The diocese of Helsinki comprises seven parishes covering the whole of Finland. There are approximately 7 900 Catholics in the country dispersed over the vast territory. Spiritual care in the parishes is mainly in the hands of the Sacred Heart fathers (SCJ or Dehonians). The Catholic bishop of Helsinki belongs together with the bishops of Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland to the Nordic Bishops Conference.
The Catholic church in Finland is a full member of the Ecumenical Council of Finland. In places where there is no Catholic church, the Holy Mass is often celebrated in Lutheran or Orthodox churches.

The Catholic church has long and firm furn traditions in Finland. Many beautiful grey stone churches - among them the cathedral of Turku, the church of the Holy Cross in Hattula and the church of Hollola - rerminds today´s Finns of the flourishing Catholicism of the Middle Ages.

The Last Catholic Bishop before the Reformation was Arvid Kurki (1464 - 1521) who died while fleeing to Sweden for refuge. In the years following the Reformation confessing the Catholic faith could lead to capital punishment. However, many customs of the Catholic era lived on among the people for decades, indeed for more than a century and traces of them can still be found today.

In the  town of Vyborg, a Catholic church dedicated to Saint Hyacinth was consecrated in 1799. It was under the pastoral care of Dominican priests, who had come to Finland as military chaplains for Catholics serving in the Russian army. They also celebrated Holy Mass in Helsinki in a small wooden church on the island fortress of Suomenlinna and eleswhere.

After Finland became independent in 1917, the idea of forming a separate ecclesiastical jurisdiction for the Catholic parishes of Finland was suggested. Prior to that time, during the years when Finland was a grand duchy under the Russian crown, they had belonged to the Archdiocese of Mohilev, which had its Episcopal See in St. Petersberg. The Roman Curia agreed to the change and the Apostolic Vicariate of Finland  was created in 1920.

The Catholic Church in Finland was entered on the register of religious communities in 1929 under the law governing religious liberty. The first head of the vicariate was the Dutch-born Msgr. Michael Buckx. He was consecrated bishop in 1923 in the Church of St. Henrik in Helsinki.

Bishop Buckx was succeeded in 1934 by Msgr. Gulielmus Cobben. During his trerm of office, in 1955, the vicariate became the Diocese of Helsinki.

On 21 April 1964, Msgr. Paul Verschuren was appointed successor to Bishop Cobben. He was consecrated bishop in the  Cathedral of St. Henrik on 16 August 1964. He became Ordinary of the Diocese of Helsinki on 29 June 1967. In 1977, the diocese was made independent of the Congregation of the Evangelisation of the Peoples and became an ordinary Catholic diocese on an equal footing with other dioceses.

The diocese as a part of the world-wide church

The bishop of Helsinki is a member of the Nordic Bishop´s Conference, together with he Ordinaries of Copenhagen, Oslo, Reykjavik, Stockholm, and those retired bishops who have a pastoral responsibility in the Nordic countries. The duties of the conference include promoting cooperation among Nordic Catholics, applying directives of the Roman Curia to local circumstances and representing Nordic Catholicism in the world-wide Catholic Church. The Secretariat of the Bishops Conference is situated in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Like all Catholic bishops, the  Bishop of Helsinki is a member of the Bishops´ College, the head of which is the Bishop of Rome, the Pope.

Routine contacts between the Catholic Church in Finland and the Roman Curia, the central government of the church, are maintained through the Congregation of Bishops, one of the offices in the curia, which have a status similar to ministries in a national government. Every fifth year all bishops pay an official visit to Rome known as visitatio ad limina apostolorum. There they present a report on the situation in their dioceses and hold talks with the Pope and representatives  of various offices of the curia.

The diplomatic representative of the Holy See (the Vatican State) in the Nordic countries is an apostolic nuncio, who has the status of an ambassador. His duties include being a channel of communication on ecclesiastical matters between the Roman Curia and the Nordic dioceses.

The organization of the diocese

The bishop is assisted in governing the diocese by a Diocesan Council and a Bishop´s Council, both of which he appoints. The Vicar General is the bishop´s substitute, who, when acting in that capacity, has all the powers of the bishop except the power of ordination. The Bishop´s office and archives are situated in the bishop´s residence.

