St. Raphael Church stands at 1104 Fifth Avenue in downtown San Rafael, a Spanish mission turned parish that has served Marin County Catholics for more than two centuries. The parish is home to Mission San Rafael Arcángel, founded in 1817 as a hospital for the sick and converted Coast Miwok, and to a thriving, multilingual Catholic community that gathers each week in four languages. Rooted in the Eucharist, centered on the family, and sent as disciples, St. Raphael's is a Roman Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, where California's mission history and the present-day reality of a diverse Bay Area parish share the same 6.5-acre property along Fifth Avenue.
From Asistencia to Parish: A 200-Year Story
The mission was established on December 14, 1817 by Father Vicente de Sarria as an asistencia, or helper, of Mission San Francisco de Asis (Mission Dolores). It was the twentieth of the twenty-one California missions. Because its original purpose was to care for the sick, it was named for Saint Raphael the Archangel, the angel of healing. The mission was at first a single building housing sleeping quarters, a cooking area, and a worship space. As the population expanded, two-story adobe dormitories and workshops for carpentry, sandal-making, blacksmithing, and boat building were added. At its peak in the late 1820s, more than 1,000 people lived at the site, the great majority of them Coast Miwok. In 1822 the site was granted full mission status. Over its seventeen years as a mission, it converted 1,873 Indians and raised thousands of cattle, sheep, and horses.
After Mexico won its independence from Spain, the mission system was secularized in 1834 and the lands were divided and sold. By 1844 the mission was abandoned. General John C. Fremont used it as his headquarters during the Bear Flag Revolt. A new parish church was built near the old chapel ruins in 1861, and by 1870 the remaining ruins had been cleared to make room for the city of San Rafael. All that survived of the mission was a pear tree from the original mission garden. In 1949 Monsignor Thomas Kennedy and a group of supporters, including the Hearst family, rebuilt a replica of the mission chapel on the approximate site of the original 1817 hospital mission. That replica chapel stands today next to the 1919 parish church and continues to host daily services. The archdiocese formally established the parish of St. Raphael in 1884. The Spanish-speaking community began celebrating Mass here in 1975 under Monsignor Kennedy, and in 1985 Father José Chinchilla became the first Hispanic parochial vicar assigned to the parish, making it possible to add a second weekly Mass in Spanish.
Two Churches Side by Side: The Main Parish Church and the Mission Chapel
Two worship spaces stand on the parish property. The main parish church was constructed in 1919 and continues to serve as the principal gathering place for the English and Spanish weekend liturgies, the Friday afternoon adoration, and the Saturday vigil Mass. The Mission Chapel is a 1949 replica of the original 1817 mission. Modest in scale and modest in line with the late-California mission style, it is the setting for the daily 8:30 a.m. Mass in English, the Portuguese Mass on Sundays, the Vietnamese Mass on Sundays, and the all-day adoration of the Blessed Sacrament that runs Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Mission Chapel is also open for sightseers and quiet prayer Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., though occasional liturgies and community events may limit access.
A separate Saint Sylvester Chapel, also on the parish grounds, has its weekend Mass suspended until further notice.
A Parish of Four Languages
St. Raphael's describes itself as a multi-lingual and multicultural Catholic parish whose members include long-time residents and newcomers from across the country and around the world. Weekend liturgy is celebrated in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Vietnamese. On Sunday morning the schedule begins with an 8:00 a.m. English Mass in the main church, continues with a 10:00 a.m. English Mass also in the church, a 10:15 a.m. Vietnamese Mass in the Mission Chapel, an 11:30 a.m. Portuguese Mass in the Mission Chapel, a noon Spanish Mass in the church that is live-streamed, and closes with a 7:00 p.m. Spanish Mass in the church. The Saturday vigil is celebrated at 5:00 p.m. in English in the church, with confessions heard from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. just before. Additional confession times are Friday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the church and Saturday in the parish parking lot from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. in English and Spanish, with confessions in other languages available by appointment through the parish office.
The Hispanic community alone numbers more than 2,000 members drawn from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and other Central and South American countries, and now accounts for nearly half of the entire parish. More than twenty active Hispanic ministries involve more than 200 lay ministers, and the community celebrates on average twenty baptisms, four quinceañeras, and three weddings each month. The parish observes several devotional feasts that are particular to the Hispanic community, including the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12, the Lord of Esquipulas in the second week of January, El Salvador del Mundo in the second week of August, and the living Stations of the Cross on Good Friday.
