About St. Raphael · Englewood, Florida
St. Raphael Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Venice in Florida, located at 770 Kilbourne Avenue in Englewood on the southern end of Sarasota County near the Charlotte County line. The parish was canonically established on October 21, 1964, and the church building itself dates from 1958. With more than 1,500 registered families, St. Raphael serves what the Diocese of Venice describes as primarily a retirement and 'snowbird' community. The parish is dedicated to the Archangel Raphael, patron saint of travelers, and offers a full sacramental and devotional life including daily Mass, Saturday Vigil Masses with seasonal Sunday schedules, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Eucharistic Adoration, the Knights of Columbus, the Council of Catholic Women, and a Memorial Garden for the interment of cremated remains.
- Established
- 1964
- Patron
- St. Raphael the Archangel
- Rector
- Rev. Robert M. Murphy
- Diocese
- Diocese of Venice in Florida
Why belong here
St. Raphael is a warm, mid-sized parish rooted in the Diocese of Venice that welcomes retirees, seasonal residents, and year-round families into a full sacramental and devotional life. Daily Mass, Saturday Vigil Mass, year-round Confession, Eucharistic Adoration on First Fridays, a rosary recited after weekday Mass, Stations of the Cross in Lent, and Marian devotions in May and October make it easy to build a prayer rhythm. A wide range of lay ministries — Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, Ushers, Altar Servers, Music, the Council of Catholic Women, the Knights of Columbus, Bible study, and the Cornerstone retreat — together with outreach to Our Mother's House, FISH of Englewood, Meals on Wheels, and other local charities gives parishioners many ways to serve.
Mass times at St. Raphael
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 9:00–9:30 AM
- Saturday 2:30–3:00 PM
- Additional opportunities during Advent and Lent
Adoration times
- First Friday — Holy Hour, Benediction and Adoration until noon
Welcome & Parish Mission
St. Raphael Catholic Church describes itself as 'a community of believers in Jesus Christ' called through baptism to continue the life and mission of Jesus on earth. Although parishioners come from different backgrounds and origins, the parish sees itself as one family of God, rooted in common faith under the Pope and led locally by the Bishop of Venice. The parish's efforts are directed toward four areas: worship, education, charity, and service.
- Part of the Diocese of Venice in Florida (Northern Deanery)
- More than 1,500 registered families
- Primarily a retirement and 'snowbird' community
History of St. Raphael Parish
Catholic ministry in Englewood began in 1957 under Monsignor George W. Cummings. The church building was constructed in 1958, and the parish was canonically established on October 21, 1964. After several diocesan pastors in its first decades, St. Raphael was entrusted to the Order of Carmelites in 1981, beginning a 38-year Carmelite chapter that ended with the appointment of Father Robert M. Murphy as Administrator in 2019 and his installation as 10th Pastor in 2023.
- 1957 — Catholic ministry begins under Msgr. George W. Cummings
- 1958 — Church building constructed
- October 21, 1964 — Parish canonically established
- 1981 — Order of Carmelites (O. Carm.) assumes pastoral care
- 1993 — St. Raphael Memorial Garden established
- 1995 — Knights of Columbus Council #11553 organized
- 2019 — Father Robert M. Murphy appointed Administrator
- March 26, 2023 — Father Murphy installed as 10th Pastor by Bishop Frank J. Dewane
Clergy & Staff
The parish is served by a pastor, parochial vicar, and deacon, supported by an office manager, director of music, and maintenance staff listed on the parish website.
- Rev. Robert M. Murphy — Pastor
- Rev. Zenon Kurzyna — Parochial Vicar
- Michael Gardner — Deacon
- Jean Balmes — Office Manager
- Jeffrey Herbert — Director of Music
- Rodi Reyes Hernandez — Maintenance / Custodial Services
Liturgical Ministries (We Worship)
Lay men and women of the parish serve in a variety of liturgical ministries. Altar Servers may be men, women, boys, or girls. Lectors proclaim the Scriptures, Ushers serve as ministers of hospitality, Eucharistic Ministers distribute Holy Communion both in church and to the sick, homebound, nursing homes and ACLFs within parish boundaries. Music ministry welcomes singers and instrumentalists, with Jeffrey Herbert serving as Director of Music.
- Altar Servers
- Lectors
- Ushers / Ministers of Hospitality
- Eucharistic Ministers (including visitation of hospitalized and homebound parishioners)
- Music Ministry / Choir (Director: Jeffrey Herbert)
Parish Organizations
Two long-standing organizations anchor parish fellowship and service: the Council of Catholic Women (CCW) for women of the parish, and the Knights of Columbus Council #11553 for men. The parish's Knights of Columbus council, organized in 1995, is named the Father Stanley S. Kromer, O. Carm. Council in honor of one of the Carmelite pastors.