All priests serving in Finland belong to the Priests´ Council. Together with the bishop, the council deals primarily with the pastoral and liturgical matters of the diocese.

The Pastoral Council consists of members elected by parish councils as well as representatives of priests, religious sisters and associations in the diocese, and members nominated by the bishop. This consultative body considers, plans and co-ordinates pastoral work at the diocesan level and formulates official statements when necessary.

The Financial Council of the diocese receives and examines the budgets and financial statements of the parishes and the diocese. It is chaired by the bishop.

The Liturgical Commitee prepares liturgical texts and presents them for approval by the bishop.

The Catholic Church in Finland has an Ecumenical Secretariat which considers matters of co-operation among different religious denominations and promotes Christian unity. It also sees to the appropriate representation of the diocese in the Ecumenical Council of Finland, its sections and other joint ecumenical bodies.

Charitable work, development co-operation

The charitable work of the diocese is taken care of by Caritas Finland. It co-operates with Caritas organizations in other Nordic countries in arranging the annual Lenten offering.

Information

The Catholic Information Centre (KATT) was created in 1962 to manage the information output of the diocese. Its tasks include publishing a diocesan magazine FIDES sent to all Catholics in Finland, as well as answering inquiries and requests for material concerning the church and the diocese, publishing Catholic books in Finnish and producing videos. In collaboration with the Lutheran Information Centre it also handles Catholic religious broadcasts on radio and television.

Parishes

At the beginning of 1998 there were 7 052 Catholics in Finland. Compared to the total number of the Catholics in the world,, nearly 1.2 billion, the members of the Diocese of Helsinki are a minute fraction of the  universal church. Catholics are also a small minority in Finland, about 0.12 per cent of the total population.

The Catholic Church in Finland is a diaspora diocese, its members scattered widely over the country.

The tasks of priests working in the parishes include celebrating mass, administering the sacraments and officiating at other ecclesiastical ceremonies, pastoral work, office duties as well as teaching children and those who wish to join the church.

In addition to their work in the parish churches, the priests care for the needs of worshipers living in other localities. When the priest arrives for his scheduled visit, the Catholics gather for Holy Mass which is celebrated in a Lutheran or Orthodox church or chapel or in a parishioner´s home. The priest himself, or a religious sister or lay person accompanying him, gives religious instruction to children and young people. The priest is available for the sacrament of reconciliation as well.

The Parish Councils were established in 1967. Members, elected by the parishioners, take part in planning the activities of the parish.

The Financial Council of the parish is appointed by the parish priest, draws up financial plans and budgets for confirmation by the Financial Council of the diocese.

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The 7 Catholic Parishes of Finland

1. The Cathedral Parish of St. Henrik

The first permanent Catholic church in Helsinki was opened in 1860, when the Church of St. Henrik, build on the rocky outcrops of Kaivopuisto Park, was completed. The initiative to build the church was taken by the military chaplain Ignatius Gorbacki, who had also been the pastor for the Catholic civilian population from 1856. His plan was supported by the wife of the governor general of Finland. The architect of the church was State Intendent Lohman.

The church was blessed by Msgr. Lubinsky from Tallin on 16 September, 1860. It was consecrated on 14 September, 1904 by the Bishop of the Archdiocese of Mohilev, Msgr. Georgius Szembek, under whose jurisdiction Finnish Catholics at that time belonged.

The church has undergone many alterations during its existence. The latest renovation took place in 1981, when the interior was adapted to meet the requirements of the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council.

The area of the parish covers the eastern part of the province of Uusimaa. There were 2 360 Catholics in this area on 1 January 1998, most of them living in or near Helsinki.

A considerable number of foreigners live in the parish. Although many of them are not officially members of the parish, their needs and those of occasional visitors are met as fully as possible. Although most Masses are celebrated in Finnish (a Swedish High Mass is celebrated on the 3rd Sunday of the month), there is a Mass in English, German, French or Spanish on consecutive Sundays at 10 a.m.. When necessary, Holy Mass is celebrated in other languages, such as Polish.

Adjacent to the church are the presbytery, premises for the community of Ursuline Sisters and their kindergarten and the Catholic Information Centre.

2. The Parish of St. Mary

The Church of St. Mary was designed by architect Kaj Salenius and it was consecrated on 6 December 1954. The church can hold 300 people, with seating for 150.

