The membership of the Catholic Church in Finland appears to be continuing its steady growth. This is reflected in the statistics compiled at the turn of the year for the diocese, using the new membership register for the first time.
Throughout last autumn and winter, parishes have been transferring data from the old membership register to the new system. The process has been slow, gaps remain, and many parishes still have data that need updating. In particular, the statistics for St. Mary’s Parish show clear discontinuities, as some years’ data are still missing.
Despite this, the information received from the parishes confirms that the steady growth, which began in the 1980s, is continuing. According to the current data, the total registered membership of the diocese at the turn of the year 2024–2025 was 17,457 members, reflecting a 1.3% increase. Additionally, it is impossible to estimate the total number of unregistered members, but it certainly amounts to several thousand Catholics.
A bit of speculation is warranted: If St. Mary’s Parish’s membership had remained at the same level as the previous year, the total membership of the diocese would exceed 17,850, representing a 3.7% increase. Furthermore, if St. Mary’s figures for last year’s real membership change (total growth minus total reduction) are accurate, there would be an additional increase of 112 members. This would bring the diocesan membership to 17,971, marking a 4.2% growth over the year.
Parish Membership as of December 31, 2024 (Based on Available Statistics)
- St. Henry’s: 5,268 (+1.2%)
- St. Mary’s: 4,467 (-8.4%)
- St. Bridget’s: 2,660 (+5.8%)
- St. Olaf’s: 425 (+4.2%)
- Holy Cross: 2,166 (+18.8%)
- St. Ursula’s: 700 (+6.1%)
- Holy Family: 1,031 (-1.2%)
- St. Joseph’s: 740 (+4.2%)
The exceptional growth of Holy Cross Parish appears to be mainly due to a significant number of Catholic immigrants registering. Similar waves of registrations may be expected in other parishes in the future.
Other Ecclesiastical Life
Through baptism, 222 people joined the diocese, while 56 were received into the Church. Membership decreased by 38 due to death, and 43 members left the Church.
First Communions totaled 294, while 233 parishioners received the sacrament of Confirmation. A total of 43 marriages were celebrated, 15 of which were between two Catholic spouses. All these figures show an increase. The number of children of catechetical age has not been fully assessed, but it appears that over 1,700 children were in this category at the turn of the year.
Moving Forward
It is a source of joy and relief that the diocese has finally implemented its new membership register and that parishes have largely completed the data transfer. Once the transition is fully completed, the figures presented in this article can be further verified, allowing for even better tracking of membership trends and key aspects of ecclesiastical life.
This data is crucial for planning and prioritizing parish activities. For instance, without accurate information on where parishioners reside, it is difficult to determine where diaspora Masses should be held or how best to organize sacramental and religious education.
In addition to the parishes, the maintenance and development of the membership register are now overseen by Lisa Fridman, recently hired as a part-time registry secretary. Membership-related matters—including address changes for Fides—should be handled through one’s respective parish.
Marko Tervaportti