The Bishop of Helsinki, Msgr. Raimo Goyarrola, has launched an international fundraising campaign to build and acquire new churches in Finland, where the growth of the Catholic community contrasts with the scarcity of temples and economic resources.
The prelate, born in Bilbao, has explained that the small Finnish Catholic Church does not have sufficient means to meet the pastoral needs of its faithful on its own and has requested the collaboration of Catholics from other countries.
A Church that is growing, but that barely has temples
The Diocese of Helsinki covers the entire territory of Finland, a country of approximately 340,000 square kilometers that has only eight Catholic parishes.
This situation forces numerous faithful to travel long distances to participate in Holy Mass and receive the sacraments.
The growth of the Catholic community has increased the need for new places of worship, but the economic limitations of the diocese make it difficult to acquire properties and build churches.
Faced with this situation, the bishop has decided to turn to the solidarity of the universal Church.
“We cannot do it alone”
In the message released to present the campaign, Goyarrola explains that the Catholic Church in Finland is going through a period of growth, although it remains a small community with limited resources.
The prelate acknowledges that local funding possibilities have been exhausted and that the diocese needs outside help.
In statements reported by El Debate, Goyarrola recalls that the Catholic Church constitutes a family spread throughout the world and that this communion must also translate into concrete help.
The bishop has insisted that all contributions, regardless of their amount, can help improve the pastoral care of Finnish Catholics.
An international donor campaign
The Catholic Church in Finland has set up an official donations page aimed especially at the faithful who wish to collaborate from other countries.
Among the projects presented are the construction of new spaces for Catholic communities, the creation of a diocesan formation center, the development of a Catholic school, and other initiatives aimed at strengthening the presence of the Church in the country.
The diocese allows contributions to be made through different procedures and provides information on the projects that need funding.
The campaign aims to ensure that the growth of the Catholic community can be accompanied by adequate infrastructure for the celebration of the sacraments and Christian formation.
Raimo Goyarrola, a Spanish bishop in Northern Europe
Born in Bilbao on July 20, 1969, Raimo Goyarrola studied Medicine and Surgery at the University of Navarra and later earned a doctorate in Dogmatic Theology from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome.
A member of Opus Dei, he was ordained a priest in 2002 and carried out much of his ministry in Finland before being appointed Bishop of Helsinki.
His pastoral work takes place in a society with a predominantly Lutheran tradition, where the Catholic community constitutes a minority.
The international campaign promoted by Goyarrola now seeks to provide that community with the spaces necessary to continue its growth and facilitate the faithful’s access to sacramental life.