The Advent season is a time of preparation that directs our hearts and minds to Christ’s second coming at the end of time and to the anniversary of Our Lord’s birth on Christmas.

Advent Events

Breakfast with Santa

Saturday, December 2nd from 7:30am to 11:00am

Location: Gymnasium

The Advent Prayer Tree: Place an Ornament, Take an Ornament

December 3rd – December 23rd

Carols of the Season

Wednesday, December 6th at 7:00pm

Location: Church

Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Anticipation Mass: Thursday, December 7th at 7:00pm

Masses on December 8th: 7:00am, 8:30am and

10:00am (School Mass)

Women’s Advent Tea with Susan Tassone

Saturday, December 9th at 1:30pm

Location: Sts. Anne and Joachim Room (Formerly Rm 162)

Information Link: https://st-raphael.com/parish-news/informationandregistrationlink/

Registration Link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508044EA8AD2EA64-46180764-womens

Parish Advent Reconciliation

Tuesday, December 12th at 7:00pm

Simbang Gabi Mass

Tuesday, December 19th at 7:30pm

Christmas Mass Schedule

4th Sunday of Advent Mass Schedule

Saturday, December 23rd & Sunday, December 24th

Saturday- 5:00pm; Sunday– 8:00am and 10:00am (12:00pm cancelled)

Christmas Eve Mass Schedule

Sunday, December 24th

3:00pm (*Church & Gym), 5:00pm, *7:00pm and

*10:30pm- Caroling begins at 9:45pm

*Incense will be used at these Masses

Christmas Day Mass Schedule

Monday, December 25th

8:00am, *10:00am and 12:00pm

*Incense will be used at 10:00am

Feast of the Holy Family

Saturday, December 30th & Sunday, December 31st

Saturday- 5:00pm

Sunday-8:00am, 10:00am and 12:00pm

The Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God

(There will be no anticipation Mass)

Monday, January 1st, 2024

8:00am and 10:00am

As we mentioned, we are in the process of putting together a new Parish Pictorial Directory as a part of our 60th Anniversary Celebration. The deadline is February 1, 2024

Please visit our website at https://st-raphael.com/parish-directory and upload your favorite personal or family photo. Accepted file types: jpeg, gif, png, pdf, bmp, jpg, Max. file size: 15 MB.

We are looking for high quality pictures, but a larger file size isn’t necessary, any modern digital camera or phone camera should work just fine. Photos taken at special family events or holidays usually work well as everyone will be dressed in their “Sunday best”. **The deadline for pictures will be February 1st so that pictures from this Holiday Season can be used for submission.

There is a form to fill out on the website, which includes your name(s), address, phone number and email address. However, if you do not want specific information published, please leave that portion blank.

**Since several people have told us they would like to use pictures taken of their families this Christmas we have decided to extend the deadline until February 1, 2024, to allow for that option. We truly appreciate your assistance with this and hope you are excited to receive this special directory which will include not only names and faces of those with whom you worship, volunteer, or attend school functions but it will also include a bit of St. Raphael’s history.

Thank you in advance for taking part in the special Pictorial Directory event and for helping us achieve our goal of 100% participation from our parish family. Please contact Michele Blando at 630-615-7629 with any questions.

Join us Saturday, December 9, at 1:30pm with award winning speaker and author returns to St. Raphael. Susan Tassone. She is well versed in so many areas of the faith, and is recognized as leading the worldwide “purgatory movement.” Sign Up Here

Here is a link to her website

The “Advent Prayer Tree” takes place during the Advent Season where families and individuals can, on their own, create ornaments on card stock of any design and color, write an anonymous prayer intention on the back and place on the Prayer Tree in the Narthex. Once placed, pick a prayer ornament of someone else and pray for that person and their intention throughout the Advent Season. All prayer intentions should be anonymous.

Questions regarding the Advent Prayer Tree can be directed to Kathy Ford RN, Parish Nurse/Director of Pastoral Care/Service at 630-615-7613 or kford@st-raphael.com