Message From Our Pastor
Mission Statement
Mass Times
Devotions
Penitential Opportunities
Ministries
Religious Education
Organizations
Memorial Garden
St. Raphael, The Archangel
In the back of the church there hangs a tapestry-painting of St. Raphael that was rendered by Tatiana McKinney, a Venice area artist.
Click
the picture of tapestry to enlarge
Welcome to our parish family at St. Raphael. We hope our community of faith will be a source of peace and a sign of God's love for you.
This unity is rooted in our common faith in Jesus the Lord, who guides us through His Vicar on earth, our Holy Father the Pope. Led by our local Bishop, we see ourselves as co-ministers of the mysteries of God, called to witness to what we are in Jesus - a redeemed, holy people - and to proclaim the good news entrusted to us by Him.
Our efforts are thus directed towards areas of worship, education, charity and service.
We seek the blessing and help of God as we work together
toward our common goal. We rely on the Holy Spirit for guidance and direction
and wisdom in all our efforts.
WE WORSHIP...
Saturday Vigil Mass - 4:00
PM, (Jan. thru April - 5:30 PM)
Sunday Masses - 7:30 AM, 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM
Weekday Mass - 8:30 AM
Sacrament of Reconciliation (confessions) -
Saturdays 9:00-9:30 AM, 2:30-3:00 PM
Sacrament of the Sick - Anointing is available
for those anticipating surgery after the Saturday 8:30 AM Mass upon request.
To deepen and enrich the spiritual life of our parishioners, St. Raphael's offers a variety of devotions during the year.
Rosary ...recited daily before the weekday mass; you are invited to join.
Special Marian Devotions... May and October
First Friday - Holy Hour, Benediction and day-long adoration.
Lent ...Stations of the Cross on Fridays.
Mission Week ...an outside preacher will offer a service of reflections during Lent.
PARISH PENITENTIAL
OPPORTUNITIES
Sacrament of Reconciliation... every Saturday at 9:00 a.m. and in the afternoon at 2:30 P.M.
Communal Penance Services are offered during Advent and
Lent with an opportunity for private confessions.
To the sick: Our hospitalized Catholic patients in Englewood Hospital are visited daily by a priest, Deacon or a Eucharistic Minister bringing Holy Communion. Our homebound parishioners are visited weekly by Eucharistic Ministers and periodically by one of the priests.
Altar servers: In our parish, the altar servers may be men and women as well as boys and girls.
Eucharistic Ministers: Each lay person accepted as a Eucharistic Minister is given individual preparation and instructions. They distribute the Eucharist to the congregation as well as to the sick, homebound, nursing homes and ACLF's in our parish boundaries.
Lectors: Men and women are invited to use their communication skills to proclaim the richness of Scripture to the congregation.
Stephen Ministry: Stephen Ministers are of great help when people find themselves in a transitional period, which is causing them distress. For more information call Jim or Sheila at 474-6228
Ushers: Men and women are invited to become ushers, ministers of hospitality, who contribute greatly to the dignity of liturgical services by greeting parishioners, seating them and when necessary leading them in the proper procedure of the liturgy.
Bereavement: Ministers of Consolation offer sympathy upon the death of a parishioner and help the family plan the funeral liturgy. They offer continual support following the funeral as needed by each family.
Peace And Justice: The Peace and Justice Ministry is for those who want to live the Gospel proclaimed on Sunday every day. This ministry, open to every member of the parish, offers the opportunity to answer God's call for peace by working for justice providing a means to effect positive change on the local, national and international levels. Currently, 2002, we are focused on criminal justice legislation, migrant worker problems primarily in Immokalee, FL, our sister Parish in Peru, So. America and the activities of the southwest Florida Peace Education Coalition.
This ministry meets the second Thursday of the month October through June at 9 am in the Parish Center. For more information call Mary Ann at 473-0254
Music: Praising the Lord in song is fundamental to the celebration of the liturgy. St. Raphael's Church is proud to offer several excellent musical opportunities in which parishioners may participate.
Sacrament Preparation
First Reconciliation and First Holy Eucharist: Meets Wednesday, 6:15-7:30 PM
For those who wish to become Catholic Christians, we offer the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (R.C.I.A.), The process culminates in the Easter Vigil when all are received into the faith by the community.
*Meets Thursdays, September through Easter, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the Parish Center.
*The process is for people who are:
-Unbaptized-Baptized Christian in another denomination
-Catholic but have not received Eucharist or Confirmation
*The process includes practicing, sacramental Catholics who are interested in and willing to sponsor someone throughout the spiritual journeyIF INTERESTED IN OBTAINING MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Jean Balmes
Tel: 941-473-2359 - - - - Email: Jean@StRaphaelsOnline.org
More Schedules and information
WE SERVE: WE SOCIALIZE
Alhambra . . . We are a small group (called a Caravan) of dedicated Catholic men with the primary purpose of assisting the developmentally or mentally challenged in our area. For more information - Diego Caravan
Knights of Columbus . . . Organized in our parish
in 1995, the Knights of Columbus is an organization for the men, it is
basically a fraternal, charitable group in which members volunteer their
time and efforts for the betterment of parish and community. There is also
a social side.
More information about the
Father
Stanley S. Kromer, O. Carm. Council #11553
Parish Council ... a body of parishioners who are elected to help and advise the pastor in setting parish policy and administering various aspects of parish life.
Parish Volunteers . . . Most aspects of parish life could not exist without the dedication of countless men and women who volunteer for such committees as: Finance, Liturgy, Coffee and Donuts after Masses, Religious Articles Corner, Welcome, Wauchula Migrant Workers, Grounds Keepers, Collection Counters, etc.
Council of Catholic Women. . . The CCW is an organization for all the women in St. Raphael's Parish. Under the guidance of its elected officers, the Guild aims to further the spiritual life and social action among the women. It sponsors a number of activities such as monthly card parties, craft making, and a yearly rummage sale.
The money raised by these activities is used for both Church sponsored and community projects such as the Msgr. Evans Scholarship Fund, Our Mother's House, Covenant House, The Venice Pregnancy Care Center, Water for Life, Help A Child, the Gladys Fox Memorial Vocation Fund, FISH of Englewood, and Meals on Wheels.
The CCW also uses its funds to help provide rosaries, bandages and hospital gowns for the missions.
Members of the CCW volunteer to care for the altar, the making of vestments, and sewing of communion dresses for migrant children. Each year it hosts a Jubilarian Luncheon for couples in the parish who have been married 50 years or more.
The CCW is affiliated with the Northern Deanery, the Venice
Diocesan Council of Catholic Women and the National Council of Catholic
Women.
WE REFLECT . . .
Memorial Garden . . . established in 1993, the St. Raphael Memorial Garden is a private area suitable for prayer and reflection. Parishioners who desire to have their cremains or those of their loved ones interred on the church grounds may make use of the garden.
It is designed as a living rosary of plants with a topiary cross surrounded by a crushed shell path located to the north of the parish center.
The cremains are interred directly into the ground - no urns are permitted nor specific locations designated. Consult the parish office for more details.
Click for larger view
