How to become priest



Ordination. Photo Marjo Virtanen.

In Finland you need to be first Master of Theology, and then got a job at least for 6 months and finally to be accepted by Bishop and chapter (tuomiokapituli). When all this happens, Bishop “makes” you priest by blessing you his hands on your head. You’re priest.

 

All this took for me about 8,5 years.

 

How I became priest? This is my journey.

 

Ever heard of calling? That God calls someone to do something for His Kingdom. It’s a very powerful calling. I tried to fight it back some 10 years. I was born into a religious family. I’ve believed in God as long as I can remember. And one night as 8-10 year-old child it hit me: religious people become more often priests. Then it felt insuperable and I prayed God to plan me something else.

 

Isonen. Confirmation camps
enrich expressions.

15-year-old Heini in THE confirmation camp -> best time ever! I found my place with other youngsters in our parish.  And as I was later doing confirmation camps as helper (isonen), my stubborn head started to turn: I want to do this for living. God, OK, I say yes. No other occupation inspires me like this one.

 

OK, the basic problem solved. More to be solved.

But I’m thankful for all the obstacles there has been. Firstly: I didn’t pass the exam to study at university at the first time. But at the second time I did and I started my studies at the University of Helsinki. Secondly, I never liked studying that much, but the goal kept me going on. Every Summer I had a summer job at some parish in Finland. Besides having an awesome time, I learned great deal about priest job and Summer jobs have strengthened my calling.

 

(3) 2014, my graduation was approaching. Do I really want to do this, to be priest? I’d be different than others, what things I still can do and what not, my life would be an example, do I have enough words for different situations, do I have all the ability needed. These kinds of questions I was wrestling. It took about 6 months to have all the answers. Many conversations with Jesus. He called me to serve with the ability I have. With the talents He created in me. And I serve best being me.





 



Crepes and other adventures.

I started to apply jobs. (4) I’ve written tens of applications, rarely got invited for an interview. It could have been depressing to hear “No” after “No”, but I wasn’t that worried. I’ll got THE job, when God thinks I’m ready for that and when I can handle it. While waiting, I even got another study place in Jyväskylä, where I found my home too. And while waiting I’ve lived, not waited, and learned more about life, got to know new amazing friends and deepened old friendships.  Every experience has prepared me for priesthood.


 

2^nd of June 2016 turned my life: I got a job, which was made for me. Which was meant for me, I dare say. At my home town Lohja. 50%, so I can continue my cross-country skiing “career” and have the best parts from Jyväskylä and Lohja. My job gives me so much joy! But the main date is 18^th of December 2016. I became priest. My heart races a bit faster when I think it: I’m priest. This feels good. I’m in the right place. This is my calling. This is my journey. I don’t know what is ahead, so lead me Jesus. Give me everything I need on this path.

 

God bless you.  

Haggenegg, Schwyz, Switzerland.

 By the way, I’m still Heini and I will still laugh and joy, I will live!

 

 

"Junat ja naiset on luotuja kulkemaan"

Kiitos Jenni Vartiainen sanoituksesta, toi pätee muhun. Yhdessä ja erikseen. Ja varsinkin Sveitsissä. The latest Swiss time.

Pojasta polvi paranee
Paitsi ettei ehkä parane. Perintögeenit ja -vaivat seuraa hienosti perässä. Treeneillä ja uusilla kengillä oli ehkä jokin osa, kun Nikander-polvet 5 päivää ennen lähtöä anoivatkin saikkua. Vaellusreissu oli melkein katkolla, mutta oikeaan aikaan odottamatta kuvioihin astunut Mr. Cool X yhdessä Buranan ja Panadolin voimin mahdollisti kolmen tunnin hitaan kävelyn ihan kivoille näköaloille Einsiedelnissä.

Ruoho on vihreämpää aidan takana
Todellaki on! Suomessa koivut on jo ihan alasti, kun keskellä Sveitsiä puut vasta miettii, että pitäiskö vaihtaa väriä. Iski melkein vihersokeus, niin vihreetä nurmea ja puuta oli kaikkialla.