The opal paintings on the walls below the choir, the stained glass windows, the Stations of the Cross, the statue of Our Lady, the baptismal font and the picture of St. Christopher near the church door were completed in 1950s by a Dutch artist, Lou Manche. The organ with its seventeen registers, two manuals and one set of pedals was built by Richard Jacoby in Stockholm. In the church tower there are three bells, made by a Dutch foundry.

The interior of the church was renovated in 1985, with the installation of a new altar, an altar mosaic made of natural stones, an ambo and a credence table. They are the work of a German artist, Deacon Claus Kilian.

The parish covers the western part of the province of Uusimaa from the centre of Helsinki to Riihimäki and Hanko. There are 2 140 Catholics in this area, most of them in Helsinki and neighbouring towns. 75 per cent of the total are Finnish citizens with the remaining 25 per cent coming from 59 other countries.
High Mass is celebrated on Sundays at 10 a.m. in Finnish; on the first Sunday of the month in Swedish. A Mass celebrated alternately in Finnish, English and Vietnamese each Sunday at 11.30 a.m. Holy Masses are also celebrated in Espoo, Hyvinkää, Riihimäki and Hanko.

The Theresa Association, the Franciscan Community, the  Monday Club and othe groups meet in the parish hall. The office of the diocesan Catechetical Centre is located in the building as well.

3. The Parish of St. Birgitta and Blessed Hemming

The Catholic Parish of Turku was founded when a small apartment was bought as a chapel on 19 March 1926, on the present Ursininkatu. Ten years later a wooden church was built on the site of the present one.

In 1948 the children´s home which had been operating in Vyborg under the direction of the Sacred Heart Sisters, was transferred to ther same location. The sisters continued their ministry of caring for children there until its closure. The Sisters then converted the building into a student hostel where they worked for 38 years.

When high apartment buildings were erected around the church, it was no longer considered a worthy place of worship. The city architect, A. Sandelin, designed the new church of St. Birgitta and Bl. Hemming with a presbytery and parish hall which was consecrated on 5 November 1966. Twenty years later the Sacred Heart Sisters turned over their house to the Brigittine Sisters. The building was renovated and enlarged to include a convent and guest house.

The parish covers the south-western provinces of Finland, an area of about 24 000 km2. On 1 January, 1998, the number of parishioners was 885.

The parish takes care of a Catholic cemetery in Finland.

4. The Parish of the Holy Cross

A Catholic parish was founded in Tampere on 3 September, 1957. Prior to that time priests from Helsinki ministered to the needs of the Catholics of the province of Häme. Holy Mass was celebrated in a hotel room in those early days. After the parish had been established , a chapel presbytery and Sisters´quarters were housed in an apartment in the city centre. The parish obtained a church of its own on 22 November 1969, when the church of the Holy Cross was consecrate.

The parish covers an area comprising most of the province Southern and Central Ostrobothnia. On 1 January, 1998 there were 664 Catholics in the parish.

A pre-school for the teaching of English, and follow-up classes, the English School, conducted by the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood, is also housed in the building.

In 1995 the Chapel of St. Michael was consecrated in the town of Pietarsaari as a pastoral centrre for Catholics in Ostrobothnia.

5. The Parish of St. Olav

At the end of the Second World War, the parishes of Vyborg and Terijoki situated in the part of Karelia which was ceded to the Soviet Union, were joined and relocated first in Lahti and later in Jyväskylä, a more centraized site. In 1943 a house was bought in the city and a small chapel set up inside. The Parish of St. Olav was officialy created on 1 October, 1949.

As the number of parishioners gradually increased, the chapel became too small. The new Church of St. Olav was consecrated on 26 August 1962. It was designed by architect Olavi Kivimaa. The stained glass windows are the work of artist René Groenen.

The parish covers a large part of central and eastern Finland. On 1 January 1998, the parish had 337 members, living scattered over a vast area. Ministry to these Catholics requires extensive travel by the parish priest, who celebrates Holy Mass and, together with Sisters, gives religious instruction in various localities.

The parish centre includes the presbytery, parish hall and sisters´ house, with a kindergarten and student hostel run by Ursuline Sisters.

