About Saint Rafka [Maronite] · Lakewood, Colorado
St. Rafka Maronite Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic (Maronite) parish in Lakewood, Colorado, just west of Denver, serving Maronite Christians and other faithful of the Antiochene Syriac tradition in the Rocky Mountain region. The parish is dedicated to Saint Rafka (Rebecca), a 19th-century Lebanese Maronite nun canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2001, and is part of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles under Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, even though it sits geographically within the territory of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Denver. In addition to its weekly Maronite Divine Liturgy, St. Rafka celebrates the sacraments, hosts an Arabic & Religious Class (ARC) faith-formation program for children, runs a vibrant Maronite Youth Association (MYA), and is well known in the metro area for its annual Lebanese & Middle Eastern Festival.
- Established
- 2005
- Patron
- Saint Rafka (Rafqa Pietra Choboq Ar-Rayès), Lebanese Maronite nun, canonized 2001
- Rector
- Rev. Joe Daccache, Ed.D.
- Diocese
- Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles (geographically within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Denver)
Why belong here
St. Rafka offers the rare chance to worship as a Maronite Catholic community in the Denver metro area — a tradition tracing back to Saint Maron and the Antiochene Syriac heritage of Lebanon, celebrated in English with Arabic roots preserved through chant, the annual Lebanese & Middle Eastern Festival, and the parish's ARC (Arabic & Religious Class) program. Parishioners of all ages are drawn into the life of the parish through weekly Divine Liturgy, a Healing Mass for the sick, monthly Adoration and Benediction of first-class relics, a lively Maronite Youth Association (MYA), and catechism for the children, all under the pastoral care of Father Joe Daccache and Deacon George Karam.
Mass times at Saint Rafka [Maronite]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 10:45 AM – 11:15 AM
- 22nd of the month at 6:30 PM
- Sunday 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
- 30 minutes before Mass
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Wednesday 9:30 AM — Eucharistic Adoration follows the Healing Mass
- 1st Sunday of the month — included in Healing Mass (Divine Liturgy, Anointing, Benediction of 1st-Class Relics)
- Last Friday of the month — Adoration following Mass (Adoration and Reconciliation event)
Parish History — From the Mountains of Lebanon to the Colorado Rockies
The roots of St. Rafka Maronite Catholic Church stretch back to the 1960s, when Maronite immigrants from Lebanon and other Middle Eastern countries began settling in Denver. For years the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon flew in a priest once a month to celebrate Mass, and the community functioned as a Mission. By the 1990s the gatherings had grown into regular Sunday evening Divine Liturgies at All Souls Catholic Church in Denver, with Father Armando Al-Khoury as the Eparchy's resident priest, housed in All Souls' rectory. In 2005, the founding members purchased an existing church building at 2301 Wadsworth Blvd. in Lakewood, and Bishop Robert Shaheen dedicated the property. The church was canonically established in 2001 (per GCatholic), and the building itself has been the parish's home since 2005.
- 1960s — Maronite immigrants settle in Denver; monthly Maronite Masses begin
- 1990s — Regular Sunday evening Divine Liturgy at All Souls Catholic Church, Denver
- Father Armando Al-Khoury assigned as resident priest
- 2001 — Parish canonically established; same year Saint Rafka canonized by Pope John Paul II
- 2005 — Building at 2301 Wadsworth Blvd. purchased; dedicated by Bishop Robert Shaheen
- Father El-Badaoui Habib, M.L.M. — Parochial Administrator, served until January 2026
- February 1, 2026 — Father Joe Daccache, Ed.D. installed as Pastor
Worship & Liturgy
St. Rafka celebrates the Maronite Divine Liturgy in the Syriac Antiochene tradition. The principal Sunday Liturgy is at 10:30 AM, and on the first Sunday of each month a Healing Mass at 11:00 AM includes the Anointing of the Sick and Benediction of first-class relics of Saint Rafka. Weekday Liturgies are celebrated Tuesday through Friday at 6:30 PM, with an additional Wednesday Healing Mass at 9:30 AM followed by Eucharistic Adoration. Mondays feature Evening Prayer and Communion at 6:30 PM, and Saturday Liturgy is offered at 11:30 AM. The Saturday 5:30 PM Liturgy concludes the children's ARC (Arabic & Religious Class) day.
- Sunday Divine Liturgy — 10:30 AM
- Healing Mass — 1st Sunday, 11:00 AM (Anointing & Benediction of 1st-Class Relics)
- Wednesday Healing Mass — 9:30 AM, followed by Adoration
- Saturday Daily Liturgy — 11:30 AM
- Saturday ARC Liturgy — 5:30 PM
Faith Formation — ARC (Arabic & Religious Class)
St. Rafka's signature faith-formation program is ARC (Arabic & Religious Class), a Saturday school that combines Maronite catechism with Arabic-language instruction so the next generation can grow in both faith and Lebanese heritage. The program runs from September through May each year, with a mandatory parent/student information meeting on the first day. Tuition is kept deliberately modest, and Fr. Joe personally notes that money should never be a barrier to registration.
- ARC 2026/2027 begins Saturday, September 12, 2026 and runs through May 23, 2027
- Schedule: 3:30–4:30 PM Catechism, 4:45–5:20 PM Arabic, concluding with 5:30 PM Divine Liturgy
- Fees: 1 child $100; 2 children $150; 3+ children $200 — financial assistance available
- Catechist: Michelle Mouhanna
- Registration opens July–August 2026 on the parish website
Maronite Youth Association (MYA)
The MYA is the heart of St. Rafka's youth and family life, led by MYA President Leanna Marcus. The association gathers teens and young adults for Bible Study (1st and 3rd Fridays following Mass), traditional Dabke dance practice in the weeks leading up to the Lebanese Festival, and parish-wide events like the Children's Annual Easter Egg Hunt and group outings such as Colorado Rapids soccer games. It is also the engine behind much of the festival's volunteer corps.
