praying for the best."

The ordeal has also shown the priest, who has been pastor of St. Thomas since last July, that he has a faith community of people who really care about one another, pray for each other and band together in difficult times.

"This is a small community and everyone here has been concerned," Schaeffler told CNS. "Our office has been flooded with phone messages and e-mails from people who have expressed their well-wishes to Capt. Phillips and his family. When things settle down, I'll make sure they get these messages."

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