Dear members of Saint Mary’s parish,

With this letter I send heartfelt greetings and wish to share with you some current parish issues. Our parish is very international – among them there are Catholics from approximately 70 different countries. Although almost half of our parish members have a foreign background, we all celebrate joyfully the 100 year anniversary of the independence of Finland, which is our common home. We pray for 100-year-old Finland and for all of its inhabitants, that God will bless us abundantly, protect us from all dangers and give us peace and well-being. In accordance with tradition, we celebrate Finland’s Independence Day and the anniversary of the consecration day of St. Mary’s Church on the same day.