- Council of Catholic Women (CCW) — affiliated with the Northern Deanery, the Venice Diocesan Council of Catholic Women, and the National Council of Catholic Women. Activities include monthly card parties, craft-making, and an annual rummage sale. Funds support the Msgr. Evans Scholarship Fund, Our Mother's House, Covenant House, the Venice Pregnancy Care Center, Water for Life, Help A Child, the Gladys Fox Memorial Vocation Fund, FISH of Englewood, Meals on Wheels, and supplies (rosaries, bandages, hospital gowns) for the missions.
- Knights of Columbus — Father Stanley S. Kromer, O. Carm. Council #11553 (organized 1995)
Faith Formation & Outreach (We Reflect / We Serve)
Beyond liturgy, St. Raphael invests in faith formation — including a thriving Bible study group, one of only two in the Diocese of Venice to offer an annual Cornerstone retreat — and active outreach to the local community. Outreach efforts include home and hospital Communion visits to the sick and homebound by Eucharistic Ministers, and financial support for community projects such as Our Mother's House, FISH of Englewood, Meals on Wheels, and the Msgr. Evans Scholarship Fund.
- Bible Study group
- Cornerstone retreat ministry
- Visitation of the sick at Englewood Hospital
- Weekly home Communion visits to homebound parishioners
- Support for Our Mother's House, Covenant House, Venice Pregnancy Care Center, Water for Life, Help A Child, FISH of Englewood, and Meals on Wheels
St. Raphael Memorial Garden
Established in 1993, the St. Raphael Memorial Garden is a private area on the parish grounds suitable for prayer and reflection. Designed as a living rosary of plants with a topiary cross surrounded by a crushed-shell path, it sits to the north of the parish center. Parishioners may have their own cremains or those of loved ones interred directly into the ground — no urns are permitted and no specific locations are designated. Inquiries are directed to the parish office.
- Established 1993
- Living rosary of plants with topiary cross
- Crushed-shell path north of the parish center
- Cremains interred directly — no urns
Sacraments & Anointing
In addition to daily Mass and the regular Reconciliation schedule, the parish makes the Sacrament of the Sick (Anointing) available to those anticipating surgery, upon request. Pastoral care of the sick and homebound is carried out through the Eucharistic Minister visitation program, which reaches hospitalized Catholics at Englewood Hospital as well as parishioners in their homes.
- Sacrament of the Sick (Anointing) — by request
- Communion visits to hospitalized parishioners at Englewood Hospital
- Weekly Communion visits to homebound parishioners
Patron — St. Raphael the Archangel
The parish is dedicated to St. Raphael, one of three angels named in the Bible (along with Michael and Gabriel). Raphael is a central figure in the Book of Tobit, where he appears in disguise as a fellow Israelite and accompanies Tobit's son Tobiah on a long journey. Raphael is the patron saint of travelers. His feast day is September 29. A tapestry-painting of the Archangel, rendered by Venice-area artist Tatiana McKinney, hangs in the back of the church.
- One of three angels named in the Bible
- Central figure in the Book of Tobit
- Patron saint of travelers
- Feast day: September 29
- Tapestry-painting by Tatiana McKinney, Venice artist
Visit, Contact & Stay Connected
Parishioners and visitors are warmly welcomed at St. Raphael. The parish office can be reached by phone or email, and the parish publishes a weekly bulletin that is linked from the website.
- Address: 770 Kilbourne Ave, Englewood, FL 34223
- Phone: (941) 474-9595
- Fax: (941) 475-5697
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.strapheng.org/
- Weekly Bulletin available online
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Monsignor George W. Cummings1957–1964
Began ministering to Catholics in the Englewood area prior to the parish's formal establishment.
- Fr. William F. Balfe1964–1970
First resident pastor after the parish was canonically established in 1964.
- Fr. Sebastian Loncar1970–1977
- Fr. John F. Colgan1977–1978
- Fr. Bernard F. Dittman1978–1980
- Fr. Edward F. Dunn, O. Carm.1981–1988
Began the Carmelite era of pastoral leadership.
- Fr. Lawrence Faeth, O. Carm.1988–2000
- Fr. Thomas J. Walsh, O. Carm.
Carmelite pastor (dates listed on parish history page between Faeth and Wells).
- Fr. Morris F. Wells, O. Carm.2000–2004
- Fr. Mark J. Schaffner, O. Carm.2004–approx. 2019
Long-serving Carmelite pastor; parish's Knights of Columbus council named for Fr. Stanley S. Kromer, O. Carm.
- Rev. Robert M. Murphy2019–present (10th Pastor; installed March 26, 2023)
Appointed Administrator in 2019; installed as the parish's 10th Pastor by Bishop Frank J. Dewane on March 26, 2023.