Return of transgender vicar divides parishioners in Imatra

Marja-Sisko Aalto fills church on Sunday

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By Juhani Saarinen
     
      Vicar Marja-Sisko Aalto resumed her work at her parish in Imatra on Sunday after a year’s absence. She had left as a man, and her return to work as a woman continues to divide the Imatra congregation.
      Many parishioners and trustees of the congregation oppose the return of Aalto, to a position of spiritual leadership after her gender reassignment surgery.
      On Sunday, nearly 150 people showed up at Sunday services to watch as Aalto helped serve communion at Tainionkoski Church.
      Arto Marttinen, who substituted as vicar during Aalto’s absence, said that usually about 50 people attend Sunday services.
     
Many said that they came out of curiosity. Some even came from outside Imatra.
      “I didn’t get an impression from her now”, said Kerttu Ruokonen, who had come from neighbouring Ruokolahti.
      “A slightly conflicting atmosphere”, said Terttu Paakki from Imatra.
      Imatra resident Anneli Kaplas felt that Aalto showed courage. Pentti Järvinen from Lappeenranta also expressed support for Aalto.
      “How could she be judged? I have not been given the right to do so”, Järvinen said.
      One woman who came to the church said that she had come out of curiosity, but that she would leave the church the following day. She did not want to disclose her name.
     
According to Antti Jarva, the chairman of the church council, about 300 people left the church last year, and this year there have been more than 200 resignations, 64 of which have happened in the past couple of weeks.
      “It is both a spiritual question, but if the rate fo resignations gets this high, it is also an economic question”, Jarva says.
      Jarva is one of those on the council who has taken a somewhat ambivalent view of Aalto’s return to the leadership of the congregation. Jarva feels that the situation is “terrible” from the congregation’s point of view.
     
Aalto says that she was moved to tears at the first service at which she officiated since last year.
      On Sunday she spoke only briefly at the service - “A role that was as small and modest as possible”, she explained. But a week later she will lead the entire service.
      “I hope that it will go well”, Aalto said.
     
Some members of the congregation are unhappy with the way that Aalto aired the matter in public. Aalto said that she is a calm person who does not like to cause scandals.
      She regrets that her return is such a difficult issue for some people.
      “I hope that as time passes, they will notice that the earth did not split open beneath the church.”
     
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 2.11.2009


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Number of transgender cases has increased severalfold in recent years (13.11.2009)
  Transgender Lutheran vicar wants to continue his pastoral work (12.11.2008)

JUHANI SAARINEN / Helsingin Sanomat
juhani.saarinen@hs.fi