6. The Parish of Blessed Ursula

In southeastern Finland a chapel parish was founded in 1985, covering the province of Kymi as well as the cities of Lahti, Heinola and Loviisa and their surrounding areas. The centre of activities is Kouvola, where originally some rooms in an apartment building were acquired for both the chapel and the priest´s quarters. An independent parish was created on 29 May 1991.

The new church of the parish, designed by architect Benito Casagrande, was consecrated on 11 December 1993. There were 355 parishioners on 1 January 1998.

The parish takes its name from Urszula Ledochowska who was beatified in 1983. She worked from 1909 to 1914 in the boarding school which she established on the Isthmus of Karelia.

A local Theresa Club, active in charitable work, convenes regularly in Kouvola.

7. The Parish of the Holy Family of Nazareth

A Chapel parish was created in Oulu on 1 January 1992. It became independent parish on 26 December 1993. It covers most of the provinces of Oulu and Lapland and had 311 members on 1 January 1998.

Bishop Paul Verschuren consecrated the chapel and the first section of the centre on 28 December 1991. It was designed by the founder of the Neo-catechumenal Way, the Spanish artist Kiko Arguello.

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The Religious Orders in Finland

From the early days of the Church many have heard the message of Christ : "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, give to the poor and come follow me." (Matthew 19:21). The evangelical cousnels, which are the advice to follow Christ poor, unmarried and obedient, are the basis for the three vows by which a man or a woman joins a religious community.

In the Midle Ages at least three religious communities were active in Finland : the Brigittine Sisters in Naantali, the Dominicans in Turku and Vyborg and the Franciscans in Vyborg, Rauma and Kökar.

The return of the Catholic Church to Finland dates from the time of Polish Dominicans who were chaplains for the Catholic Russian military and originators of parish life in Vyborg.

From East Prussia three German Sisters of St. Katharine arrived in 1877 in Helsinki where they conducted a Catholic school until 1882 when they had to return to their homeland.

In the years from 1907 to1911, three elgian Franciscan sisters, who belonged to the order of Soeurs de Notre-Dame des Anges, worked in Finland. They too had to leave the country by order of the authorities.

At about the same time, Polish Ursuline sisters had founded a Russian-language boarding school for girls, called Star of the Sea, on the  Isthmus of Karelia. The school was active for only five years. When the  First World War broke out in 1914 they too were expelled from the country.

The Order of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Congregation Sacerdotum a Sacro Corde Iesus, SCJ) has been active in Finland since 1907. Most of the parish clergy belong to this order, which was founded ín 1878 by Father Leo Dehon (1843 - 1925).

Father Dehon founded his order to express devotion to the Heart of Jesus. Typical lines of activity for the order are educational, social and missionary work. Today, 16 bishops, 1 700 priests, 250 religious brothers, 350 candidates for the priesthood and 100 novices belong to the order world-wide.

In recent years, in countries where SCJ-priests are active, groups of Dehonians have been created. These lay groups assist their own parishes, inspired by devotion to the Heart of Jesus and by the charisma of Father Leo Dehon. In Finland, too, there is such a group, known as Lay People of the Sacred Heart.

The Sisters of the Sacred Heart started their work in Helsinki and Vyborg in 1922. The order was founded in the Netherland in 1885 by Huberdine Merkelbach (1834 - 1906). In Finland, the Sisters took part in catechesis and saw to household duties in parishes and in the bishop´s residence. The last Sacred Heart sister left Finland in 1995.

The Sisters of the Adoration of the Most Precious Blood of O´Fallon, C.PPS., came to Finland from the United States in 1939. The order was founded in 1845 in Switzerland by Theresa Weber (1822 - 1848). Having been expelled from Switzerland, the sisters travelled through Germany to the United States. They have specialised in the work of Christian education.

CPPS sisters have conducted the English Schools in Helsinki and Tampere. The English School in Helsinki was founded in 1945. It was handed over to lay personnel in 1995. In Tampere, a two-year pre-school and four English reading classes are active.

The Dominican Fathers (Ordo Fratrum Praedicatorum, OP) returned to Finland in 1949 after four centuries of absence and founded a cultural centre in Helsinki, Studium Catholicum. Dominicus, a Spaniard, (1170 - 1221, canonised 1234) founded the order for preaching and teaching.

