About St. Raphael · Eldred, Pennsylvania
St. Raphael Parish is a small Roman Catholic parish located at 16 First Street in Eldred, McKean County, Pennsylvania, serving the Cattaraugus-area communities of northern Pennsylvania in the Diocese of Erie. Established in 1892, the parish also serves two mission churches — St. Mary in Eldred/Sartwell and St. Theresa in Shinglehouse — with a single resident pastor. It ministers to a tight-knit rural faith community with daily Mass, Saturday Vigil, confession, religious education, and traditional lay ministries such as the Altar-Rosary Society and Knights of Columbus.
- Established
- 1892
- Patron
- St. Raphael (Archangel)
- Rector
- Rev. Thomas Brown
- Diocese
- Diocese of Erie
Why belong here
St. Raphael offers a classic small-parish Catholic experience in rural northwest Pennsylvania — daily and weekend Mass on a reliable schedule, a Saturday afternoon penance service, religious education for public-school students on Sundays, and a circle of traditional lay ministries (Altar-Rosary Society, Knights of Columbus, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, lectors, and altar servers) that keep families closely involved. Because one pastor shepherds the three linked communities of St. Raphael, St. Mary (Sartwell) and St. Theresa (Shinglehouse), parishioners form real, lasting relationships and find it easy to get involved in the life of the parish.
Mass times at St. Raphael
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 p.m. (before the 4:30 p.m. Vigil Mass)
St. Raphael Parish at a Glance
St. Raphael Parish (Eldred, PA) is a Catholic community in the Diocese of Erie, established in 1892 and now serving Eldred, Sartwell, and Shinglehouse under one pastor, Rev. Thomas Brown. Day-to-day parish operations are supported by Laura M. Quinn, and the parish can be reached at (814) 225-4231 or [email protected]. The mailing address is P.O. Box 252, Eldred, PA 16731, and the church sits at 16 First Street.
- Parish established: 1892
- Diocese: Erie
- Pastor: Rev. Thomas Brown
- Support Staff: Laura M. Quinn
- Phone: (814) 225-4231
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: 16 First St., Eldred, PA 16731
- Mailing: P.O. Box 252, Eldred, PA 16731
History and Heritage
St. Raphael was founded in 1892 to serve Catholic families in Eldred and the surrounding McKean County communities in the Diocese of Erie. The parish grew alongside the small mission church of St. Mary at Sartwell — which itself had been organized in the 'Irish Settlement' as early as 1847 — and ultimately St. Mary became a mission of St. Raphael's. The current parish continues that heritage, with one pastor caring for the whole cluster of churches.
- Parish founded: 1892 (Diocese of Erie)
- St. Mary (Sartwell) parish organized 1847, later became a mission of St. Raphael
- Cluster of mission churches added under St. Raphael's pastoral care over the decades
- Diocese: Erie (Roman Catholic)
Mass and the Sacraments
St. Raphael keeps a steady sacramental rhythm. Daily Mass is offered Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and First Friday at 9:00 a.m. at St. Raphael; Thursday 9:00 a.m. Mass is celebrated at St. Theresa, Shinglehouse. The Saturday Vigil is at 4:30 p.m. at St. Raphael, and the Sunday Mass for the cluster is celebrated at St. Mary, Eldred at 9:00 a.m. The Sacrament of Penance is heard Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. Holy Day and Holy Day Vigil times are arranged by the parish — contact the parish office for the schedule.
- Daily Mass Mon/Tue/Wed: 9:00 a.m. (St. Raphael, Eldred)
- Daily Mass Thu: 9:00 a.m. (St. Theresa, Shinglehouse)
- First Friday Mass: 9:00 a.m. (St. Raphael, Eldred)
- Saturday Vigil: 4:30 p.m. (St. Raphael, Eldred)
- Sunday: 9:00 a.m. (St. Mary, Eldred/Sartwell)
- Holy Day / Vigil: contact parish
- Confessions: Saturday 4:00 p.m.
Religious Education and Faith Formation
The parish Religious Education Program supports faith formation for children — particularly those attending public schools, who are encouraged to begin classes in first grade. The aim is the ongoing development of the whole person into the image and likeness of Jesus Christ, beginning in the waters of Baptism and continuing toward eternal life. The program follows the Diocese of Erie's safe-environment and child-protection policies, with annual training for all youth and parents.
- Classes meet Sundays 10:00–11:00 a.m.
- Coordinator: Susie Amidon
- Parish office hours for Religious Education: Monday–Thursday, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
- Phone: (814) 225-4231
- Required annual Safe Environment training for youth and parents (Diocese of Erie policy)
Parish Ministries and Organizations
St. Raphael maintains the traditional line-up of small-parish lay ministries. Parishioners serve as lectors, altar servers, and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, and the parish supports a Knights of Columbus council and an Altar-Rosary Society. The parish also oversees the St. Mary Cemetery. Anyone interested in learning more is encouraged to contact the parish office directly.
- Altar-Rosary Society
- Knights of Columbus
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Lectors
- Altar Servers
- St. Mary Cemetery (Eldred/Sartwell)
- Safe Environment / Child Protection program
Stewardship and Giving
Like every parish in the Diocese of Erie, St. Raphael participates in the annual Catholic Services Appeal (CSA), the diocesan-wide fundraising campaign supporting ministries across the diocese's 13 counties. Parishioners are encouraged to pledge through the parish office; the campaign directly funds diocesan ministries and programs that the parish itself could not sustain alone.
- Parish participation in the Diocesan Catholic Services Appeal (CSA)
- Pledges arranged through the parish office: (814) 225-4231
- Parish is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entity (church status); donations deductible
Child Protection and Safe Environment
St. Raphael follows the Diocese of Erie's Policy for the Protection of Children. All employees and volunteers who work with minors are screened, trained, and required to follow a Code of Conduct. All youth in the Religious Education Program receive the annual Safe Environment training mandated by the U.S. Bishops; parents who wish to opt their children out must notify the Religious Education office in writing.
- Screening of employees and volunteers with minors
- Safe-environment training for staff, volunteers, parents, and youth
- Reporting suspected abuse: PA CHILDLINE 1-800-932-0313 (24/7, anonymous)
- Annual Safe Environment training for all Religious Education youth
Contact and Visit
Parishioners and visitors are warmly welcomed. The parish office can be reached by phone Monday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., at (814) 225-4231, or by email at [email protected]. The church is located at 16 First Street, Eldred, PA 16731, with the mailing address P.O. Box 252, Eldred, PA 16731. The official website is http://www.straphaeleldred.org/.
- Address: 16 First St., Eldred, PA 16731
- Mailing: P.O. Box 252, Eldred, PA 16731
- Phone: (814) 225-4231
- Fax: (814) 225-3172
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.straphaeleldred.org/
- Cluster: St. Raphael (Eldred), St. Mary (Eldred/Sartwell), St. Theresa (Shinglehouse)