Blog Archives

Fancy a day in Vyborg in September?

29/4/2014

Henrikin yhdistys (the Association of Saint Henry) is planning a trip to Vyborg in September. It will be a day-trip by the Allegro train.

If you are interested to join the touring party, please contact Marja-Leena Rautakorpi by phone on 050-3409167. More information about the cost and the programme will be puslished in the June issue of the Diocesan magazine Fides.

Image: A.Savin

Images from the historical canonisation

27/4/2014

On April 27, 2014 Pope Francis canonized two of his predecessors, Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI also took part in the historical Mass.

Take a look at some pictures from the historical double-canonisation Mass with two popes present here.

Pope Francis greets the Pope Emeritus after the canonisation of their predecessors.

English-language retreat for men in May

24/4/2014

Bulevardi Foorumi is organizing a two-day retreat in English at a cottage in Malminharju.The retreat, which is for men only, will begin on the evening of Friday, May 2, and end on the evening of Sunday, May 4. Departure from and arrival in Helsinki will be at 5 p.m. both days

The retreat costs EUR 150, which covers accommodation as well as meals. The cost of transpoprtation is not included, however, so those needing a lift should add EUR 10 to the cost.

Please contact cyril.vaumas@gmail.com if you are interested and would like to know more about this retreat,

Language signs on confessionals at St Henry's

23/4/2014

During Lent most Catholic Churches offer penitents more opportunities to go to confession than during the rest of the year. At St Henry's Cathedral there are now convenient signts outside the confessionals when they are in use: when a priest comes to hear confession, he places a velco-fastened sign on the door giving his name and the languages he can hear confession in.

Language signs outside confessionals have long been in use in other countries, but has this excellent practice spread to other churches in the Diocese of Helsinki?

St Henry's also takes care to provide the information on the priests' lanugages on their website.

Fides 4/2014 published

10/4/2014

The April issue of the Diocesan magazine Fides has been published. To read it in pdf format, please click here or on the cover image.

As always, some of the contents are in English, in addition to Finnish and Swedish, like this plea from our Bishop to take part in the Good Friday Collection.

A different kind of wedding video

9/4/2014

Father Ray Kelly of County Meath, Ireland, surprises bride and groom as well as the guests at this wedding with his singing.

Take a look at this video, which shows that sometimes a standing ovation is just the thing - for instance when a priest pulls out Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah with new lyrics for the occasion instead of the expected blessing at the end.

For more information about the singing priest and his surprise, please click here.

Workshop for Lectors at St Henry's

7/4/2014

St Henry's Cathedral Parish is offering a Lectors' Workshop in May to provide official training for those who feel called to assist the Parish through reading at the English-language Mass at the Cathedral (i.e. the 9.45 Mass on Sundays).

The Workshop for Lectors will be arranged on Saturday May 10th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St Henry's.

Click here to find out more, including how to sign up.