In late February, sad news reached Finland: Fr. Frans Voss S.C.I., who had served in many of our country’s Catholic parishes over a span of 50 years, had passed away on 26 February 2025 at the Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital in Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Fr. Frans was born on 3 September 1935 in Amsterdam and spent his early childhood during one of the most harrowing periods in world history, in an occupied country while the Second World War raged around him. As a child, Frans was frequently ill, but thanks to a strong immune system and an evidently firm character, he recovered from childhood illnesses. Once he regained his health, he became a student at St. Nicholas High School, cycling cheerfully across the city to attend. The school was run by the Congregation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Frans made the farsighted decision to choose the language track, which would serve him well in his future priestly vocation.
During his school years, he became an acolyte—a minor order. His priestly vocation gradually awakened during adoration of the most blessed Eucharist. His teachers were priests from the Sacred Heart congregation, and he became familiar with their way of life at school. Their foundation was Christ, and getting to know that foundation gave Frans his direction.
At the age of 19, Frans Voss began his studies at the seminary of the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Asten and joined the congregation the following year. He made his perpetual vows on the feast day of the Holy Rosary in October 1960 and was ordained a priest on 18 December 1960 in the chapel of the seminary. Upon ordination, one could express how and where one wished to serve the Church, taking into account the pastoral needs around the world. Fr. Frans was ready to go wherever he was needed, but due to his health, it turned out that only two countries were viable: Finland and Canada.
His first assignment as a priest was as a primary school teacher in a boys’ seminary. At the same time, he studied German and served in nearby parishes on weekends. His appointment to Finland came shortly after the new bishop of Helsinki, Paul Verschuren S.C.I., had been appointed.
Fr. Frans arrived in Finland in 1965. In advance, he had spent much time thinking about what kind of country he was about to enter. It was culturally developed, and its people were Christians—90 percent baptized. What was expected of him? Was he coming as an advisor, whose task would include making the Catholic Church better known and bringing Christians together? Loved ones saw him off as he boarded a cargo ship in Amsterdam in August. After two days at sea, the ship arrived in Helsinki’s South Harbour, glowing in the light of a summer night. There he was received in the morning by Vicar General Fr. Jacobus Reinders S.C.I.. Together, they went to St. Henry’s Church, and Fr. Frans took up residence in the rectory of the cathedral parish.
The time of Fr. Frans’s arrival in Finland is remembered in the Catholic Church’s history as a period of change and renewal. The Second Vatican Council was just ending, and its documents were being sent to dioceses around the world, including to Finland. The reforms these documents brought were not the only thing that kept Fr. Frans busy; at the same time, he was beginning the process of integrating into the country—its language and culture. He studied Finnish “with both hands”: in one hand, the Bible; in the other, Finnish translations of the Council’s documents.
After a year, Fr. Frans was transferred to Turku, where he continued his language studies and assisted in the parish while Fr. Jan Sniders S.C.I. served as parish priest. That year, Turku’s new Catholic church and parish centre were solemnly consecrated.
In 1968, Fr. Frans was appointed to serve in St. Olaf’s Parish in Jyväskylä, where he worked as a parochial vicar for four years. The parish priest was Fr. Wim Slegers S.C.I.. Sisters of the Sacred Heart from St. Mary’s Parish in Helsinki came to Jyväskylä to run a kindergarten. The parishioners lived scattered and far apart, and people spoke of an “impossible diaspora,” with priestly journeys stretching up to 2,000 kilometres, from Lapland to South Karelia and Kymenlaakso.
In 1971, efforts began in Helsinki to organise shared religious education for children, and Fr. Frans was needed for the task. At that time, he also taught religion at the German school and celebrated Mass in German.
In 1981, Frans Voss became the parish priest of the Catholic parish of St. Bridget and Blessed Hemming in Turku, where he served until 1992. The work was diverse and interesting. The parish was undergoing changes, as the Dutch sisters were preparing to leave Finland. Bishop Verschuren was seeking a religious order of women who might be interested in coming to the country. Such a community was found: the sisters of the Swedish branch of the Order of the Most Holy Saviour and St. Bridget were ready to return to Finland, from which they had been forced to leave during the Reformation. The sisters arrived in 1986, and Fr. Frans was there to welcome them.
One of the most significant events during Fr. Frans’s time in Turku was the papal visit. During his 1989 trip to the Nordic countries, Pope John Paul II visited the Catholic church in Turku and prayed there with the parishioners.
As regional superior of the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Fr. Frans took on more public responsibility. This included selecting priests in cooperation with the bishop, engaging internationally, and travelling to meetings in places such as Rome, Poland, England, and Brazil. Fr. Frans also helped the congregation acquire a residence on Mäntytie near St. Mary’s Church, where he lived together with Fr. Wim Slegers.
From 1998 to 2002, Frans returned to St. Olaf’s Parish, this time as parish priest. On the eve of Epiphany 2001, the church was filled with parishioners and guests from as far away as the Netherlands, as they celebrated the 40th anniversary of Fr. Frans’s ordination.
Upon returning to Helsinki, Fr. Frans celebrated Mass with the Carmelite Sisters and served as their confessor. He was also the confessor for the Missionaries of Charity. He carried out priestly duties with the senior citizens’ club at St. Mary’s Church and participated in meetings of the Secular Franciscans. He also served as moderator for the Lay Members of the Sacred Heart and as priest for a charismatic group of African parishioners who met twice a month.
Fr. Frans took a six-month sabbatical from 1993 to 1994. This meant travelling to the congregation’s theological study centre near Milwaukee, USA, where many priests and brothers from various countries were studying. In Fr. Frans’s view, the Hales Corners centre could offer much to a priest working in a diaspora situation such as Finland.
Ecumenism was of interest and importance to Fr. Frans throughout his ministry. He built connections with other denominations in the places where he served. A particularly meaningful event was the ecumenical pilgrimage to Rome held in January. Fr. Frans participated in 2004 alongside Bishop Józef Wróbel S.C.I.. Representatives from the Evangelical Lutheran Church were also present.
Many remember Fr. Frans with gratitude as a retreat leader for weekends or full weeks. He approached this role with deep dedication, guided by the spiritual theme at hand. As a travelling priest and spiritual guide, he participated in numerous pilgrimages to renowned destinations such as the Marian apparition sites in Lourdes, France, and Fatima, Portugal, as well as to the areas in Spain where St. Teresa of Jesus and St. John of the Cross had lived and worked.
In the summer 2015 issue of Fides magazine, it was announced that Fr. Frans Voss would retire and return to his homeland, the Netherlands. Many felt a sense of sorrow in their hearts as this beloved priest, who had spent his life’s work in Finland, departed the country and many friends here. In the Netherlands, Fr. Frans experienced some health issues but was able to enjoy a peaceful retirement for ten years until his death.
We will not forget you, Fr. Frans. Rest in the eternal peace of the Lord.
Elina Grönlund, Obl. OSSS