Fr. Kevin's homily for Christmas Eve 2014

Fr. Tim's homily for the Third Sunday of Advent

Father Tim Sherwood's homily for the Third Sunday of Advent given on December 14, 2014 at St. Raphael Catholic Church in St. Petersburg, Florida. Video by T. Allan Smith. Still photography by Jane Winstead. Audio by Jeff Keller. Theme music: Deliberate Thoughts by Kevin MacLeod

Knights of Columbus second annual Christmas Pot Luck Dinner

Photos by Jane Winstead 

St. Raphael Knights of Columbus members and their families joined their brother Knights on Thursday, December 18, for the second annual Christmas Pot Luck Dinner in the Parish Hall. The gala event is becoming an annual tradition in the parish.

Thank you for supporting the work of St. Vincent de Paul Society

A message from St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Raphael: Here's how the Giving Tree looked on Monday evening. Thank you, St. Raphael parishioners, for your generous and loving spirit. This is just beautiful! Your generosity helps people in our community. You can still bring gifts and place them under the tree through Monday, December 15. If you'd rather give gift certificates or checks, just drop them in the St. Vincent de Paul box next to the Giving Tree.

Cub Scouts' Santa Breakfast at St. Raphael

Photos by Jane Winstead

St. Raphael Cub Scouts presented a pancake breakfast complete with the attendance of Santa Claus on Sunday, December 7 in the Parish Center.

Father Tim's Homily: Be Watchful!

Father Tim Sherwood's homily for the First Sunday of Advent at St. Raphael Catholic Church in St. Petersburg, Florida. Video by T. Allan Smith. Still photography by Jane Winstead. Audio by Jeff Keller. Theme music: Deliberate Thoughts by Kevin MacLeod



Father Tim Sherwood is pastor of St. Raphael Catholic Church. He is the author of The Preaching of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen: The Gospel Meets the Cold War (2010) and The Rhetorical Leadership of Fulton J. Sheen, Norman Vincent Peale, and Billy Graham in the Age of Extremes (2013).



Father Tim's Homily: Use it or Lose It

Father Tim Sherwood's homily for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time at St. Raphael Catholic Church in St. Petersburg, Florida. Video by T. Allan Smith. Still photography by Jane Winstead. Audio by Jeff Keller. Theme music: Deliberate Thoughts by Kevin MacLeod.

Fr. Kevin's Homily: Hope for the Future

Audio by Jeff Keller

Homily for the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time given by Fr. Kevin Mackin, OFM, parochial vicar at St. Raphael Catholic Church in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Fr. Kevin's Homily: Think big

Audio by Jeff Keller

Homily for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time given by Fr. Kevin Mackin, OFM, parochial vicar at St. Raphael Catholic Church in St. Petersburg, Florida.

St. Raphael Festival 2014

Photos by Jane Winstead

Father Tim's Homily: Magic windows and magic mirrors

Fr. Tim Sherwood's homily for the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Recorded live at St. Raphael Catholic Church in St. Petersburg, Florida

Blessing of the animals on the Feast of St. Francis

Fr. Tim Sherwood and Fr. Kevin Mackin blessed parishioners' pets on the Feast of St. Francis on Saturday behind the Parish Center.

Knights of Columbus Italian Family "Knight" Dinner

Photos by T. Allan Smith 

Knights of Columbus Council 10157 at St. Raphael Catholic Church presented its first annual Italian Family "Knight" Dinner on Saturday, September 20, in the Parish Center. Food, music, and fun were the order of the evening.

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Please share Father Tim's Homily with friends and family.

Knights Log -- Fall 2014: Read the article on the Italian Family "Knight" Dinner

Here is the Knights of Columbus St. Raphael Council 10157 publication, Knights Log, for Fall 2014. Please read the article about the Italian Family "Knight" coming up on Saturday, September 20. Enjoy the Knights Log, and be sure to buy tickets for the dinner after Masses this weekend. Buon appitito!

Knights of Columbus Free Pancake Breakfast

Photos by Jane Winstead

Here are photos from the first Knights of Columbus Pancake Breakfast of the fall season.

