HOLY WEEK AND EASTER CALENDAR

Holy Thursday, April 18 

8:30 am – Morning Prayer Service 
7:00 pm – Mass of the Lord’s Supper 
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament 
8:00 pm to 10:00 pm
 

Good Friday, April 19 

8:30 am – Morning Prayer Service 
9:00 am to 12:00 Noon – Confession 
12:00 Noon – Stations of the Cross 
7:00 pm – Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion
 

Abstinence from meat is to be observed by all Catholics 14 years old and older on Good Friday. Fasting is to be observed by all Catholics who are 18 years of age but not yet 59.

Holy Saturday, April 20 

8:30 am – Morning Prayer Service 
1:00 pm – Blessing of Easter Food 
(no confessions) 
8:00 pm – Easter Vigil Mass

Easter Sunday Masses, April 21 

7:00 am, 
9:00 am 
11:00 am

St. Raphael the Archangel Parish Ofice will close at Noon on Good Friday and reopen on Monday, April 22 at 10:00 am

Dear Friends,

With profound gratitude to God, I will celebrate 25 years as a priest this May. I ask for your prayers and invite you to join me, members of my family and members of our parish for an anniversary Mass on Sunday, May 19 at 11:00am in St. Raphael Church. A light reception will follow in the Fellowship Hall.

Twenty-five years sounds like a long time, but I feel that the years have flown by. I am glad to say that I enjoy being a Catholic priest, and I enjoy being a priest here with you at St. Raphael. Please keep me in your prayers this month, and know that I pray for you each day.

For those of you who are parents or grandparents, kindly remember that each of us receives a call of some sorts from the Lord. Helping your children and grandchildren hear the Lord's call is important. If that call is for a young person to become a priest, sister, brother or deacon, please be encouraging. My parents, while they wanted me to think about different options for my life, were very supportive of my becoming a priest. For their blessing and support, I will always be grateful.

In our Lord,
Father Mike McGovern

As Illinois faces so many pressing issues involving human life and dignity, it is incomprehensible that our elected officials have decided the pressing issue of the day is to enhance the chances that the lives of the most vulnerable and voiceless will be taken. Their efforts, similar to recent actions in New York and Virginia, focus on corrupting our God-given right to life and sowing unnecessary division.

• Confirmation Practice on Monday, April 22nd at 7 pm in the Church


• Confirmation Mass on Wednesday, April 24th at 7 pm in the Church

NOTE: NO RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Classes on April 24th due to Confirmation

• First Holy Communion Practice on Saturday, April 27th at 9:30 am in the Church

• First Holy Communion Mass at 11 am on Sunday, April 28th in the Church

If you love to do your personal or gift shopping online using Amazon.com, please sign up and use Smile.Amazon.com instead https://smile.amazon.com— and designate St. Raphael the Archangel Catholic Church as your preferred charity! 

AmazonSmile.com | Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the charitable organization of your choice

It works just the same as regular Amazon.com — same shipping, same Prime, same everything — but you provide a gift to St. Raphael Catholic Church in the process.