- MYA President — Leanna Marcus
- MYA Bible Study — 1st & 3rd Fridays after Mass (with scripture resources)
- MYA Dabke Practice — summer Sundays, leading into the Lebanese Festival
- Annual Children's Easter Egg Hunt — organized by the MYA
- MYA outings (e.g. Colorado Rapids vs. Inter Miami, 2026)
Annual Lebanese & Middle Eastern Festival
St. Rafka's signature community event is the Annual Lebanese & Middle Eastern Festival, held each September on the church grounds. The 2026 edition is the 19th annual, making it one of the longest-running Maronite cultural festivals in Colorado. The festival opens with the Maronite Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and continues with food, live entertainment, a hooka lounge, and a gift shop.
- 2026 dates: Saturday, September 5, 10:00 AM – Sunday, September 6, 8:00 PM
- Opens with Celebration of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross — Maronite Divine Liturgy
- Food booths: za'atar/cheese/meat/Nutella flatbreads, falafel, kafta, chicken shawerma, hummus, baba ghanouj, tabouli, spinach pies, grape leaves
- Bakery: kunafa, sfoof turmeric cake, atayef, baklava
- Coffee & tea shop (Arabic coffee), bar with Almaza Lebanese Lager and Lebanese lemonade
- Hooka lounge, gift shop, live music (e.g. Charbel Bassil), DJ
Parish Staff & Leadership
St. Rafka is served by a Maronite priest and a permanent deacon, with lay leadership through the Parish Council and a Business Manager. In January 2026 the Eparchy installed Father Joe Daccache, Ed.D., as the new pastor, and Deacon George Karam continues to serve the community. Office hours are by appointment, and the parish provides both an office line and a direct line to Father Joe.
- Pastor — Rev. Joe Daccache, Ed.D. (appointed January 2026, effective February 1, 2026); phone (805) 402-5060
- Deacon — Deacon George Karam
- Business Manager — Mike Dunn; office (720) 833-0354
- Catechist — Michelle Mouhanna
- MYA President — Leanna Marcus
- Parish Council members — Anita Conkling, Joe Beaini, Michel Miro, Heidi Kyburz, Nezar Aweida, Justin Soliman, Paul Cherabie, George Maalouf, Lou Charara
Sacraments & Pastoral Care
St. Rafka prepares parishioners for all the major sacraments in the Maronite tradition, with the office asking families to plan ahead — especially for Baptisms and Weddings, which require one to five months of preparation. Mass Intentions can be scheduled with at least one week's notice. The parish also celebrates the Anointing of the Sick at every monthly Healing Mass and offers Memorial Masses such as the 40-day Mass for the deceased.
- Baptism — schedule 1–5 months in advance
- Weddings — schedule 1–5 months in advance
- First Communion and Confirmation — catechetical preparation through ARC
- Anointing of the Sick — at the monthly Healing Mass
- Mass Intentions — at least one week in advance
- 40-day and other Memorial Masses for the deceased
Maronite Heritage & the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon
St. Rafka belongs to the Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles, an Eastern Catholic diocese of the Antiochene Syriac tradition that serves Maronite faithful across roughly the western two-thirds of the United States. The Eparchy is led by Most Reverend A. Elias Zaidan, M.L., who appointed Father Joe Daccache as St. Rafka's new pastor in January 2026. Even though St. Rafka's church sits inside the geographic territory of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Denver, it remains under the canonical authority of the Eparchy, which is based in St. Louis, Missouri. The parish is also recognized as part of the wider Communion of Catholic Churches with the Bishop of Rome.
- Eparchy — Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles (Maronite Catholic, Erected 19 February 1994)
- Eparchial Bishop — Most Reverend A. Elias Zaidan, M.L. (appointed July 10, 2013)
- Geographically within — Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Denver
- Patriarch — Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, Cardinal Patriarch of Antioch and All the East
- Recognized as a Jubilee Church during the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016)
Mission Statement & Identity
St. Rafka's published mission statement reads: 'Faith, hope, and love; reinforcing our family values, promoted through heritage and prayer for the Glory of God.' That single sentence captures the parish's twofold identity — a community rooted in Maronite Catholic faith on one hand, and a Lebanese-American family on the other. Both halves are visible in the parish's life: the Liturgy and sacraments on one side, and the ARC Arabic school, the MYA, and the annual Lebanese Festival on the other.
- Mission: Faith, hope, and love; reinforcing family values
- Promoted through heritage and prayer for the Glory of God
- Identifies as part of the wider Catholic communion with the Pope and the Maronite Patriarch
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Armando Al-Khoury1990s
First resident Maronite priest assigned by the Eparchy while the community worshipped at All Souls Catholic Church in Denver.
- Father El-Badaoui Habib, M.L.M.through January 2026
Parochial Administrator credited with tireless work for the community's growth; reassigned in 2026 to Pastor of St. Therese Maronite Church, Tulsa, OK.
- Father Joe Daccache, Ed.D.appointed January 2026, effective February 1, 2026
Appointed by Bishop Elias A. Zaidan as Pastor; previously served Saints Peter and Paul Parish in Simi Valley, CA, and St. Sharbel Maronite Mission in Milwaukee, WI.