Bishop Raimo Goyarrola of Helsinki told EWTN News that the school will not open this August as planned and that the project has been pushed back to 2027.
By Bryan Lawrence Gonsalves
The Helsinki Catholic School has not opened. Claims circulating widely on social media that Finland’s first Catholic school will open this month, or that it is already operational, are inaccurate.
The Helsinki Catholic School, which was scheduled to begin operations in August, has postponed its opening until next year, according to Bishop Raimo Goyarrola of Helsinki.
The planned school gained attention after the Helsinki Diocese announced the project in its diocesan magazine last November. By the time of the announcement, groundwork was already underway, with fundraising efforts and the necessary administrative and bureaucratic processes being pursued.
Once completed, the Helsinki Catholic School would be the first Catholic school in Finland in roughly 500 years, following the near disappearance of Catholic institutional life in the country after the Reformation and the adoption of Lutheranism as Finland’s state religion in the 16th century.
The Helsinki Catholic School’s Planned Model
Goyarrola previously described the project to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, as an important step in rebuilding Catholic educational life in Finland.
He said the school was intended to open in August 2026 and would initially operate on the second floor of a Lutheran church dedicated to St. James the Apostle on Lauttasaari, an island in Helsinki. The bishop had also expressed hope that, if finances permitted, the diocese could acquire the building within three years.
The Helsinki Catholic School is planned as a small, inclusive school initially serving grades 1–3, following Finland’s national and Helsinki city curricula while incorporating Catholic values. Its approach focuses on personal attention, a calm learning environment, initiative, and a strong character foundation.
Helsinki Catholic School Opening Delayed Until 2027
In response to an inquiry from EWTN News, Goyarrola clarified that the school has not opened and that its launch has been postponed.
“The school will open once everything is fully in place,” Goyarrola said. “We had hoped to begin this August, but after careful consideration we have decided to postpone the opening until next year, as there are still several important matters to resolve.”
He also went on to say: “The administrative procedures, logistics, and financing alone are challenging.” He further noted that “when the school is also Catholic and privately run, the work and the requirements become even more demanding.”
Social media accounts and online posts have recently presented the Helsinki Catholic School as though it is already operating in an educational sense. This is inaccurate. The school is not currently teaching any students, and it is not open in the capacity that formal classes or regular educational activities are being conducted. The project remains in development.
The Diocese of Helsinki continues to work with its partners toward establishing the Helsinki Catholic School and remains hopeful that it will become a reality in 2027.
Goyarrola asked the faithful to pray for the project as the diocese works through the remaining requirements. “We would be deeply grateful for your prayers as we continue working to make this project a reality,” he told EWTN News.
Finland has a Catholic population of approximately 15,000 less than 0.3% of the country’s total population of 5.6 million. The Helsinki Catholic School represents a significant milestone for the country’s small but growing Catholic community, which has expanded in recent decades through immigration.
This article was first published by EWTN News and has been adapted and republished to EWTN Australia.