Mutta ei pelkästään kirjaimellisesti. "Vaelluksen" lisäksi olin katselemassa kaupunkeja, joissa olin aina halunnu käydä. Aloitin kolmen kaupungin tourin Fribourgista. Mielikuvat siitä oli vähän erilaisia kuin mitä todellisuus sitten oli. Vähän samanlaista kuin Bern, mutta ruma Bern. Aika nopeesti etenin siitä junalla (junalla tietenkin!) Montreuxiin ja olin niin etelässä! Upee keli ja värikäs kaupunki, joka kohoaa Genevenjärven rannasta kohti vuorten huippuja. Palmuja alhaalla, lunta ylhäällä. Ilmapiiri siellä oli semmoi, että haluun sinne joskus lomalle. Lopuksi kiiruhdin Neuchateliin katsomaan auringonlaskun ja aika taikaa se oli. Järven ja Juran lisäksi Neuchatelissa on tosi jees vanha kaupunki. Kun pääsin junaan, pimeys oli laskeutunut ja katselin, kun täysikuu teki kuunsiltaa järven pinnalle. Mä voisin Jeesus vielä omistaa sen kaikkivoipan junakortin (GA). Ruoho on tuolla vähintään yhtä vihreetä kuin täällä.

A friend in need is a friend indeed
I wasn't in any kind of trouble, any other idiom just didn't cross my mind. Need or no need, my friends are awesome indeed. Vou, I just invented idiom of my own!

Our nights were great of course, but there were some small things I'd like to share.
1. I was shopping with my friend. "I buy a beer," I said. My friend stopped and gave me a long, disbelieving look. Until now I was known just as wine-drinker.
2. On the second day I woke up at 13:18 after sleeping 13 hours. New sleeping record, I guess.
3. We chose Friday night movie for at least two hours and ended up watching a document or reality film of vampires everyday life in Welligton. Hehee, was at the same time what the f.. and hilarious.
4. I met a guy from my Erasmus-year. He had also moved back to Bern. That year (2012-2013) has been remarkable and produced a lot of people who keep coming back.
5. Lebenese ählämi sählämis are the best and funniest ählämi sählämis there is! Thank you for Saturday and Sunday morning jokes!

Einsiedeln. Worth to visit. And then remember to buy a bottle of  red wine from the monastery. It's way better than Valamos.

Fribourg. It tries to be like Bern, but Bern is so much nicer and more beautiful.

Montreux. I want to have holidays here at some day. There's everything: lake to swim, mountains to hike and nice city to walk around.

Neuchatel. I'd describe it like Montreux but there's not that Southern Europe feeling or atmosphere.

And may I introduce my Mr. Cool X. You make my heart race.

I'd like to be once more a happy GA-holder.
See you in April (or in May)!

Meeting points

Oulu, Wien, Bratislava. And a twist. 
All once or twice (or a lot!) seen with memorable experience. 
Because of the people, they all claimed a new tour.

Switzerland came to Oulu
Oh cool, Switzerland was nearer than never before! A very good friend of mine from my past Swiss-time works for  Polar in Oulu. We didn't do anything special, but everything will be special with a good friend. We either hadn't that much time, but jehei, the weather was on our side and the light is maybe the best thing in northern coutries right now, so it kind of gave us extra hours. And not to forget, special thanks once again to my night host for familiar bed.

Trees make the roof for us. Vienna

Wien. Wein? Wine!
Two hungry girls from Finland are here for some food. The only wine we actually "drank" here, was just rice boiled in white wine. The titel was just so catchy, hehee. Jep, from Oulu to Vienna. And now I had my regular travel mate, SpongeBob, with me and we were visiting our most kind friend Sissi and her amazing family.

Two years ago we saw Vienna for the first time, but then and even now, there is still a lot to explore. This time we spent our time in forests, eating Sushi and local desserts, and visiting the fun park Prater. This thursday was a catholic holy day Fronleichnam (celebrated just in Austria) and that evening the city offered an open-air concert on back yard of the castle Schönbrunn. Nice. 60 000 people, and no loudspeakers. Well, picknic and atmospheare were the point.

Bratislava old town

Bratislover
After 2 nights to the dark side? Once passing by Bratislava, we "saw" the city for 4 hours and felt a bit sorry for our friend, let's name her Kenwood, who was moving there. Luckily, we were so wrong, 'cause Bratislava isn't the dark side but we became bratislovers.

