adult Bible study
The St Raphael’s Adult Bible Study Program uses the Catholic Scripture Study program. It is an in-depth study program usually lasting 26 to 28 weeks per year. We start in September and usually end before or after Easter. This program was founded by Gail Buckley and uses Catholic authors like Scott Hahn, Steve Ray, and Father Pacwa of EWTN. We have class registration each year in August after all the Masses and throughout the class year if you miss the sign up period.
English Bible study
Contact:
Meetings: The same lesson is offered four times each week: Sunday at 10:15 a.m. in the School Library; Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. in the School Library; Thursday at 10:00 a.m. in the Rectory Room 5 & 6; and, Thursday at 7:00 p.m. in the School Library.
Kidz ministry
Children ages 6 to 11 years old gather for an hour of scripture, games, praise and worship, and faith based fun! All are Welcome!
Meetings: Tuesdays @ 5:45pm over Zoom! Login is: 974 125 1213 passcode: ministry
Middle school ministry
Young Leaders in Christ is a middle school ministry, designed for youth in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. It provides a safe and fun place for the young teens to get answers to their questions about the faith, discover who they are and who God is, and what that means for their lives.
Meetings: will begin Wednesday March 23rd from 2:45-4pm in the Annex room 301.
High school ministry (Youth 2301)
Youth 2301 is for high school students. Our goal is to learn and live the faith in a way that impacts our lives outside the church building. Through service, activities, prayer, and discussion, we better understand how to put faith into action.
Meetings: Wednesdays at 6:30pm in the Parish Hall
Contact: Nathan Stell (youth coordinator)
Nathan Stell
Third order carmelites
We are professed in the Lay Carmelite Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Province of the Most Pure Heart of Mary, Darien, IL (http://carmelnet.org/toc/toc.htm). The Lay Carmelites are more like Mary, the sister of Martha (Mt 10:38-42), who sat beside of Jesus at his feet listening to him speak. After Martha complained that Mary was not helping her, Jesus acknowledges, “There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.” We promise to sit in the quiet peace of Jesus’ presence and listen. We seek a relationship with God where one can recognize his presence and guidance in all our choices. We follow the Rule of Saint Albert as applied to the Lay Carmelites and faithfully wear the Brown Scapular of our Lady of Mount Carmel as a reminder of God’s presence and the Blessed Virgin Mary leading us to Jesus for their protection.
contact:
Worldwide marriage encounter
Marriage Encounter is designed to give married couples the opportunity to examine their lives together. The emphasis of Marriage Encounter is on communication between husband and wife, who spend a weekend together away from the distractions and the tensions of everyday life, to concentrate on each other. It's not a retreat or marriage clinic, or group sensitivity. It's a unique approach aimed at revitalizing marriage. This is a time for you and your spouse to be alone together, to rediscover each other and together focus on your relationship for an entire weekend.
Contact:
new evangelization
Evangelizing the Catechized
Contact:
Meetings: Mondays at 6:00 p.m. in the Rectory
rcia
RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) is the formal process by which non-Catholic individuals are welcomed into the life of the Catholic Church. The Process consists of a series of stages of preparation, discernment and accompanying steps (called “Rites”) that take place over the course of one year. During the Easter Vigil, the Catechumenate receives each of the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Holy Eucharist, and Confirmation). The RCIA Process is ideal for anyone who has never been baptized, as well as for those baptized Christians who seek to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church by receiving their First Holy Communion and/or the Sacrament of Confirmation.
Contact:
Sam Bustamante
Meetings: Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to Noon (Includes 9:00 a.m. Mass)
religious formation
The Office of Religious Formation oversees the formal catechetical programs within our parish including classes for First Communion, Confirmation, and RCIA.
Contact:
Guillarmo Tajonar
vocations
The Vocations Ministry assists the diocesan Vocation Office with implementing plans on the parish level; fostering vocations to the Religious Life; and encouraging those now in the Religious Life to persevere through parishioners' prayers and actions.
Contact:
Maureen De la Rosa
Meetings: First Thursday of the Month at 5:30 p.m. in the Rectory from September - May
Young adult faith formation
Not sure what the Church teaches on certain topics? Have questions about your faith? Looking to grow closer to God? St. Raphael's Young Adult Faith Formation is a group of young adults in their 20s and 30s whose mission is to grow in our faith through weekly teachings, fellowship, and service.
contact:
Father Alfonso Coronado in the Rectory Office
Meetings: TBD