Katolinen.net News

Coronavirus state of emergency: No public Masses in Finland

16/3/2020

The government of Finland is declaring a state of emergency because of the coronavirus epidemic and bans public meetings of more than 10 people. This also means an end to public Masses in Finland's Catholic churches until further notice.

Father Marco Pasinato, Diocesan Administrator of the Diocese of Helsinki, stated on Monday evening, March 16, that the Catholic Church in Finland wishes to support the aims and actions of the Finnish government's fight against the coronavirus. "Therefore the Diocese of Helsinki in addition to the previous guidelines stops the celebration of public Masses beginning on the morning of Wednesday, March 18, 2020. However, the Church wants to emphasise that the celebration of the Sacraments in themselves and the pastoral care for those who are ill or dying is not threatened. The churches will remain open daily for prayer and spiritual ministry."

The faithful are asked to get in touch with their own parish for more detailed information.

Mother Tekla In Memoriam

4/3/2020

The death has been announced of Mother Tekla Famiglietti on March 3rd 2020 in the House of St Bridget in Rome.

Mother Tekla was Abbess General of the new branch of the Bridgettines, the Order of the Most Holy Saviour, for 37 years, from 1979 until 2016. She was born in 1936 in a village near Naples, and her experience as a small child during World War II led her to enter the convent of St Bridget’s in Rome at the age of 15. Over the years she was to become a legendary figure and was known as one of the most influential women in the Catholic Church of the time, also thanks to her close friendship with Pope St John Paul II.

I lived for many years close to the House of St Bridget in Rome and I met Mother Tekla on many occasions. I was aware of her decisive contributions not only to the Order (which more than doubled in size during the time she was Abbess General), but also to the whole Church although indeed I did not know their extent.

On March 3rd Signum published a memorial note by Ambassador Fredrik Vahlqvist, chairman of the Birgittastiftelsen, Swedish Ambassador to the Holy See from 2002-2008, and a longtime friend of Mother Tekla. The note illustrates Mother Tekla’s activities over and above her tireless work for the Order: among others, the promotion of Ecumenism that created a bridge between Northern Europe and Rome (she even gave the use of a Chapel in the Bridgettine House in Rome to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden); campaigning against the trafficking of women; achievements in the field of Vatican diplomacy - in primis her contacts with Fidel Castro that led to the resumption of diplomatic ties between Cuba and the Holy See. She undoubtedly contributed to St John Paul II declaring St Bridget as one of the Patron Saints of Europe in 1999. Finally, a cause she had promoted for many years was fulfilled in June 2016 when Pope Francis canonised the Foundress of the Order of the Most Holy Saviour, St Elizabeth Hesselblad.

Bridgettine Sisters in Turku, Finland.

Mother Tekla received much recognition for her achievements all over the world, including the awarding of important Decorations by Finland and Sweden.

Our thoughts and prayers are now with the Bridgettine sisters, especially with those that many of us know in Turku and in Rome.

May Mother Tekla rest in peace.

Diana E. Kaley

August 17 is Diocesan Day

22/7/2019

This year's Diocesan Day begins with Holy Mass at St Laurence's Church (Pyhän Laurin kirkko) in Lohja at 11 a.m. on Saturday, August 17th. After the Mass, which is celebrated by Bishop Emeritus Teemu Sippo SCI, there is lunch at nearby Vivamo. Please notify your own parish of your participation no later than the Sunday before, i.e. on August 11th.

Ordination of Eze Charles Nwoko

27/5/2019

On Saturday, May 25th, Bishop Emeritus Teemu Sippo SCI ordained Deacon Eze Charles Nwoko a priest. More than twenty priests celebrated the festive Mass together and afterwards there was a party in the parish hall of the church.

More photos are available on the page Ordination Mass of Eze Charles Nwoko.

Visit of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux to Finland

31/10/2018

The relic pilgrimage of the Nordic visit of the Saints of Lisieux reached Finland on Thursday, October 25. The relics of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus - also known as Thérèse of Lisieux - and her parents, Saints Louis and Zélie, toured Finland beginning in Oulu, through Turku and Helsinki, with the visit concluding at the Carmelite Convent in Espoo.

Have a look at more photos here!

Girl welcoming the reliquaries with rose petals at St Henry's Cathedral in Helsinki. Photo: Gabriel Salmela OP

Apostolic Visitation of the Syro-Malabar Faithful in Finland

21/5/2018

Bishop Stephen Chirappanath, Apostolic Visitator for the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in Europe, is making an Apostolic Visitation of the Syro-Malabar faithful in Finland and is celebrating Holy Mass in Malayalam at 9.30 a.m. on June 16th at St. Henry’s Cathedral in Helsinki.

The Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, the second-largest Eastern Catholic Church in the world with over 4.6 million members worldwide, is based in Kerala, India and traces its origins to the evangelistic activity of Thomas the Apostle in the 1st century in Kerala, India.

Bishop Stephen Chirappanath, the Apostolic Visitator for the Syro-Malabar faithful residing in Europe, bearing the Episcopal title of Slebte, and covering all European countries except the UK will be visiting Finland for the first time on June 15th and 16th, 2018.

Bishop Stephen Chirappanath

Bishop Stephen Chirappanath will have an official meeting with Bishop Teemu Sippo SCJ on June 15th and he will be celebrating Mass in Malayalam for the Syro-Malabar faithful in Finland at St Henry’s Cathedral at 9.30 a.m. on June 16th.

Fides 5/2018 available on our Fides page

16/5/2018

The May issue of the diocesan magazine Fides has been published. You will find it as well as other recent issues of the magazine on our new page katolinen.net/fides. The new page is also conveniently available in the top menu of the site.

At the bottom of the page there is a small archive of recent issues of Fides.

Fides 4/2018

17/4/2018

The April 2018 issue of the diocesan magazine Fides has been published. Click here or on the cover to read the latest issue of Fides in pdf format.