Featured in Fides 3/24
The Diocese Celebrating Together in August
This year, the Diocesan Feast for all Catholics in Finland will be held on Saturday, August 17, in Lohja. The Mass for the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary will take place in the medieval St. Lawrence Church starting at 11 am. After the Mass, lunch will be offered. The program will also include some entertainment, a devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and a break for coffee. More information will be provided as soon as it becomes available. A small fee will be requested for the lunch. Please register with your own parish. (This includes those arriving by private car). Welcome!
Pray and Help
The new projects launched by the Bishop during the past winter and spring include a new membership register program, a new website for the Diocese, a spiritual center, plans for Stella Maris, as well as a Catholic school and a Catholic nursing home.
The functioning of the register program of members of the Diocese has in recent years been poor, to say the least. Therefore, ”the register of members has been perhaps the most urgent issue,” says Bishop Raimo. Without a functioning membership register, parishes will not function, and plans for the possible establishment of new parishes are almost impossible to develop. There are thousands of Catholics in Finland who are not registered as members. ”It is crucial that all Catholics living in Finland remember to register and that they are able to receive help to do so.” This is important for the pastoral work of the parishes, but also because the state’s small, yet important, amount of financial support depends on the number of registered members.
The Diocese, and gradually also the parishes, are planning new websites, which will eventually be linked to the Catholic book store and the website of the Diocesan Journal Fides.
There are plans to develop the former Carmelite monastery in Espoo into a spiritual center for retreats and other similar events. In addition, perhaps a more distant goal is to again be able to use our ”beloved” Stella Maris for camps and other activities.
A lot of work has already been done towards a Catholic nursing home. ”It will be something in between a nursing home and a place for assisted living, maybe a bit of both.” The hope is to offer a home for people who can still manage relatively well on their own, as well as for those that need more help.
There are also plans to establish a Catholic school as soon as possible. What spiritual growth potential there would be if Catholic children could attend a school where their own religious identity was allowed to flourish!
Next autumn the goal is to start offering courses in Catholic theology and philosophy to those who are interested in them, especially for candidates for the deaconate and priesthood in the Diocese. It is therefore of enormous importance that the Catholic faith can be presented at a high scientific level also in Finland and in Finnish. Bishop Raimo says: ”One day our Diocese may have its own seminary.”
A growing Diocese and full Masses on Sundays show that more Catholic churches, chapels and other facilities are needed in Finland. ”There should be churches wherever Catholics are,” the bishop says, noting that in Åland, for example, discussions are already under way.
There are plenty of projects, including ones not mentioned here. The Bishop’s request is simple: ’Let’s pray alone and together for this beloved Diocese of ours, and please help where you can.” The Bishop wishes all of us a blessed summer and encourages us to love God above all the beauty of His creation, especially the Holy Virgin Mary, Mother of God and through the intercessions of Blessed Hemming.
Jubilee Year Pilgrimage to Rome
January 31 – February 4, 2025
The Catholic Dioceses of the Nordic Countries are organizing a joint pilgrimage to Rome for the Jubilee Year of the Church. During the trip, participants will visit many sacred sites of the Eternal City together or as diocesan groups, and will together attend many Masses and other devotions. The goal is to also participate in a Papal Mass. A more detailed program is still in development. More information will later be available on the websites of the Nordic Dioceses.
It is important to note that travel arrangements for the pilgrimage will not be organized collectively. It is also possible that not all groups will be accommodated in the same location.
Diocesan Youth Days
The Diocesan Youth Days will be held on August 23-25 at the Kunstenniemi Camp Centre in Naantali. Bishop Raimo Goyarrola and the moderator of Juventus Catholica Fr. Eze Charles Nwoko will join the activities.
All Catholics aged 14 to 28 are welcome, as well as other interested people in this age group.
For more information about the event and to register, visit bit.ly/nuortenpäivät24 or send a message to info@juventuscatholica.fi.
