The World Is My Parish: Chaplain aboard HMS Prince of Wales

The Revd Mark Mander shares this blog of his life as chaplain with the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales.

When John Wesley declared, “The world is my parish,” he could hardly have imagined a Royal Navy aircraft carrier sailing through the Red Sea, across the South China Sea, and around the globe. Yet as a Methodist Presbyter serving as Flag Chaplain in HMS Prince of Wales during Operation Highmast in 2025, I found myself living out those very words in a remarkable and deeply fulfilling way.

For eight months, HMS Prince of Wales was home to nearly 2,000 people, including sailors, Royal Marines, aviators, and soldiers. As Flag Chaplain, I was responsible not only for the spiritual care of around 1,600 personnel on board but also for supporting chaplains serving across the wider Carrier Strike Group. Together, we travelled more than 40,000 nautical miles, visited eight countries, and operated in some of the world's most demanding regions, including two transits through the high-threat waters of the Red Sea and the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. We also demonstrated freedom of navigation in the South China Sea while representing the United Kingdom in the various countries that were visited.

While the operational achievements of the deployment were significant, what remains most memorable to me was the spiritual life of the ship's company. Time and again I encountered a genuine openness to faith and a desire to explore life's deeper questions. Despite long hours, operational pressures, and separation from loved ones, attendance at worship services remained consistently strong. It was not uncommon for 100 people to attend church on Sunday.

During the deployment, the chaplaincy team ran both the Alpha Course and The Bible Course. These programmes created opportunities for discussion, learning, and reflection. The impact was tangible. Several personnel made clear commitments to the Christian faith, and two individuals requested baptism while we were alongside in Crete. Others discovered that the chaplaincy offered something equally valuable: a place of peace, belonging, and stability during the uncertainty of military life.

Navy chaplaincy is more than conducting services. It is about being present with people wherever they find themselves. During an eight-month deployment, life continues at home for the ship’s company’s friends and family.  Sadly, this meant that some members of the ship's company experienced bereavement while thousands of miles away from their families. In those moments, the chaplaincy became a source of comfort, hope, and support. Memorial services were held on board, and wherever possible we helped personnel participate in services taking place back home by providing opportunities for them to view live streams. Even those with little previous connection to church often sought a listening ear, a prayer, or simply someone to walk alongside them during their grief.

Other highlights of chaplaincy activity included, assisting members of the ship's company to explore places of religious and cultural significance during port visits. One particularly encouraging moment for me as a Methodist Chaplain was visiting Wesley Memorial Methodist Church in Singapore with members of the ship, which allowed them to witness hundreds of young people worshipping God with enthusiasm and joy.

Another moving occasion was a memorial service conducted over the wreck of a previous ship called HMS Prince of Wales, where more than 800 sailors lost their lives during the Second World War. As we remembered the fallen, a Japanese naval vessel joined us. The sight of two nations, once enemies, sailing together in friendship and remembrance offered a powerful testimony to reconciliation, peace, and hope.

As the Royal Navy continues to prepare for future deployments in an uncertain world, I remain convinced that Methodist ministers have a unique and valuable contribution to make within the Armed Forces. Chaplaincy takes us beyond the walls of our churches and into workplaces, ships, bases, and communities where people are asking profound questions about life, purpose, suffering, and faith.

If Wesley's vision was that the world should be our parish, then Royal Navy chaplaincy offers a truly extraordinary opportunity to live that calling. Every day brings the privilege of meeting people where they are, sharing God's love in practical ways, and serving those who serve our nation. For me, it has been one of the most rewarding ministries imaginable.