Daily Rhythm in the Mission Chapel
On weekdays the Mission Chapel is the heart of the parish's daily prayer life. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament begins at 7:30 a.m. in the Mission Chapel and is followed by the rosary at 8:00 a.m. and the daily Mass at 8:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. Saturday mirrors the same rhythm in a slightly different shape, with adoration at 7:30 a.m. and the rosary at 8:00 a.m. in the main church, the 8:30 a.m. Mass in the Mission Chapel, and an extended period of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the Mission Chapel that runs from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. On Friday afternoons the church offers a second block of adoration and confession from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., giving working families an evening opportunity for the sacrament of reconciliation. The Sunday noon Spanish Mass is broadcast live on the parish's Facebook page.
The Mission Gift Shop and Museum
Inside the Mission Chapel property the Mission San Rafael Arcángel Gift Shop sells postcards, fact sheets, mission coins, books, and a wide selection of Catholic religious items. The shop is staffed by volunteers and is open from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Fridays and Sundays, and is closed on Saturdays and major holidays. Shoppers can also visit the Mission Museum, located inside the gift shop, which preserves three of the four original mission bells along with eighteenth-century vestments, antiphonal pages, and other artwork from the mission era. The gift shop can be reached at (415) 456-3016 during shop hours and the parish office at (415) 454-8141 during regular business hours.
The School, the Preschool, and Religious Education
St. Raphael School has been part of the parish since 1889. The school serves students from kindergarten through eighth grade, with a mission to foster a Catholic faith that gives meaning and direction to life, to challenge students to pursue academic excellence, and to instill a spirit of service to God and others. The school also operates a separate preschool for younger children. Parents and faculty share the work of formation, and the school deliberately combines intellectual curiosity and critical thinking with faith formation. A Parish School of Religion (PSR) extends this work to parish families whose children attend other schools. Classes for first through eighth graders are offered in English on Sunday mornings from 10:15 to 11:30 a.m. and in bilingual Spanish/English classes on Saturday mornings in two sessions from 8:45 to 10:00 a.m. and from 10:15 to 11:30 a.m. Confirmation classes for high school students meet twice a month on Mondays from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Confirmation is a two-year program that includes at least twenty-five hours of parish or community service, monthly participation in the 9:00 a.m. Youth Mass on the first Sunday of the month, and a day-long retreat each spring. The PSR program welcomes catechists and teacher's aides and supports them with training and the possibility of earning religious education certification in doctrine, scripture, morality, sacraments, and methodology.
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults
Adults who wish to enter the Catholic Church or complete their sacraments of initiation are welcomed through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA). The eight-month formation process begins each fall and continues through May, and typically culminates in the reception of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist at the Easter Vigil. The OCIA journey includes weekly classes, weekly Mass, and special liturgies that introduce the stages of inquiry, formation, discernment, and commitment. Deacon David Bernstein coordinates the parish OCIA program.
Mental Health Ministry
St. Raphael's Mental Health Ministry is part of the Archdiocese of San Francisco Mental Health Ministry Network and brings together parishioners who are mental-health professionals, retired professionals, and lay volunteers with open hearts for listening. The team offers a prayerful, non-judgmental, confidential listening ear; maintains a listing of mental-health service agencies and individual professionals in the region; and hosts educational events at the parish on topics chosen by the community. The ministry team makes clear that it does not provide therapy, prescribe or evaluate medication, conduct assessments leading to specific diagnoses, run therapy support groups, supervise living arrangements, give specific lifestyle advice, or offer any service reserved for licensed professionals. Volunteers may be contacted through the parish office at (415) 454-8141 or by email at mentalhealth@saintraphael.com, and appointments may be requested through the same channels for in-person or phone conversations. The parish directs anyone in urgent need of mental-health care to call 9-1-1 and request the Psychiatric Emergency Response Team (PERT) or to go immediately to the nearest emergency room.
Music in Many Tongues
Music is woven into the parish's multilingual life. The Mission Choir sings at the Sunday 10:00 a.m. English Mass and rehearses on Thursday evenings at 6:15 p.m. in the main church. The Coro Madre de Dios sings at the Sunday noon and 7:00 p.m. Spanish Masses and rehearses on Wednesday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. The Coro JPC (Jóvenes Para Cristo), the Spanish youth choir, sings at the Sunday noon and 7:00 p.m. Spanish Masses. The Brazilian Choir assists at the Brazilian Mass, and the Vietnamese Choir assists at the Vietnamese Mass. Cantors, organists, pianists, and instrumentalists such as violinists, flutists, trumpeters, and guitarists are welcomed to assist at liturgies. Parish musicians are led by Josephine Sanchez, Pat Lord, and Hari Bayani, each of whom serves as music director in coordination with parish liturgy.