Activities of Juventus Catholica
The first event of the newly refounded Juventus Catholica was attended by a total of 24 young people. In mid March the Lenten Youth Weekend was held at St Mary’s parish and the Tavasttähti student home. The weekend was structured around the theme ”Make the most of every moment.” Fr. Eze Charles Nwoko was in charge of the presentations. Apart from the spiritual program, time was spent playing games, chatting and eating delicious food. The informal weekend, full of warmth and devotion, was a great opportunity to get to know both Catholic and ecumenical friends from other cities, as well as to spend time together playing games such as table tennis and football.
Juventus Catholica (JC) is an organisation of young Catholics in Finland, run by the young people themselves in cooperation with the Diocese. The target group is primarily young people aged 15-28. More information about the organisation can be found at www.juventuscatholica.fi and on the social media channels facebook.com/juventuscatholica ja instagram.com/juventuscatholica.
The Pope’s Prayer Intentions for 2024
June
For migrants fleeing their homes
We pray that migrants fleeing from war or hunger, forced to undertake journeys full of danger and violence, find welcome and new opportunities in the countries that receive them.
July
For the pastoral care of the sick
We pray that the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick confer to those who receive it and their loved ones the power of the Lord and become ever more a visible sign of compassion and hope for all.
https://www.usccb.org/prayers/popes-monthly-intentions-2024
Pope’s Letter to Parish Priests
Pope Francis has published a letter addressed to all parish priests in the world with his advice for building a missionary Church in which all the baptized share in the mission of proclaiming the Gospel.
“Parish communities increasingly need to become places from which the baptized set out as missionary disciples and to which they return, full of joy, in order to share the wonders worked by the Lord through their witness,” Pope Francis wrote in the letter published on May 2, 2024.
The pope presented the letter to 300 priests participating in the Synod on Synodality’s “World Meeting of Parish Priests” during an audience at the Vatican, saying that their meeting is “an opportunity to remember in my prayers all of the parish priests in the world to whom I address these words with great affection.”
https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/letters/2024/documents/20240502-lettera-parroci.html
Caritas Today and Tomorrow
The annual meeting of Caritas Finland was held on 25 April in Helsinki. The organization received a new figure-head, as Bishop Raimo became its new chairman. In an interview with Fides, Bishop Raimo, together with the long-time secretary general of Caritas Larissa Franz-Koivisto, discussed their thoughts and experiences of Caritas, as the well as its importance.
Caritas of Finland, founded in the Catholic Church as its charitable organization, was founded in 1960. ”In 2015-2016, Caritas underwent a regulatory and organizational reform. The rules were brought in line with the standards of Caritas Internationalis”, Larissa Franz-Koivisto explains. Behind this was Pope Benedict XVI’s decision to strengthen Caritas’ status as the official charity of the Church. Caritas Finland is part of this family.
Diverse aid work
Throughout the decades, Caritas’ priorities have changed. ”For a long time, Caritas Finland was active in international development projects, but in recent years, especially after the statute change, it has become increasingly focused on Finland and relief work in Finland. We help more than 100 people every year, mainly migrants needing help with residence permits, as well as matters of employment and housing. In the development sector, we also work in the countries of origin or many of our members and parishioners. It is precisely through the strong Caritas network that this is possible,” says Franz-Koivisto.
Caritas’ work is divided between in-country work and development cooperation.” In other countries or continents it is perhaps the internal work that is the main focus. ”On the other hand, in big countries there may also be two different Caritas organizations, one focusing on work within the country, the other on international work,” says Larissa Franz-Koivisto, adding, ”Otherwise, the work is very similar: providing for the basic needs of vulnerable people. Clothing, food, guidance and counselling, and employment in various forms.” According to Franz-Koivisto, ”Catholic social education, sustainable development and poverty reduction have long been the premise of the work of the Caritas family and this is true also in Finland”.
In Finland, Caritas has expanded its activities in recent years
Caritas has in recent years strongly expanded its activities in Finland alongside traditional development cooperation projects. Franz-Koivisto gives some examples: ”Caritas Finland is part of the City of Helsinki’s organizational pool, so we are one of the distribution points for Stadia Safka food waste. Every two weeks, we distribute about 30 bags of food. Also, in every Zara store, you find a Caritas donation box in which you can drop off clothes. They are then sorted here for sale, repair and donation. We also have our own sewing service.