The Ristikäsi travel section was completed with FolkeWest (not the real one, but our friend) and was ready for new experiences followed by Kenwoods man Mr. Bald (he is not bald, his last name just refers to that). Our trips only took us to old times: middle age festivals on the yard of castle Rotenstein. Nice one with horse shows, costumes, knights and food. And to the old city of Bratislava, which was cosy and lively. So good to be in Europe! We followed the food (and drink) theme to the food festivals at the very end of my visit. And what was same as ever, was the heat on our trips and our sense of humour (the best thing!!).

Future interfering?
And the twist. I applied a priest job before we took off and got the infomation on the road, that I was invited to the interview! The challenge was then to be in 2 countries on the same day. My life seems never getting boring. New plan, new flight tickets back to Finland one day before our holiday end. I think the interview went well and afterwards back to the airport to get my things, which where in the luggage of SpongeBob. And of course, have to keep the extreme on and travel back home through the light night. I just moved to a new nice flat (5th address in Jyväskylä within a year), but for how long?

Tuomiojärvenranta, Jyväskylä

Edit: I got that job!! = God interfering, jee!

Extra: learning new words througout the week

Jucken. A german word for itching (mosquitos!)

Kampi. A finnish word for crank, which is a part of a bike.

Rävö. A finnish word for bungler or duffer. I think it is just used in particular families.

Org/arg/oarg. A german word to describe that someone is negatively way incredible.

Botel. A hotel in a boat.

Pozor! A slovak word for watch out!

Páska. A slovak word for tape (like Scotch).

Something new, something old, something unexpected

The main purpose for this trip was to see my friends in Bern. That's kind of an old thing thoug. But this something new was skiing in the Alps! Not cross-country but downhill skiing. During the weekend there was couple of unexpected stories and a note to tell, which were at same time new things too. Well, I give the unexpected note right the way: I forgot everything in Finland while being in Switzerland (studies, job applications and my very-hard-to-plan future) and I got a bit scared how easily it happened.

Preparing the raclette.

And my 4 day long holiday started with another unexpected thing. 'Cause I'm student, I try to travel as cheap as possible. So I bought the cheapest flights too, which aren't usually direct ones. This time I was supposed to fly via Oslo, but the boarding pass was telling me otherwise: directly to Zürich. No-one informed me in advance. I'm still a bit surprised, but no complaining -> it was luxury!
But man, the real luxury is to sit at the same table eating raclette and drinking wine with important friends who are toasting me saying: "To Heini, we're glad you're back." (Heiniiii ählämi sählämiii!). Thank you, it is always great to be back. Laughing also has a significant role to play in these gatherings. I guess best story telling award goes this time to the truest man of Sevilla ;)

Friday late afternoon in Bern.

Friday was a very nice day. I was very surprised how warm it was. I wonder did Winter ever come to Bern. Anyhow people were running in my favorite training forest not wearing so much clothes on. Later I saw Springs first flowers and had very nice time with a football friend on a terrace of the most beautiful place of Bern (Rosengarten). I walked back to Fellergut in time to witness my first kitchen fight about cleaning. Everyone agreed that kitchen should be clean, but how clean? How can a chocolate bar on a table prevent you to have meal at otherwise clean and empty table? We tryed to solve this problem in the late evening at the place of a cool Turk. The solution remained as a mystery...

Lavey

Finally the newest part of my visit. I got my long-time dream coming true on Saturday and the sunny weather was on our side. Adelboden is a HUGE skiing area (at least in Finland point of view) in Berner Oberland. We were skiing 4,5 hours and I guess we used caple cars or lifts less than 10 times to go up. Now my highest point is 2200m (Lavey), jejee! The landscape was amazing and when the Sun was sinking, the colours in the sky were magical.
Skiing was awesome but needed some concentration. The warmth had made the snow very heavy and at some spots it was difficult to ski. In the shadows we found that advertised powder snow. Then darkness came (usually slopes in Switzerland aren't lighten) and we passed après ski to have a better one back home Fellergut.

Après ski meaning the old set (the best set): dinner and kitchen hanging out until 3 o'clock. It works always, there is nothing unexpected.

High time

...Translated literally from German word Hochzeit, which means a wedding, not smoking.

Davos

In the last month I attended into two weddings in Switzerland. And both of them were high time! Two of my friends got married. Firstly, I wanted to celebrate them and with them. Secondly, an awesome excuse to go again to Switzerland. And thirdly, I was curious how are Swiss weddings.