St. Vincent de Paul and Service to the Community
The parish carries out its outreach through the St. Vincent de Paul Society, whose conference and members assist lower-income families with food from the parish food pantry, rent assistance, and other forms of material support. One hundred percent of donations made to St. Vincent de Paul through the parish support these activities. A Peace, Justice and Service Committee oversees all parish outreach ministries, advocacy activities, and educational programs that foster an understanding of Catholic Social Teaching and promote justice. The parish also offers a Charismatic Prayer Group that meets in the Mission every Friday from 6: to 9 p.m., a Bible Study in English via Zoom from 5 to 6:15 p.m. on Wednesdays, a lectors and Eucharistic ministers program, an Environment and Hospitality committee that cares for the beauty and welcome of the church, an Altar Society under the patronage of Sts. Louis and Zelie that cares for the altar linens and sacristy, and a Young Adults group for English-speaking young adults that meets for social activities and Bible studies. A Lay Missionaries of Jesus community supports priests in spreading the Catholic faith through faith assemblies. The parish also has a Hispanic Council that unites the parish groups and ministries to support the spiritual and social needs of the Hispanic community.
The St. José Sánchez del Río Altar Server Society
Altar serving at St. Raphael's is organized through the St. José Sánchez del Río Altar Server Society, named for the young Mexican Cristero martyr canonized in October 2016. The society is open to boys and girls in fifth grade and older and trains them to assist the priest at the noon and 7:00 p.m. Spanish Masses and other liturgies. Servers commit to a regular schedule and learn to enter into the liturgy with reverence, punctuality, attentiveness, poise, and maturity.
Rosary, Holy Hour, and Other Devotions
The rosary is prayed Monday through Saturday at 8:00 a.m. in the Mission Chapel before the daily Mass. The Hispanic community gathers for a Holy Hour with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament on the third Sunday of each month from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. in the Mission. A Via Crucis group organizes the living Stations of the Cross on Good Friday and supports the ministry through an annual fundraiser. The Mission Hours of the Mission Chapel are posted at the door and respect the prayer schedule of the parish.
Stewardship and Giving
Saint Raphael Parish is dedicated to the principles of Christian stewardship, recognizing that everything the parish has comes from God and is returned through prayer, worship, offerings, and the sharing of time, talent, and treasure. The weekly collection and general contributions account for more than eighty percent of parish income, supporting salaries, insurance, facilities maintenance, and the cost of programs and services. Donations may be made online through the parish's Pushpay and We Share platforms, by mail to the parish office, or in person at Mass. Designated funds include the Parish Sunday Collection, the Buildings and Grounds fund for maintenance of the parish church, mission, and rectory, the St. Raphael School fund supported by a second collection on the first Sunday of each month, the St. Vincent de Paul fund supported by a second collection on every fifth Sunday, and the Restricted Parish Donation fund used for projects specified by the donor. The parish also participates in the Archdiocese of San Francisco Annual Appeal, assessed annually.
Clergy and Leadership
The parish is led by Father Luello Palacpac as pastor, with Father Santos Rodriguez and Father Cornelius Anki serving as parochial vicars. Four permanent deacons complete the pastoral team: Deacon Gene Smith, Deacon David Bernstein, Deacon Jose Hernandez, and Deacon Mark Kroncke, OFS. The parish office staff includes Keenny Aguilar and Clara Hau Gutierrez as administrative assistants and Tom Cashman as operations manager. Lydia Collins serves as principal of St. Raphael School. Josephine Sanchez, Pat Lord, and Hari Bayani direct the parish music program. Miguel Garza coordinates the Parish School of Religion, and Valerie Spiess coordinates the St. José Sánchez del Río Altar Server Society. The parish is staffed from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekdays at the parish office, and a 24/7 emergency line at 1-628-888-9635 is reserved for the Anointing of the Sick and Dying for those in imminent danger of death.
Joining the Parish
Newcomers and visitors are warmly welcomed. The parish invites registration through its online form and its Flocknote email and text-message communication system, and welcomes families to enroll in the Parish School of Religion or to schedule sacramental preparation for First Communion, Confirmation, marriage, anointing of the sick, or adult entry through OCIA. The Mission Chapel, the Mission Gift Shop and Museum, and the main parish church are open to visitors throughout the week, and weekend Mass is offered in four languages each Sunday morning and evening. In all things, the parish seeks to live out its three-fold mission: rooted in the Eucharist as the source of salvation, centered on the family as the means of sanctification, and sent as disciples to evangelize the world in the Truth.