With the help of a grant, we also hold a friendship café and organize excursions and – most importantly – we provide guidance and counselling. Caritas has a long history of working with parishes, distributing the Christmas food vouchers to the needy and supporting the camp fees of dozens of children. Larissa Franz-Koivisto says with gratitude. Of course, no support would be possible without donors, sponsors or various foundations, and we are actively seeking all of these. It’s a big job, and it can be a big job. Everyone can get involved, whether you are a member of the Church or not.
Thoughts of the new Bishop
Bishop Raimo Goyarrola, elected President of Caritas Finland at the Annual Conference, sees Caritas’ work as ”a concrete expression of the Church’s diaconia, which is fed by both martyrdom and liturgy, being a manifestation of both of these.” The Bishop hopes that ”Caritas Finland may be the visible hand of God’s grace for those most in need. For this we need concrete projects which both take place and originate in Finland. We will work on these issues in the next meetings.”
The Bishop hopes to see Caritas as an organization – perhaps almost a Catholic people’s movement – that ”is able to serve all in a caring, respectful and effective way”. He therefore encourages: “Joining Caritas online is very easy. We need prayers and support for concrete projects. I thus encourage Catholics to work with Caritas.”
Becoming a member
Becoming a member of Caritas is an easy way to support the relief work. As a member, you will receive the Caritas newsletter 2-3 times a year and be the first to hear about Caritas’ work.
Our members also receive a 10% discount in the Caritas Shop. Fill out the online form at www.caritas.fi/liity-jaseneksi to receive an email confirmation of your membership and a membership invoice. The Caritas membership fee is €25/year.
Become a monthly donor
The most effective way to help is to make a regular monthly donation. To become a monthly donor, visit: www.caritas.fi/kuukausilahjoitus
New Vatican document lists ‘grave violations’ of human dignity
The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith’s new document ’Dignitas infinita’ took five years to complete, and builds on the papal magisterium of the last decade: from war to poverty, from violence against migrants to violence against women, from abortion to surrogate motherhood to euthanasia, from gender theory to digital violence.
A look at the Finances of the Diocese
In recent years, the overall financial performance of our local Church has been on a downward trend.
In the last financial year, the Diocese and the parishes had a surplus of 84 000 euros. For example, in 2021 the surplus was 214 000 euros and in 2020 it was 268 000 euros.
Church operating expenditure, i.e. all expenditure excluding investments in 2023 was ca. 2 620 000 euros. Expenditures have increased in recent years, e.g. due to high inflation, which has had a particularly large impact on real estate expenditures. In 2020, operating expenses were still around 2 045 000 euros, the increase having been 28%. The Diocese’s share of operating expenditure was 1 241 000 euros, or 47%. Operating expenditures of the two largest parishes, St. Henry Cathedral Parish and St. Mary’s Parish, totalled 643 000 euros, or 25 % of the total.
The main source of funding, especially in parishes, is income from membership, which includes membership fees, donations and collections. In 2023, income from membership was for the first time greater than in the last year (2019) before the pandemic. This figure exceeded 1 million euros (1014 000 euros), for which we wish to thank everyone. In particular, the amount received in collections had increased since COVID-19.
However, it is concerning that this, our most important ’own’ source of funding, still only covers 39% of the total operating costs. This figure should be at least 60% to put our economy on a sound footing. It is worth noting that none of our parishes are able to cover all their costs with the membership income they receive.
The Church has traditionally received support for its activities and projects from foreign and domestic organizations. In 2023 the amount received was 351 000 euros, which is significantly less than in previous years.
On the 2024 Budget
The Catholic Church in Finland is now living in a new era, finally having a new Bishop. Many new projects are underway, but their total funding is not yet fully clear. For example, there are plans for a spiritual center in Espoo. Uncertainty is heightened by the world situation and the war in Ukraine, and by uncertainties in the economic development in Finland. If the economy slows down, it may well be reflected in the membership income and grants we receive. It is important that each member contribute to the Church financially, according to his or her abilities.
