On Saturday, August 16, 2014 the Catholic Diocese of Helsinki celebrated its annual Diocesan Day. The day began with Mass in St Lawrence's Church in Lohja and continued at the Diocese's camp facility of Stella Maris. For photos from the Mass as well as from Stella Maris, please click here.

At two o'clock the programme included a presentation on Blessed Hemming, a 14th-century Bishop of Turku, given in the chapel at Stella Maris. The presentation coincided with a burst of rain and the roof shook from the assault.

'Where we were sitting the roof is no longer waterproof. The rain was making the wall wet and one of the images of the Way of the Cross got wet, as did one of the pews. We took the picture down so it could dry and we put an umbrella over the pew that was getting wet, to protect it,' says Ilona Ennelin who took part in the Diocesan Day celebrations.

The roof of the chapel at Stella Maris is in urgent need of repairs. considering the financial situation in the Diocese, everybody needs to pitch in to make that happen - ideally by contributing work to get the job done. Ilona points out that it was ordinary people who replaced the roof of the Lutheran church of Turnävä some years back.

'There are a lot of skillful people among us Cathoilcis too - we just need to get down to work.' she points out..

Katolinen.net is in complete agreement with Ilona Ennelin. Please get in touch with  your parish and the Diocese: sign up as volunteer helpers! Together we can rescue the chapel at Stella Maris!

The newly acquired church building in Kuopio will be consecrated a Catholic church on Saturday, May 3rd, 2014 at 1 p.m., Catholic Information Service reports. Mass has already been celebrated at the church in Männistö in Kuopio, but now the date for the consecration of the building. It was already known that the new church would be dedicated to Saint Joseph.

Saint Joseph's Church will be a chapel and part of Saint Olav's in Jyväskylä.