Confirmation is more than a sacrament—it’s an opportunity to deepen your relationship with Christ and grow in the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

 Choose One Retreat Date
• Saturday, August 22
• Saturday, August 29

 St. Raphael Church
 12:30–6:00 PM

Teens and their sponsors are invited to attend this engaging, faith-filled retreat designed to strengthen their connection with one another and with Jesus.

 Retreat Highlights:
 Quality time with your sponsor/candidate
 Fun games and hands-on activities
 Inspiring stories and meaningful discussions
 Peaceful and powerful prayer experiences
 Mass celebrated in a meaningful way
 A greater understanding of and desire for Confirmation
 Lunch included

 Participants will also receive access to the Confirmation Holy Wow! App, created specifically for St. Raphael, to help teens, sponsors, and parents continue growing in faith beyond the retreat. Click here!

 Come ready to grow, pray, laugh, and prepare your heart for Confirmation!

💙🙏 An Update from Father Steve 🙏💙

Dear St. Raphael Parish Family,

With both gratitude and heartfelt emotion, we share that Fr. Steven Borello will be transitioning from his role as Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Joliet and becoming the Administrator of St. Petronille Catholic Church in Glen Ellyn effective July 1, 2026.

Over the past 6 years, Father Steve has blessed our parish community through his ministry, compassion, guidance, and faithful witness to Christ. We are deeply grateful for the many Masses celebrated, confessions heard, prayers shared, and joyful moments experienced together. ✨⛪

While we will greatly miss Father Steve, we pray for continued blessings upon his new journey and ministry. Please keep Fr. Steve, Fr. James, and the St. Petronille community in your prayers. 🙏❤️

📅 Farewell Reception for Father Steve
🗓 Sunday, June 28th
⏰ Following the Noon Mass
📍 School Gym

Please join us as we thank Father Steve for his faithful service and wish him God’s abundant blessings in this next chapter. 💛

 Supporting Our Neighbors in Need 

A heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who supports our food cart and contributed to the recent cleaning supply drive! Your generosity is making a real difference in the lives of local families and helping our neighbors move one step closer to self-sufficiency.

Every donation—big or small—provides hope, dignity, and essential support to those facing challenges in our community.

 Food Donations
 Cleaning Supplies
 Acts of Kindness

Looking for another way to help? Consider supporting the Loaves & Fishes Virtual Food Drive by scanning the QR code in this post. Through their virtual food drive, you can purchase the healthy food items most needed by families at discounted prices.

Together, we are living out Christ’s call to serve one another.

“For I was hungry and you gave me food…” — Matthew 25:35

Bishop Spies would like to extend invitation to everyone in the diocese to join him on Sunday, July 5th at the Chicagoland Speedway for the NASCAR Cup Series in Joliet.

The diocese has negotiated a discounted ticket price for the event for those interested in attending. Here is the direct link to the Speedway ticketing website is: https://www.gofevo.com/event/CLSDioceseJoliet26

REACH Ministry at St. Raphael Catholic Church!

REACH (Religious Education Apostolate for Christian Handicapped) is a faith formation program designed to welcome and support children with intellectual, physical, and developmental disABILITIES in a loving Catholic community. ✝️

📅 Registration for both new and returning students must be submitted on or before October 1, 2026.

Our program helps students:
🙏 Pray, work, and worship with others
📖 Explore Bible stories and Catholic teachings
💛 Build friendships and a sense of belonging
🌎 Grow in awe, wonder, gratitude, and respect for God’s creation
⛪ Celebrate their place in God’s family

❤️ We can’t wait to welcome back our current students and meet our new families! ❤️

📌 Please refer to the graphic for more information and how to register.

🌐 Learn more & register today:
https://st-raphael.com/reach-religious-education-for-persons-with-disabilities/

📞 Questions? Contact the Religious Education Office at (630) 615-7614

Are you called to serve?

St. Raphael is seeking new mentors to join our Transitional Housing Team in partnership with Bridge Communities! 💛

By becoming a mentor, you can help local families:
💵 Learn budgeting skills
🎯 Set short & long-term goals
🤝 Build accountability
🏡 Work toward self-sufficiency

Bridge Communities provides transitional housing to over 100+ DuPage County families each year, and YOU can make a lasting impact in someone’s life. 🙏

📅 New mentor training: June 5 & 6
📍 St. Raphael Catholic Church
📧 Contact: Margaret Foye (mfoye@st-raphael.com)

✨ Mentor. Encourage. Empower.
Together, we can build a stronger community! 💛