New SCJ Bishop in Finland

What is ecumenism? If you look in the dictionary, you'll get a few bland sentences that say something about "cooperation and unity among religious groups." But if you go to Finland, you see something more than a definition. You see ecumenism lived on a daily basis.

Fr. Paul Grizzelle-Reid, SCJ, coordinator of Sacred Heart Monastery in Hales Corners, Wisconsin, traveled to Finland in January to represent the United States Province at the consecration of Jóseph Wróbel, SCJ, as Bishop of Helsinki. The diocese, which covers all of Finland, has been served by SCJ bishops since it was established in 1955. Bishop Wróbel is originally from the Polish Province.

The consecration was certainly an international celebration -- over 60 nationalities were present -- but it was also a very ecumenical affair, held in collaboration with members of the Lutheran faith.

The consecration of the Catholic bishop took place in the Lutheran Cathedral of St. John. One of the reasons was a practical one -- the Lutherans have a bigger cathedral and can thus accommodate a larger celebration. But seating arrangements were only one of the considerations. According to Fr. Paul, Catholics and Lutherans collaborate on almost a daily basis. "Over 80% of the population is Lutheran, whereas only a small number are Catholic," he said. "But the Lutherans are very welcoming and there is a good sense of ecumenism."

All of the Lutheran bishops in Finland were present at the consecration, and were seated in the front row of the church. In his opening remarks, Cardinal Edward Cassidy from Rome recognized and thanked members of the Lutheran faith for their help in organizing the consecration.

"As we enter the third Christian millennium, a new relationship has been established," said the Cardinal. "Brothers who were once alienated have again found their common fellowship in the one body of Christ. The ordination of Bishop Wróbel in St. John's Lutheran Church is a powerful sign of 'brotherhood rediscovered.'"

Hundreds of years ago, Finland was a largely Roman Catholic country. But with the Protestant Reformation, Lutheranism became the state religion. Today, approximately 88% of Finns are Lutheran.

Catholicism didn't return to the country until the 1800s, when Polish soldiers who served in the occupying Russian army sought to pursue their Catholic faith. These Poles were the seed that took root and sparked a renewal of the Catholic Church in Finland.

After years of Swedish and then Russian rule, Finland became an independent nation in 1917. With independence came a mandate calling for religious freedom, opening the door to a full re-birth of the Catholic Church. By 1920, the Vatican had established the Apostolic Vicariate of Finland.

And now, at the consecration of a Catholic bishop in a country where the practice of Catholicism was once illegal, choirs from both the Lutheran and Catholic churches combined to lead an ecumenical, multinational gathering in native Finnish songs. "It was really an historic moment," said Fr. Paul. "I felt very privileged to be a part of it."

Besides the Lutherans, Cardinal Cassidy also made special mention of the Priests of the Sacred Heart, and the community's commitment to the Church in Finland. The SCJs are the backbone of the re-emerging church. "These are men who are stretched very thin and work very hard," said Fr. Paul. "But it is obvious that they love the people and they truly enjoy what they are doing."

While the United States Province has strong ties to the SCJs in Finland (several are alumni of the ESL -- English as a Second Language -- Program, which Fr. Paul directs), Fr. Paul said that attending the consecration gave him a better sense of the country and the needs of the SCJs ministering in it.

"There is a lack of religious education materials in English," said Fr. Paul. "When I got back I began to look for resources that could be sent to the SCJs in Finland."

"People power" is also a vital need. Because the SCJs were very busy with the arrangements surrounding the consecration, Fr. Paul volunteered to take the English Masses in the diocese, as well as Masses for two communities of religious sisters. Next year, he plans to go back for three weeks to lead retreats and days of recollection for laity, and priests and religious.

"And that's another place where you see ecumenism spring up again," said Fr. Paul. "The retreats for laity are open to all faiths. I was told that at the young adult retreat at least 20% of the participants would be Lutheran."

Besides ecumenism, the Church in Finland is also strongly influenced by its growing immigrant population.

"Sixty-three languages are found among the Catholic population in Finland," said Fr. Paul. "And they represent countries all over the world -- countries in South America, Africa, Asia, North America and of course, Europe." The Vietnamese make up one of the largest immigrant groups; of the 8,000 Catholics in Finland, it is estimated that 1,000 are of Vietnamese descent. "It makes the Church very vibrant, but also adds many challenges," said Fr. Paul, "especially language."

An immigrant himself, Fr. Paul took the opportunity to share a bit of his Jamaican homeland with SCJs during his visit. "I brought along some of my own culture when I went to Finland," said Fr. Paul. Packed in his suitcases were the fixings for an authentic Jamaican meal, "including a ham bone!" Fr. Paul treated about 15 SCJs to his homeland's cooking.

"Overall, it was a wonderful experience," Fr. Paul said of his week in Finland. "It's a beautiful country and I look forward to going back."