About St. Raphael · Poultney, Vermont
St. Raphael Parish is a Roman Catholic community in the small Rutland County town of Poultney, Vermont, part of the Diocese of Burlington. The parish worships in a striking High Victorian Gothic church built in 1902 on East Main Street. It is currently served by Fr. Julian Asucan (Pastor) and Fr. Romanus Igweonu (Parochial Vicar), and is twinned with nearby St. Anne Parish in Middletown Springs. Weekly Sunday Mass is offered at 9:30 am, with daily morning Masses Monday through Friday.
- Established
- 1884
- Patron
- St. Raphael the Archangel
- Rector
- Fr. Julian Asucan
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington, Vermont
Why belong here
St. Raphael offers a small, traditional Catholic community in the heart of the Poultney Valley, with daily morning Mass, regular Eucharistic Adoration on First Fridays, and Sunday Confession before Mass. As a parish in good standing with the Diocese of Burlington, it provides the sacraments and pastoral care of a larger parish while retaining the warmth and personal touch of a small-town church. Its historic 1902 High Victorian Gothic church on East Main Street anchors the parish's identity, and its pastoral partnership with nearby St. Anne in Middletown Springs connects worshippers across the region.
Mass times at St. Raphael
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 8:30 am – 9:15 am
- By appointment
Adoration times
- First Friday of the Month at 8:30 am
About St. Raphael Parish
St. Raphael is a small Catholic parish serving the Poultney Valley in Rutland County, Vermont. The parish community gathers in a striking 1902 High Victorian Gothic church on East Main Street and is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington. It is clustered with the nearby St. Anne Parish in Middletown Springs, and the two parishes share pastoral leadership and a common parish office.
- Clustered with St. Anne Parish, Middletown Springs
- Diocese of Burlington parish
- Located in Rutland County, Vermont
History of the Parish
Catholic life in Poultney began in 1846 when Rev. John B. Daly, a Franciscan missionary often called the Apostle of Southern Vermont, began visiting the area. The first Catholic church in town was built in 1864 on the road leading to Castleton (today's Route 30). The present St. Raphael Church — a High Victorian Gothic structure designed and built by Hopkins and Casey — was completed in 1902 and has served the parish ever since. The parish was formally established in 1884 with Rev. Jerome Gelot as its first resident pastor.
- 1846 — first recorded priestly visit (Rev. John B. Daly)
- 1864 — first Catholic church built in Poultney
- 1884 — St. Raphael Parish formally founded
- 1902 — present High Victorian Gothic church built by Hopkins and Casey
Clergy and Pastoral Leadership
The parish is currently served by two priests assigned through the Diocese of Burlington. Together they care for St. Raphael in Poultney and the clustered St. Anne Parish in Middletown Springs.
- Fr. Julian Asucan — Pastor
- Fr. Romanus Igweonu — Parochial Vicar
The Church Building
St. Raphael Church stands on East Main Street in Poultney as a well-preserved example of High Victorian Gothic ecclesiastical architecture in rural Vermont. Designed and constructed by the firm of Hopkins and Casey, the building has anchored Catholic worship in the town since 1902 and continues to serve as the parish's primary place of liturgy and devotion.
- Style: High Victorian Gothic
- Built: 1902
- Builders: Hopkins and Casey
- Location: 21 East Main Street, Poultney, VT
Contact and Location
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Raphael Parish by mail, phone, or email. The parish office mailing address is in Castleton; the church itself is on East Main Street in Poultney.
- Physical Address: 21 East Main Street, Poultney, VT 05764
- Mailing Address: St. Raphael Parish Office, 45 North Road, Castleton, VT 05735
- Phone: 802-671-8139
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://straphael.vermontcatholic.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Jerome Gelot1884–
First resident pastor of St. Raphael Parish, Poultney.