The first Sunday of Advent, December 1, 2024, was a day of special celebrations in the life of the Conventual Franciscan parish in Jönköping, Sweden. The celebrations gathered friars, parishioners, and important guests, namely, His Eminence Cardinal Anders ARBORELIUS, Bishop of Stockholm, together with the Minister Provincial of the Province of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe in Poland (Gdańsk), Friar Wojciech KULIG.
The first celebration commemorated the 50th anniversary of the consecration of the St. Francis Church in Jönköping. The church was first blessed on November 30, 1974, by the Most Reverend John TAYLOR, then Bishop of Stockholm. However, it could not be officially consecrated at the time, because, according to canon law, consecration was only possible after full payment of the construction costs. The Catholics in Jönköping belonged to a poor strata of society, and thus struggled for a long time with this obligation. Finally, the church was officially consecrated on November 28, 1999, with then Bishop Anders ARBORELIUS presiding. The current celebration therefore was intended to commemorate the 25th anniversary of that important event.
Shortly before the celebrations, Friar Wojciech KULIG visited the young Catholics participating in the Advent camp in Långserum. The meeting was a time for prayer, discussion and embracing the spirit of Advent. It was a nice segue into the atmosphere of the Sunday celebrations.
The highlight of the day was the consecration of the Holy Name of Jesus Church in Nässjö. Cardinal Jönköping ARBORELIUS blessed this filial church, which was built in the early 20th century as a Baptist “Tabernacle” and was acquired by the Catholic Church September 1, 2021. Since then, the building has been renovated, and at the same time, has served as a place of prayer for more than seven hundred Catholics from the cities of Nässjö, Eksjö and Vetlanda.
This second celebration brought together around 250 faithful and guests, including the Conventual Franciscans from Motala and Jönköping, some diocesan priests, and the Minister Provincial, Friar Wojciech KULIG. Masses at the church in Nässjö are currently celebrated in five languages and follow three different Catholic rites, which indicates the diversity of the community of believers in this region.
The celebrations in Jönköping and Nässjö gave beautiful witness to the unity of the Catholic Church and the living faith of the parish communities. The 50th anniversary, the consecration of the new church, and the meeting with the Advent youth, were important reminders of our common search for holiness and our responsibility to build up the community of the faithful.
The friars in Jönköping
