Pastoral Council

2023-2026

John Adams 2025
Elaine Bataille 2027
Cathy Coda 2026
Terri Deveny 2025
Leo Dorsey 2026
Wally Hauck 2025
John Kirkham 2025
Frank Lacerenza 2026
Joyce Marlow 2026
Rose Marie Marmolejo 2027
Manfred Mohring 2027
Frances O’Neill 2027

Ex Officio:
Deacon George Sartor
Maria Tomasetti, Faith Formation

Officers:
Rose Marie Marmolejo – Chairperson
Frank Lacerenza- Vice Chairperson
Wally Hauck – Secretary

As a consultative body, the Council assists the Pastor in planning, developing programs, improving pastoral services, and evaluating the effectiveness of those programs and services. Parishioners who serve on the Standing Committees will decide what the parish needs in each of these areas, set goals, and formulate proposals for meeting those needs. Pastoral Council members function as liaison, bringing each committee’s proposals for consideration to the Pastor and the Council as a whole. Meeting notes, with additional Council information, can be found here. Check them out and see what your Council has been up to.

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

If you, as a Saint Raphael parishioner, a member of our parish family, have ideas or suggestions, and would like to be part of one of the Standing Committees, please reach out to the Council members to express your interest at pcsaintraphael@gmail.com or leave a message with Monica in the parish office (203-874-0634). It will be great to hear from you.

Committees:

Prayer and Worship
This committee nourishes and gives direction to the liturgical aspect of parish life. They provide opportunities for parishioners to deepen their faith through a variety of prayer experiences and liturgical celebrations. They identify the spiritual needs of parishioners and maintain an ongoing program of education and training for liturgical ministers.

Christian/Lifelong Faith Formation
The role of this committee is to develop within the parish awareness that the parish community has the responsibility for promoting the educational/formational aspect of the mission of the Church. Christian/Lifelong Faith Formation is a lifelong process aimed at personal conversion and growth in faith. This committee is advisory to educational administration in the design, implementation and evaluation of the total Christian educational/formation programs in the parish, which include: sacramental preparation, adult and family ministry, and child ministry.

Human Concerns and Social Justice
This committee discerns needs of persons in the parish and wider community, especially the poor, and identifies resources to meet those needs enlisting the active cooperation of parish members. The committee fulfills the justice dimensions of scripture and our church tradition acknowledging that every Christian is called to service and to work for justice. The committee’s scope of responsibility is two-fold: 1) to meet immediate needs; 2) to work for changes in the structures of society which are oppressive. Committee members are not responsible to do all of the committee’s work but rather to involve others in actively accepting the responsibility of their baptism. The committee supports parishioners already involved in service, advocacy, justice education, and empowerment of people. The committee works with community groups and other parishes to help solve related problems. They keep parishioners aware of issues relating to justice, peace, hunger and homeless persons on local, national and international levels so that appropriate Christian action on such issues can be determined.

Parish Life
This committee supports the heart of Christian community by strengthening the relationships of individuals within the parish community, by involving all members of the parish community in fellowship, and by providing experiences that give a clearer vision of discipleship through community life. It seeks to build community by inviting and empowering parishioners to use their time, talent and treasure in shared ministry. Whether greeting a newcomer, or re-engaging a seasoned member, this committee creates opportunities for friendship and interaction. The Parish Life Committee encompasses activities that help build the parish into a faith community and provide for the social and communal needs of the parishioners.

For information about any of these standing committees please contact the Council at pcsaintraphael@gmail.com or Monica in the Parish Office at 203.874.0634 x17