Happy New Year to all members of Caritas-family
Greetings from the Secretary General
The year has started briskly at the Caritas office. All activities are running and new projects have also been launched. Welcome to join the activities as participants or volunteers. There is always room for new openings and ideas, so please feel free to contact our office when you have something in your mind. We are preparing the organization’s next five-year strategy in the board, which we will bring to the annual meeting in the spring for members to approve. The website renovation will take up a large part of the staff’s time in the spring, but through it, you will be able to follow different events and also what else is happening in the Caritas family both in Finland and around the world.
Thank you for being our member and supporter. We are a growing organization, and if you feel like it, invite your friends to attend events and also become members. This is how we spread good things. A blessed start to the year to everyone and see you at Caritas events or at the office!
Larissa
Caritas’ Nordic connections are getting closer
In January, Caritas Finland’s relations with its Nordic sister organisations have become closer. Last week, an enthusiastic group from Caritas Sweden visited our office, led by Secretary General Peter Brune. They wanted to know about the development of volunteer activities, cooperation with the diocese, and we thought about possible cooperation patterns.
In January, the secretaries general of the Nordic Caritas organisations met in Oslo for two days. Also present were Caritas Europe Secretary General Maria Nyman and Caritas Europa Board President Mons. Michael Landau. Each secretary general reported on their own activities and mapped out cooperation patterns. They discussed common goals for international cooperation, peace work and also immigration work. Cooperation, exchange of ideas and broader common goals are an important part of the Caritas family. The significance of the meeting was increased by the presence of Caritas Europa leaders, the exchange of information and a joint situation review of the situation in the Nordic countries.
Caritas ambassador brings the organization closer to the parishes
The Caritas ambassador and the development of volunteer activities are part of the Caritas Finland project, which is funded by the German Bonifatiuswerk. In September, a new project supported by the Bonifatiuswerk Foundation was launched, in which Meisa Dano and Hannele Liukkonen work. The project aims to strengthen volunteer activities, create permanent volunteer structures, increase volunteer participation and find new partners to support the activities.
It is particularly important to intensify cooperation between parishes and Caritas and to highlight the social teaching of the Catholic Church, on which Caritas’ work is based. Within the framework of the project, we build connections with all Catholic parishes in Finland and activate Caritas ambassadors across the country. We organize volunteer evenings and other events that support activities based on love of neighbor. Cooperation with parishes is a central part of Caritas Finland’s pastoral work. In January, employees of projects funded by Bonifatiuswerk in Finland, Latvia and Denmark met virtually to present the goals of their projects. Caritas Latvia and Caritas Denmark showed interest in the Caritas Ambassador concept, and it is hoped that it will gain a foothold in these countries as well. The concept offers an excellent channel for promoting pastoral work in both Catholic parishes and Caritas.
Caritas Finland is now looking for Caritas Ambassadors from different parishes to strengthen pastoral work and create a more direct connection with Caritas. We are here for you – ready to support and help.
Would you like to become a Caritas Ambassador?
Are you an active or actively following Caritas member! Would you have the opportunity to become a Caritas Ambassador in your own parish? We are now looking for Caritas Ambassadors from every Catholic parish.
Caritas Ambassador duties:
- Act as a contact person between Caritas and the parish.
- Inform about Caritas events and collections.
- If possible, organize a Caritas event once a year or more often in your own parish, where you present Caritas’ activities. If you wish, you can also sell Caritas products.
We offer training for ambassadors either remotely or on site at the Caritas office in Helsinki.
If you are interested in volunteering or the role of a Caritas ambassador, please contact the volunteer coordinator: meisa.dano@caritas.fi
Welcome to the Caritas family – together we can help those in a weaker position towards a better life.
Father Vitalii’s work to help Ukrainian refugees at Caritas has begun
At the turn of the year, we launched a project to help Ukrainian refugees living in Finland; the target group is mainly the Greek Catholic community. Father Vitalii Pihii works in close cooperation with Caritas personnel to help refugees find their place in Finnish society with studies, work and other activities. In addition to information and coaching, we organize various cultural and other events for young people. Getting attached to a new society is a long process and in addition to your own diocese/parish, neighbors and new friends help.
New development cooperation projects started in Kenya and Myanmar
New development cooperation projects started in Kenya and Myanmar at the beginning of the year. Turkana County is one of the poorest regions in Kenya, suffering from drought and difficulties in food production. This causes malnutrition. The project, implemented with Caritas Lodwar, supports women’s livelihoods by training them in beekeeping and goat farming. In addition, wells are being built to provide clean water. The project reaches thousands of people and strengthens climate change adaptation.
The conflict in Myanmar that began in 2021 has undermined education, and many children do not have access to school at all. Many teachers are forced to work outside the formal system. Caritas and a local organization provide them with training, learning materials and peer support. Thanks to the project, 9,600 children will receive education in 16 schools across the country. The goal is to build an education system accessible to all, creating hope for the future.
You can find more information about all of Caritas’ development cooperation projects on our website and social media channels.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the Advent Collection!
The 2024 Advent Collection supported Nepalese farmers. Thank you to all of the individual donors and parishes who collected on the first Sunday of Advent. Donations help Nepalese farmers cope better with the devastating effects of climate change. People are losing their crops and livestock in the floods. Food prices are rising. With your support, we will be better able to help farmers start growing different plants or animals. This way, they will get more and more diverse food.
The upcoming Lenten collection is aimed at people close to you – bring hope!
During Lent, we will be collecting funds for work in Finland. We have further intensified our cooperation with parishes to help low-income families, people at risk of exclusion and lonely people. We need your support so that we can offer guidance and advice as well as financial support to those in need. Caritas Finland is distributing food gift cards to low-income families before Christmas and supporting children and young people with camp fees in the summer. We hope that more and more people will have the opportunity to participate in these. We want to support those in need in Finland, as the need for support has been constantly growing. The collection starts on Ash Wednesday, March 5. You can find collection materials and information in your own parish, Fides and Caritas’ own media channels. Stay tuned. With cooperation, we can help our parishioners all over Finland.
Events from February to April
- The Caritas café and shop doors will be open longer on shopping evenings. Starting at 3 pm, social worker Hannele Liukkonen will make coffee and offer a snack. The next café and shop evenings will be on Wednesday, February 5, March 12 and April 9, from 3 pm to 6 pm.
- Surplus food distribution every other Monday from 3 pm to 3:20 pm. Distribution days in the spring are February 17, March 3, March 17, March 31, April 14, April 28, May 12. and May 26. The distribution will be organized at the Caritas office. There is a limited number of food bags, approximately 30 at a time. We are part of the City of Helsinki Stadin safka distribution network. More information at ruoka-apu.fi.
- Cooking workshop for volunteers Sat 22.2. from 13.00 to 16.00 in the St. Henrik’s parish hall. Indonesian food will be served. Registration for the workshop by February 15: youngcaritas@caritas.fi
- Easter bazaar Sun 13.4.2025 from 10.30 to 14.30 in the parish hall of St. Henrik’s Cathedral at Pyhän Henrikin aukio 1A.