Fr. Tim's homily for the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Fr. Kevin's arrival receptions 06.29.24 and 06.30.14

 Photos by Jane Winstead

Parishioners welcomed Fr. Kevin Macklin, OFM, our new parochial vicar.



Fr. Sojan farewell receptions 06.14.14 and 06.15.14

 Photos by Jane Winstead

St. Raphael parishioners said goodbye to Fr. Sojan Punakkattu in June.



Save the date for the 1st annual Italian Family "Knight"

St. Raphael Eighth Grade Graduation Mass 06.02.14

Photos by Jane Winstead

8th Grade Projects: Stations of the Cross, Clothes to Kids

Photos by Jane Winstead

St. Raphael First Communion Mass -- 05.04.14

Photos by Jane Winstead

May Crowning of the Virgin Mary at St. Raphael Catholic Church

Photos by T. Allan Smith 

Here are photos of the traditional May Crowning Mass at St. Raphael Catholic Church, organized by the St. Raphael Chapter of the Council of Catholic Women.

St. Raphael Easter Vigil Mass 04.19.14

Photos by Jane Winstead

Living Stations of the Cross -- Good Friday

Photos by Jane Winstead 

St. Raphael Youth Ministry presents the Living Stations of the Cross on Good Friday.

You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown -- Saturday performance

Photos by T. Allan Smith 

The show will be performed again on Sunday at 1 p.m. in the Parish Center. Admission is $5.

Lenten Fish Fry Friday -- 03.21.14

Photos by Jane Winstead

Ash Wednesday, 8 a.m. Mass - 03.05.14

Photos by Jane Winstead

CCW Fashion Show --Lollipops & Roses -- 02.15.14

Photos by Jane Winstead

Kay Yennie selected Handmaiden of the Lord for 2014

Kay Yennie and her daughters: From left, Mary Jo Cillian, Kay Yennie, Lois Turnwald, and Niki Smith. All attended the CCW luncheon.

These remarks were prepared for the presentation of the Handmaiden of the Lord Award to CCW member Kay Yennie, who joined the parish in 1969.

Mary Kay Yennie was born in February 2, 1932 to John and Otillia Kearney in Galveston, Texas. She grew up in Galveston and Eagle Lake, Texas. She had no siblings. Her father was a railroad man and her mother was a newspaper editor, so it is no wonder she was destined to travel and tell all the news.

As a child, she seemed headed for stardom as a featured dancer in the mold of Shirley Temple, or a world-class majorette, complete with twirly baton. She was raised as a good Catholic girl who rarely got in trouble (except for the time she and her friends were caught by Sister Mary Agnes smoking in the Girls Room).

She graduated from Dominican High School and went on to study education at the University of Texas in Austin. While she was a student, she met a handsome young Air Force cadet, Eugene Verne Yennie, at a beach party in Galveston one fine summer evening. She almost didn’t go to the beach party but her mother bought her a new outfit so, of course, she went to show it off.

She was smitten. and she and Gene became inseparable for the rest of his training at Ellington Air Force Base. He was shipped off to the war in Korea, but he called her from Tokyo a short time later to propose. Her answer was YES! YES! YES! and they were married July 5, 1952, while he was on leave.

They were stationed at a tiny air field near Great Falls, Montana, where their beautiful and talented daughter Niki was born. Then, they were stationed at Travis Air Force Base in California, where handsome and clever son John and beautiful and talented daughter Lois were born. After a few years in California, word came that the family was to be stationed in England but first there was a brief stop in Galveston, where their beautiful and talented daughter Mary Jo was born.

Then, equipped with a newborn and three toddlers, Kay set off for England by herself. Gene was already there, or so she thought. Turned out Gene met her at Grand Central Station in New York City to accompany the family  to London. Whew!

Life in England was elegant. Kay regularly visited Buckingham Palace, where she had tea with the Queen. Well, she DID visit Buckingham Palace once, as a tourist. (And, through connections, got a special behind-the-scenes tour). Never heard that story? Ask Kay, she’ll tell you.