Utzenstorf, Schloss Landshut

Utzenstorf was my home when I first lived in Switzerland. And my landlord had her wedding in a very suitable place for a lord (or this case lady): in a castle! I had visited the castle only outside and now I got in (I like castles).

Schloss Landshut

The couple had already got married in a register office, 'cause in Switzerland all couples have to do so. Although there was a priest holding a speech in a ceremony, which was beautiful and held outside right there on the terrace in the photo. Also weather gave its best. After the ceremony there was an apéro. In Finland we don't know it at all. Shortly, it is a small talk event served with something small to eat (finger food) and alcohol + non alcohol drinks to drink. (Yeah, small talk doesn't happen and with alcohol too much happens = not for Finns.)

After the apéro "extra-invited" guests moved inside the castle, where we had a dinner with all its courses. Food was served on the tables and glasses weren't empty. Between course there was programm. Made of honor and bestman had invited different kind of games for that sportive couple.

At first I didn't knew anyone else than the couple and bride's family. Later in the evening I had spoken with several funny guys and had after every passing hour more fun. And almost like Cinderella, I had to take my carrige back to Hotel Feller way too soon. And hahah, the married couple had literally high time too: they arrived to the castle with a helicopter!

Davos, Sertig

This wedding celebrations were held in a valley of mountais. Also here, the wedding day was enjoying under the Sun. This time I had huge part in the wedding ceremony. I held the wedding speech in a chapel, using altogether 4 languages. The bride is from Davos and the Groom from Oslo. Together the couple speaks in English. In the wedding rehearsal I learned that Norwegian is not at all the same with Swedish... Well, (luckily) everyone was impressed by my Norwegian skills :D

Hinter den Eggen

This couple is also extremely sportive and they cross-country skiied together from the altar after the ceremony while cows were ringing their bells. Apéro was followed after picture taking time. Already in the apéro there was some programm. Two families and friends from other countries had a chance to get to know each other through games (bingo!). We even leard a song in 3 languages, which we sang to the coulpe later in the evening.

Celebrations were combination of Swiss (as far as I know) and Norwegian wedding. The food was very Swiss and Graubünden, and the programm reminded me of Finnish weddings (speeches and games). Also the couple had made surprises for us: awesome wedding dance show!

Here too I got to know new wonderful people. The families of the couple were so nice and they made me smile several times. The wedding places were awesome: chapel, chalet and Hotel Walserhuus, all in high (1860m above sea level), Davos is beautuful! At that night stars were twinkling for the just married couple.

Altogether, I'm very lucky to have these friends and I'm so happy for both of the couples. I really have had high time with you!

Hispania tour

"Lähen Lissaboniin moikkamaan kaveriani huhtikuussa," kerron SpongeBobille viime helmikuussa. SpongeBobin silmät laajenevat ilosta ja katseessa lukee Barcelona. Ja sitten sitä mentiin huhtikuussa, reittiä Lissabon, Sevilla, Barcelona ja mun reittini kulki vielä tietenkin Berniin.

Kommenttiraita: Oijoi, olipas parasta nähdä ystävääni Reissumiestä, joka oli oppaamme ja johdatti edellä mainittuihin paikkoihin. Reissumiehen ihonvärikin oli jo muuttunut paikalliseksi! Tällä kertaa maisemia enemmän kohauttivat elämykset just tuolla laittomassa kiinalaisessa, parkkitalon katon terassilla ja kalaravintolassa, jossa askartelin ekaa kertaa rapujen kanssa. Ja vau, kun ostin pullon vettä ja kylkeen valkkaria, ne makso yhteensä 1,81e! Jos jotain valittamista, niin junan löytäminen seuraavaan kohteeseen koettiin niin haastavana, että vaihdettiin dösään, jota sitäkin etittiin. Toinen juttu oli oma takalistoni. Pelattiin ennen tätä 10 päivän touria Levillä (niin mahtavaa peliä kuin) villasukkafutista, jossa komeesti lensin pyrstölleni, joka ei tietenkään pitänyt koko päivän mittaisista kävelyprojekteista.

