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The Diocese of Helsinki has decided to apply the following rules because of the Corona virus epidemic:

• Those visiting churches or parishes must avoid close contacts and follow attentively the general guidelines published by the authorities.
• All parish activities except celebrations of the Holy Mass are cancelled. These cancellations include club meetings, church coffees etc. In some special circumstances the parish priest may allow some small gatherings, for example baptisms and funerals. Individual meetings can occur, as long as the general guidelines are followed.
• The faithful are asked to avoid receiving Holy Communion on the tongue, and the Blood of Christ will not be distributed to them. If one, because of one’s conscious conviction absolutely wants to receive the Holy Host on the tongue, one must be certain that the priest is in no danger of touching the communicant.
• Those of the faithful, for whom the virus poses great risk, and for those who have been placed or advised to stay in quarantine by the civil authorities, as well as their family members, are asked to stay at home; they are freed from the Sunday obligation. Those of the faithful, who have even slight symptoms of flu or who are greatly afraid of being contaminated in the Mass, are asked to stay at home as well; they, too, are freed from the Sunday obligation.
• All those who cannot come to Mass on Sunday, are encouraged to follow life streams from our parishes or elsewhere or at least read the mass readings. They and all the faithful are encouraged also to make use of the worthy practice of Spiritual Communion.
• Priests and other employees of the Diocese are asked to avoid traveling abroad

This year’s Lenten Collection funds will be used to prevent the marginalization of youth in Pereira, Kolumbia. At the moment, one third of primary school pupils drop out of school and are exposed to drug abuse and delinquency. Through Lenten Collection we can give these youngsters a chance for a better future. You can put your donations into the collection box at the back of the church on your right.

The solemnity of St. Joseph will be celebrated on Thursday, 19.3. Mass in Finnish starts at 6 pm.

We will celebrate the Stations of the Cross in English on Sundays at 5.30.