The History of the SCJ Region in Finland

1904-1905: Russo-Japanese War - One of the results of the war was the proclamation of religious freedom in the entire Russian Empire. It gave some relief, at least for a short time, from the attempts of the Czar to totally russify the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland.

1905: The first Finnish catechism was published by a Polish parish priest of St. Henry in Helsinki with the help of the Finn Adolf Carling, who in 1906 entered the seminary of Mohilev in Petersburg.

1906: The Finn Wilfrid von Christierson was appointed as parish priest in Helsinki by the archbishop of Mohilev. Father von Christierson first come into contact with Father Dehon in January 1907.

1907: Father Dehon visited Finland and Eastern Europe. After his visit he appointed the first SCJ, Father Johannes van Gijsel of the Netherlands, to Helsinki as assistant to Father von Christierson.

1909: Father Johannes Buckx, SCJ, left Holland for Finland and was appointed parish priest in Viborg.

1910: The Polish Ursuline from Krakow, Mother Ursula Ledochowska, foundress of the Ursulines of the Agony of Jesus in Gethsemane, beatified in 1982, moved her School for Polish girls from Petersburg to Finnish Karelia and asked Father Dehon to send two priests to her boarding school. One of them was released from his duties for missionary work.

1910: The first SCJ religious house was purchased in Helsinki with a chapel devoted to the Sacred Heart.

1911: Father von Christierson was removed from his parish by the Archbishop of Mohilev. All SCJ Fathers were expelled from Finland. The russification of Finland grew harsher than before.

1917: On December 6, the senate of the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland proclaimed itself an independent republic and was recognized as such by the Soviet Union with the moral support of the League of Nations.

1918: In the spring, a bloody civil war erupted in Finland between the extreme left of the labor party and government troops. The Vatican was the first foreign state outside the Soviet Union to recognize the Republic of Finland during its Civil War.

The two Finnish priests, Frs. Wilfrid von Christierson and Adolf Carling, worked both individually and together for the independence of the Catholic Church in Finland. They were in touch with the Finnish government which was happy to take advantage of every additional opportunity to confirm the national independence of the country. Father Carling worked through the papal nuncio in Warsaw, who was later to become Pope Pius XI. Father Von Christierson worked directly with Rome.

1920: Rome decided to establish the apostolic Vicariate of Finland, placing the See in Helsinki. Soon after that an Apostolic Visitator came from Holland.

1921: Rome appointed Father Johannes Michael Buckx, SCJ, who was the Provincial Superior of the SCJ Dutch Province to be the Apostolic Administrator for Finland.

Father van Gijsel, SCJ, returned to Finland with Monsignor Buckx and became pastor in Helsinki. The first SCJ brother, Br. Laurentius, came to work in Finland as well as a newly ordained Father Henrik Hartwijk, SCJ. The latter became an assistant in a Helsinki parish.

1922: The senate of Finland passed the law that guaranteed complete freedom of religion, including the Catholic Church.

The Dutch Father Laurentius Holzer, a missionary of the Propaganda Fide, arrived in Helsinki. A year later he was appointed to be pastor of the parish in Viborg. He brought with him Sacred Heart Sisters from Holland. They started a school in Helsinki and in 1927 also in Viborg.

1923: Monsignor Buckx was appointed Apostolic Vicar of Finland and Cardinal van Rossum came to Helsinki for his ordination as Bishop.

1930: The first Finnish brother made his final profession in Holland and soon after that came to Finland, Brother Erik Ikä, SCJ.

1933: Bishop Buckx asked to be released from his position as apostolic vicar. He left Finland together with Father van Gijsel. Later Father van Hartwijk also left.

The parish priest from Turku, Father William Cobben, SCJ, was appointed as Bishop Buckx's successor. He subsequently recruited more personnel, both priests and brothers, from the Sacred Heart Community in Sweden.

1938: Two Dutch priests belonging to the Eastern Catholic Rite came to Finland.

1939: Sisters of the Most Precious Blood from O'Fallon, near St. Louis, Missouri, arrived in Helsinki for educational work. After the war in 1945 they started their English School.

1939 - 1944 Wartime: A time of confusion for all of Finland.

1950: Dominican Fathers opened a School in Helsinki.

1953: The little Sisters of Jesus from France and Switzerland begin their apostolate in Finland (Charles de Foucauld).

1954: The second Catholic Church was consecrated in Helsinki, The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The church was "given" to the SCJ Congregation.

1955: The apostolic Vicariate of Finland achieved the status of diocese.

1960: The first Finnish Dominican Father ordained priest: Father Martti Voutilainen.

1962: The SCJs opened an Information Center with Father Jac Reijnders as Director.

1964: Before the third session of the Second Vatican Council, Father Paul Verschuren, SCJ, the rector of the SCJ International College in Rome, was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Helsinki.

1967: Bishop Paul Verschuren, SCJ, was named bishop of Helsinki.

1976: Polish Ursulines from the congregation of blessed Mother Ursula Ledochowska returned to Finland after more than sixty years' absence, to take the over the work of the Dutch Sacred Heart Sisters in Jyväskylä and Helsinki.

1977: The first Finnish SCJ, Father Teemu Sippo, was ordained a priest in Helsinki.

1980: The first Polish SCJ priest came to work in Finland.

1985: The last Dutch SCJ brother in Finland, Brother Benedictus, died in Helsinki.

1986: The Brigitine Sisters came to Turku and opened a Guesthouse a year later.

1988: Carmelite Sisters from California founded a contemplative monastery in Espoo, near to the Ecumenical Center of Myllyjärvi.

1989: Pope John Paul II visited the countries of the Northern Bishops' Conference, Scandinavia and Finland.

1990: The first Polish brother came to Finland.

1993: The SCJ region acquired a residence for the Regional Superior in Helsinki.

2000: Bishop Paul Verschuren, SCJ, died in Helsinski.

The Catholic Church in Finland is small. They comprise less than one percent (0.13%) of the population. These 6,500 registered Catholics are served by 12 members of the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart, eight other priests, and thirty-four religious sisters.