Kommenttiraita: Hehee, saatiinpa vihdoin niitä perään viheltyjä. Jees, hostellimme vieressä oli sellai periespanjalainen pubi, josta tuli meidän kantapaikka (käytiin siellä kaks kertaa). Jopa mä tilasin espanjaks itelleni ruokaa. Toisella kertaa kantiksessa päästiin juttelemaan vanhempien setämiesten kanssa espanjaks ja englanniks. Aivan sairaan hauskoja heppuja, jotka kutsu meidät samaan paikkaan ens vuonnakin. Espanjassa loistavaa oli just toi käsien käyttö puheen tueks, vaaleet hiukset vaan kavaltaa mut. Loistavaa on myös Tinto verano, josta tuli mun lempikesäjuomaa. Juotiin yhdet sitten kans päiväsaikaan ja saatiin kuningasidea vuokrata auto ja lähteä Rondaan. No, se ei (onneks) onnistunu ja lähellä oli, että missattiin flamencokin. Flamenco ei kyl ollu mitään, noh hyvää. Tai mitä mä sen päälle ymmärrän. Kuitenkin tykkäsin Sevillasta tosi paljon!

Kommenttiraita: Barcelona tuntu Lissabonin ja Sevillan jälkeen hieman sieluttomalta, kun oli niin paljon turisteja ja vaan ihan hullun iso kaupunki. Toisaalta sieluttomuutta paikkas lohjalaisvitsit, eikä omia repliikkejä sitten pian enää ollutkaan. Väsymys alkoi myös painaa, mutta toi se ainakin kokille naurut meijen lisäks. Se, missä Barcelona vei voiton muista kaupungeista, oli Hillsong. Show-meiningin takaa paljastui aivan todella hyvä opetus. Se oikeestaan huipensi kaiken sen, miten Jumala oli puhutellu meitä matkan aikana. Jännää oli, että Barcelonassa kuuli suomea jo aika paljon siihen nähden, ettei oltu Suomessa, mut suomalaisen laulaja-instagram julkkisen spottas kyl ihan mielellään Espanjan top40-listan sijalta 32. Käytiin Barcelonan ulkopuolellakin ottamassa väriä pintaan ja pääsin (vihdoin) ekaa kertaa uimaan Välimereen, jei! Rannalla sitten tovin kuluttua katottiin, että meillä tais olla yhet bikinit liikaa päällä...

Kommenttiraita: Kävin Hispania tourin jälkeen kaks päivää pesemässä pyykkiä Suomessa. Menolennolla Sveitsiin istusinkin työharjoitteluajan tutun vieressä ja junassakin törmäsin tyttöön, joka puhus suomea. Tuli sellai pieni epäusko, että missäs mää olen. Täl kertaa neljää päivää alko erikoisen rauhallisesti Fellergutin kodissani. Kaikkia vähän väsytti ja mentiin jo ennen kahtatoista nukkumaan (no yhtenä iltana). Vihdoinkin sain myös seuraa vaeltamaan, jolta ylempi kuvakin on. Puhuin myös aivan jäätävän määrän saksaa, ja ihanaa, että se tulee suusta yhä Berner hochdütschinä. Sveitsi on ihana, Bern on ihana ja varsinkin juustofondue-ilta(!), jossa näin kaikki hyvät ystäväni, loivat toisia ajatuksia siitä, että mitäs hittoa mä nyt Keski-Suomen muutan. No, koska uusi seikkailu.