Studium Catholicum pursues activities which further the spiritual growth of the church and its members. The Dominicans have especially tried to restore the cultural ties formed in the Middle Ages between Finland and the rest of the Catholic world. The centre has a large library, which includes archive material and special collections. In the chapel dedicated to St. Olav, Holy Mass is celebrated almost daily.

Dominican ideals guide the everyday life of Lay Dominicans.

The congregation of the Little Sisters of Jesus is based on the thoughts and life of Brother Charles de Foucauld (1858 - 1916). The love of Jesus inspired him to adopt the type of life that Jesus lived in Nazareth as a poor, humble artisan. Brother Charles wanted to communicate the good news of God´s reign through the example of his life.

The emulation of Jesus of Nazareth also inspired Little Sister Madeleine (1898 - 1989), who founded the congregation of the Little Sisters of Jesus in 1939. To this day it invites the Little Sisters to a life of prayer in the midst of the world, to share the working and living condition of ordinary people and to live in friendship with those who in many ways live on the fringe of society. The Sisters earn their living by manual work and live in communities of three or four sisters. They want to prove by their chosen path that simple conditions are compatible with a deep Christian life.

The Little Sisters work all over the world, in Finland since 1953. Today they have communities in Tampere and Piikkiö.

The Ursulines are a large family of congregations, one branch of which, the "Grey Ursulines" (Orsoline del Sacro Cuore di Gesù Agonizzante) was founded in 1920 by Blessed Julia Urszula ledóchowska (1865 - 1939). The Sisters are active in many parts of the world educating children and young people, taking care of the lonely and the needy and working among immigrants and marginalised people.

The Ursulines worked on the Isthmus of Karelia from 1906 to 1914, and returned to Finland in 1976. They have a kindergarten and a student hostel in Jyväskylä. They also take part in the catechis and the pastoral work of the parish. In Helsinki, they conduct a kindergarten and give catechical instruction in Finnish and Polish in the parishes.

The Secular Institute of the Priests of Prado  was founded in 1859 in Lyon, by Father Antoine Chevrier (1826 - 1879), beatified in 1986. While living among the poor he wanted to preach the Gospel to those who were most opressed and so become a real disciple of Jesus. Prado is active in 60 countries. It has 1,200 priests, brothers and sisters and a secular institute for women. There is one Prado priest in Finland.

The Brigittines (Ordo Sanctisssimi Salvatoris, O.SS.S) were  founded by St. Brigit of Sweden (1302 - 1373). The Brigittine Sisters who have been in Finland since 1986, belong to a new branch of the order, founded by Mother Elisabeth Hesselblad (1890 - 1957). In 1911, to continue the tradition of the original order. The main elements of its spirituality are devotion to the sufferings of the  Saviour, worship of the sacrament of the altar and the liturgy of the hours. The sisters welcome visitors who want to pray and meditate with them. In Turku the siters have a convent with a guest house and student hostel.

The spiritual heritage of the Brigittine Sisters is realised in their everyday life by the lay people of the Brigittine Oblates.

The Carmelite Sisters came to Finland in 1988. They founded a convent in Espoo to bring to the far North the spirituality of contemplative prayer for the world.
Their white wooden chapel is open to everybody for quiet prayer, and all are welcome to celebrate vespers and Holy Mass with them in the vicinity of nature. Under the auspices of the Carmelite Order  there is a group of lay Carmelites.

Neocatechumenal communities, in the spirit of the second Vatican council, aim at creating in parishes a counterweight to the effects of secularisation, especially by stressing the importance of baptism, the door to life in faith. The first community was founded in Spain. It was started by the Spanish artist Kiko Arguello. Both priests and lay people may join the movement.

There are neocatechumenal communities in many countries around the world. The first family devoted to the Way came to Finland in 1986. There are now communities in Oulu and Lahti and individual members in some other areas.

A personal prelature acts like a world-wide diocese in the church. It is led by a prelate who has the authority of a bishop. Members, however, also belong to a local diocese.

Opus Dei ("The Work of God") is a pesonal prelature founded in 1928 by Father Josemaria Escrivá de Balaguer. The prelature includes more than 1 000 priests and over 72 000 lay people, men and women, married and single, from all social groups. One´s actual life situation, are, according to the spirit of the order, the places for enacting the Christian virtues and for furthering, by word and example, the spread of the faith to all people.

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