Amid frequent reports that Catholic churches are being shut in
Europe, the Diocese of Helsinki, Finland, has confirmed plans to open a
new parish in Kuopio, the largest city in eastern Finland. Finland has the lowest proportion of Catholics in all of Europe; the country’s 12,000 Catholics account for only 0.2% of the nation’s population.
However the Church has grown considerably in the past generation; there were only 3,000 Catholics in Finland just 30 years ago.
The church building had been used by the Evangelical Lutheran church, but was sold to the Catholic diocese in November.
Bishop Teemu Sippo told CWN that the church would be consecrated in May 2014, and dedicated to St. Joseph.