Love of/in Switzerland

August: Love of Switzerland

I just had to get back. And i bought flight tickets 7 days after my arrival to Finland last June. This is like disease or addiction. Or both. Love. You just need medicine for love sickness. Love of Switzerland.
And i got great amount of medicine already in the airport on Friday, when i jumped into a train. I felt very good. I kept smiling the whole trip to Bern from Zürich. I was gonna see my friends. And i got the best welcoming in the second floor of Fellergut rich side. They were running to hug me, gave me a glas and told that tonight we're gonna go out and dance! It really was one memorable evening: Awesome food, even better company, burned chicken ("I think there's a fire"), lots of smoke, laughing, dancing and "ählämi sählämi".
Maybe one of the best feelings is when you don't have to hurry anywhere. You can just relax and enjoy your friends. That Saturday was just like that. Waking up late, eating Carbonara for breakfast, playing hours table tennis, have another dinner with former floormates and later getting to know new friends. Perfection.
I've been telling about friends whom i love, with whom i enjoy doing things in Switzerland but Switzerland i love too. On Sunday it showed its beauty on a hiking trip (i soo love hiking in the mountains) in Oeschinensee. That place was incredible! A small lake, clear, turquise surrounded by mountains and a glimpse of the Sun. And you can go higher to have even better view. If there was something negative, it was cows. Unfortunately some hiking trails go through pastures. I have some issues against cows but luckily this time i had a friend to protect me, and in the end i managed quite well, jei! That Sunday evening i got my third invitation to a (albanian) dinner in the famous second floor. Later hanging out and let a friend win me in chess (hehe). Very good day indeed.
Weekend was so fast over and it was time to go home. Before that on Monday, i met friends who live outside of Fellergut. Finally i could speak some German too! Chatting and running in the forests of Neufeld. And while hurrying to Geneve, i was hitting myself (not litarally) for heading back to Finland too soon... Wondering later could i have cancelled my flight for just one more extra day..?
This is love of Switzerland.

Which i had to have more. And i did!! But this time it wasn't just love of Switzerland, it was love IN Switzerland.

December: Love in Switzerland

I'm not very romantic person, and speaking about love this much is not my thing (especially not in Finland or in Finnish!). Althoug i'm very much in love with cross-country skiing. And i had to get finally to Davos, first thing what i must do when i touch the ground of Switzerland on Thursday noon. What would be cooler than ski in the mountains of cross-country skiing Mecca, Davos? Especially when skiing in Southern Finland is impossible. Too bad that Davos didn't have enough snow either... And i managed to lost Finnish/Japan waxing team people, which i met in the train, at the railway station to borrow an athlete waistcoat for using world cup tracks.
Another try to ski in Davos was on last day of my visit, on Sunday. Not succesful. Instead of skiing myself, i saw real athletes warming up for world cup sprints. And i met a friend who is at least as much in love with cross-country skiing as i'm! I said i'm not a romantic person, but i'm more than happy when i see my friends in love. I didn't have time to watch the sprints 'cause i was gonna visit the chapel where my friends would get married. While running to railway station i met half-accidently my friend, my renter and flatmate. And she gave me a wedding invitation. She will get married with an awesome guy! I'm so happy for them!
Back to the chapel. I'm gonna be done with my studies in a month, graduating in March and hopefully (if God thinks so too) starting my biggest adventure as pastor before the next summer. So she and her groom from Norway asked me to marry them. I'm so honoured: I may marry that awesome, happy couple! I've got so much joy in my life through these people. And that small chapel is cosy and standing in a valley. Just imagining how that scenary looks in the summer when the flowers are blooming on the faces of mountains.
That was Davos. Still from 4 day trip i was spending more time in Bern, the days between Thursday and Sunday. And again what a great time i had!! I love food too. A friend of mine and his girlfriend had made me dinner when i came from Davos to Bern on Thursday. I ate it with my friend from first floor and with a random Finn. I have missed that social life in kitchens while living alone in Finland. And there catching up with my friends late and being pleased to hear that my first floor floormate will have her lovely girlfriend all the way from Mexico to Switzerland for Christmas, jei!
Friday was somehow very fast day. Or i just woke up, went to run, saw a friend and the party was about to start. Our party started with eating dinner in the second floor. Slowly we got the party place and time flew so quikly! It was 6 am when i reached my bed.
I didn't want to waist my day on Saturday. Sun was shining and world seemed very nice outside. But i had to watch cross-country skiing world cup via tv. Even my friend, who was also visiting, was watching it with me. He maybe didn't find so fascinating... Later we started to prepare Holiday dinner, this case meaning raclette. I think, when visiting, there are only awesome nights. This one was maybe little bit more than awesome. About 15 people eating together, laughing, smiling. Vau, i ate so much, more than anyone else. Cheese! :D The best thing was to sit around the same small table after dinner. And if there was something negative, it was reality hitting when clock was ticking towards morning. One by one i had to say good night and bye, until it was my time to go for short sleep. This was a night when i wanted to freeze the time for a while...
Yes, love in Switzerland. It was so good to see love in Fellergut, love in the faces of couples (Is romance hitting me?!). That they (couples and friends!) are happy, i'm happy.