Worksite pastor Sakari Leppänen in a multi-cultural and -religious nuclear power plant project
Nuclear pastor Sakari Leppänen has worked on the Olkiluoto 3 worksite already for almost nine years. - The idea for hiring a worksite pastor came from the Vicar of Eurajoki, Mr. Asko Riihimäki and was then approved by the Church Board of Directors. The objective was to serve and be present on the large-scale, multi-cultural and multi-religious worksite. It was estimated that the number of workforce would be comparable to a small Finnish parish, says Mr. Leppänen.
- I address in my work the core issues of life, of both spiritual and temporal nature. Obtaining "an access permit" to the last gate in this life is also part of my job description, he concludes. At first, most of the working time of the Olkiluoto 3 worksite pastor was spent in helping foreign workers with issues related to accommodation and providing information about various recreational opportunities. As far as leisure activities are concerned, the pastor works in regular cooperation with the municipality of Eurajoki and the towns of Rauma and Pori. Mr. Leppänen also wanted to gain personal experience in construction work and signed up for six weeks as an employee of Teline-Rami on the OL3 worksite.
- I acted as an intermediary in starting ecumenical cooperation between different churches to organise to the catholic workers in Olkiluoto worship services at Christmas and Easter as well as the Holy Mass on a regular basis in the Church of Eurajoki. These are vital to many of the workers, he explains.
Mr. Leppänen has been well received in his work. - I expect it is because I am not afraid to let people get close to me, he ponders.
Mr. Leppänen still works as a pastor on the OL3 site as well as in the Parish of Eurajoki.
Half of hundred attended catechetical meeting Olkiluoto catechetical meeting was this year held in glorious sunshine with some fifty attendees. The meeting was officiated by nuclear pastor Sakari Leppänen and church musician Maria Verronen. After coffee and cakes, TVO's Social Responsibility Manager Ms. Sini Gahmberg welcomed the attendees to Olkiluoto, already for the nineteenth time.
The theme of the catechetical meeting was prayer in its various forms. Nuclear pastor Sakari Leppänen told that people pray for health, protection, safekeeping, or to express gratitude, for example; a prayer can be an act of selfishness or unselfishness. Church musician Maria Verronen emphasised the significance of singing as a praying method. - Everybody can pray. He who sings, prays two times, and they who sing together, pray three times. The hymn book is a versatile prayer book, Ms. Verronen said.
Mr. Leppänen told that originally the purpose of a catechetical meeting was to test the reading skills of the parishioners by reading both the Catechism and the Bible. Many of the attendees still have an old Catechism, and the meeting was during the spring evening even given an example of reciting the Catechism by heart in a most convincing manner.
Ladies Lotta Mäkinen, Hilkka Tuomi, Aila Suniste and Helvi Virta have attended Olkiluoto catechetical meetings for several years. Some of the hymns were familiar to them, but some were new. They enjoyed the evening and commented on the relaxed ambience of the meeting officiated by pastor Leppänen.
Share