The time of Lent begins on Wednesday 22nd of February, which is the Ash Wednesday. Lent is a time of our conversion and preparation for Easter. The best way of our spiritual renewal is to receive sacraments of confession and Eucharist, prayer, fast and charity work.
Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59 are obliged to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Fasting means partaking of only one full meal and of two light meals. In addition, all Catholics 14 years old and older must abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. There will be Holy Mass in English on the Ash Wednesday at 8 am and Mass in Finnish at 6 pm. The Mass at 6 pm will be recorded by the television and broadcasted on the following Sunday at 10 am. We will raise fund during the Lent to help the poor.
We will celebrate the Stations of the Cross in English on Sundays at 5.30 pm.
There will be an bazaar organized by the nuns from Belarus on Sunday 19th of February in the parish hall. All income is meant to support sisters’ charity work.
We invite young people 13 to 19 years old to a youth group meeting on Saturday 25.2 at 6 pm in the parish hall.
Catholic young people who plan to attend the World Youth Days in Portugal need our financial support. We can send our donations to the diocesan bank account – more details on the information board.
The commemoration of Our Lady of Lourdes and the World Day of the Sick will be celebrated on Saturday, 11th of February. Our sick parishioners should inform us that they are willing to receive the anointment of the sick after the Mass at 10 am or at home. The anointment of the sick is a healing sacrament in which God gives us what we need physically and spiritually to overcome illness and suffering. The anointment of the sick is recommended before surgery, for those suffering from chronic illnesses, for elderly.