While in England, Kay and Gene visited all the fabulous capitals of Europe. When, at last, they bid a fond farewell to jolly old England, they returned to California for a brief time. There followed a series of assignments that culminated at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa. The family moved to St. Petersburg and that’s when Kay first came to the little Spanish-style mission church on Snell Isle that was St. Raphael. The year was 1969.

In those days, St. Raphael was pretty quiet. In fact, they used to roll up the sidewalks after Sunday Mass, at least as Kay remembers it. Activities during the week were rare but Kay loved her little church with the blue ceiling and bright red altar piece. It was a cozy place and Kay felt right at home.

But the life of an Air Force family is all about moving, and it wasn’t long that Kay and Gene would be moving to Panama for a brief stay. After that, the Pentagon called and the family was off to Washington D.C. But Gene was coming up on three decades in the Air Force and it was time for a change. One cold winter evening, Gene had had enough of the snow and ice of the nation’s capitol, and of service in the Air Force. He asked Kay where she would like to retire. She didn’t hesitate. “St. Raphael,” she exclaimed.

Kay and Gene returned to St. Raphael (and, incidentally, St. Petersburg) in 1978. By then, the parish had grown considerably and there were many church activities. Kay became immersed in St. Raphael parish life. She joined the Women’s Guild. She was on Altar Care. She cooked for the first Christ Renews His Parish women’s group and participated in the second one. She taught CCD. She volunteered at the school. There was practically nothing Kay wasn’t involved in. And this went on for 30-plus years before she cut back a little bit.

When the new church was built, Kay organized the Holy Hoovers, a group of volunteers who spruced up the church every Saturday for about seven years.

Even today, at the age of 82, Mary Kay Yennie still models in CCW fashion shows and participates in other CCW activities. She attends daily Mass, which is only a short walk from her condo overlooking the St. Raphael parking lot. She has a front-row seat at 9:30 Mass on Sundays and rarely misses coffee and donuts afterward.

Kay and Gene, both only children, had three beautiful and talented daughters and one handsome and clever son. They now have ten grandchildren, and thirty great-grandchildren.

As a child, Mary Kay Yennie seemed destined to travel the world and tell all the news. She and Gene are frequently on the go visiting their widely scattered family. Kay has also been to the Hawaiian Islands, the Caribbean, Costa Rica, Mexico, England, all over Europe — and Rome twice to see the Pope.

And she’s still telling all the news.

Feast Day of St. Blaise, patron of throat illnesses

Photos by Jane Winstead 

 Most Catholics know St. Blaise as the patron of throat illnesses. The Blessing of the Throats was part of Mass on Monday at St. Raphael. Tradition holds that a boy was brought to St. Blaise with a fishbone stuck in his throat. St. Blaise healed him.

While St. Francis of Assisi gets most of the press when it comes to animals, St. Blaise is a patron saint of animals, too. He was a bishop in Armenia at a time when Christians were being persecuted. He hid in the mountains but Roman soldiers searched for him. They found him treating injured and sick animals at a cave. On the way back for trial, legend has it, he convinced a wolf to release a pig that belonged to a poor woman. After St. Blaise was sentenced to be starved to death, the woman secretly brought him food. Eventually, the Roman governor had him beheaded.

Saint Blaise is also the patron of veterinarians, infants, stonecutters, wool workers, and builders.

Knights of Columbus Super Sub construction party

Photos by Jane Winstead 

Members of the Knights of Columbus gathered on Saturday afternoon to build Super Subs for the Super Bowl, a fund-raising project of the Knights. Subs were distributed to parishioners on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. The slideshow below has photos from Sunday.

St. Raphael Confirmation 2014 - 1.12.14

Photos by Jane Winstead

Midnight Mass -- 11:30 p.m. 12.25.13

Jane Winstead

Christmas Eve -- 6 p.m. Mass 12.24.13

Photos by Jane Winstead

Children's Christmas Eve Mass -- 4 p.m. 12.24.13

Photos by Jane Winstead