WHAT'S HAPPENING
Homily 2025-12-14
“I stayed up until 11 o-clock last night for this. I had the money spent. I had my condo in Florida picked out. I Had a new boat chosen for this, and I would have bought the Browns and kept them in downtown Cleveland – just saying. So, you know, I’m sure that a lot of people had the same hope that I did that I would win that billion dollars in the lottery last night. But so many people pin their hopes on these kinds of things. . .”
St. Aloysius School Live Nativity
Sister Mary Jean Raymond, the parish life coordinator at St. Aloysius, said 60 to 70 students will participate in a free Dec. 18 live nativity event at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. in Glenville. Expect to see Charlie the Camel in a manger,
cookies, cocoa and neighborhood hospitality. Thursday’s celebrations will be “a wonderful way to share the Christmas story with so many people.”
St. Aloysius church is located at 10932 St. Clair Avenue Cleveland, OH 44108
Christmas Party
Attention SRS Alumni, families and friends: The Alumni Association will be sponsoring a donuts and coffee “Christmas Party” after the 10am Mass on Sunday Dec 21. Please come enjoy a treat, write a card for a local nursing home and celebrate the Christmas season with fellow alumni. All are welcome. Look forward to seeing you there!”
Praetorius Christmas Vespers
Sunday, December 21, 2025 – 4:00 PM
St. Raphael Catholic Church, Bay Village
Artistic Director Jeannette Sorrell weaves the glorious works of 17th-century composer Michael Praetorius into a radiant Vespers service with Apollo’s Singers
and members of Apollo’s Musettes (Treble Youth Choir).
Pre-Concert Talk (David Rothenberg) and Afterglow! (celebrate the season with holiday treats alongside Jeannette and the musicians).
Family Noon Year’s Eve Party
Saint Raphael’s Marriage & Family Ministry will be hosting an afternoon countdown party to welcome 2026. There will be family friendly crafts, games, treats, a DJ and more. Join us, December 28, from 1:00-2:30p.m., in the PAC. Please RSVP with your family name and number of attendees to kscampbell25@gmail.com
Calling All Men
Men, if you’re tired of being held back by the comforts and distractions of our time and desire to grow closer to God, Exodus 90 is the path you’ve been searching for.
Join more than 250,000 men from all around the world who have experienced true freedom.
The challenge begins January 5 and ends Easter Sunday.
Family Movie Night
January 10, 2026 after the 4:30pm Mass
All are invited to come to the Parish Activity Center to see The Wizard of Oz. Doors open at 5:30pm and the movie starts at 6:00pm.
Sponsored by the St. Raphael, St. Vincent de Paul Conference
The Rescue Project
We live our lives according to the stories we believe... but what if there is another story?
That story is the gospel! The Rescue Project seeks to proclaim the gospel in a compelling and attractive way over nine weeks in a small group format. All adults and teens are invited to join us in discovering the story.
Begins week of January 11 (one session per week)
Men's Retreat
Friday, January 16, 5:30pm - Sunday, January 18, 2026 11:00am
A holy longing stirs in each of us. A desire to be your true self wrestles within. If you are a Catholic man looking to deepen your faith in a community, seeking to develop your personal relationship with God, longing to have real conversations, hoping for greater insights into living Christian manhood, and desiring to develop a practical spirituality, then we hope you join us.
OLDER (but still relevant) Parish News
Polish Shepherds' Mass
On Sunday, December 28, Nativity B.V.M. Parish in Lorain will be hosting the annual Pasterka (Polish Shepherds' Mass) for the greater Cleveland Polish community. All are welcome to this final Mass of the Jubilee year to be celebrated at the Lorain County pilgrimage site. There will be 30 minutes of Polish caroling before Mass, and people dressed as the Holy Family, shepherds, angels, and others.
Find Him in Loving Him
From the Proslogion by St Anselm, Bishop
“Insignificant man, escape from your everyday business for a
short while, hide for a moment from your restless thoughts.
Break off from your cares and troubles and be less concerned
about your tasks and labors. Make a little time for God and rest a
while in him.
Opening for CYO Site Director Coordinator
Dear St. Raphael Parishioners,
We love hosting CYO Games in the PAC and want to keep that tradition alive - but we need your help! St. Raphael CYO Athletics is currently looking to fill the position of Site Director Coordinator.
SPIRITUAL DIRECTION MINISTRY
Do you need:
- Assistance in discerning God's will in your life?
- Help identifying the movements of good and evil spirits in making wise decisions?
- Help in growing deeper in your relationship with God?
Contact parishioner Mike Manco for spiritual direction: mikemanco63@gmail.com or 216-496-4001
2025 Jubilee Year of Hope
A banner of the Holy Door of Saint Peter's Basilica is displayed in the church Gathering Area. Pope Francis opened the Holy Door the evening of December 24, 2024, and ushered in the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope. Click below for more details.
A Pastoral Letter from Bishop Edward C. Malesic
"The goal of this letter is to provide you with a resource for reflection, that you might be drawn more deeply into prayer and a more intimate relationship with Jesus."
