Sometimes we do not have to travel very far to be surprised by the beauty of Catholic Churches. I recently did a presentation at a local church in St. Petersburg, Florida. I did not know about St. Raphael’s parish. Our new pastor was a priest at this church for several years before coming to St. Luke’s. When I was invited to speak to the women’s group at St. Raphael’s, I was excited to visit a new church. I was pleasantly surprised at the beauty of this church.

St. Raphael’s Catholic Church is a waterfront church dedicated in 2005. Several of the women I met at the event were married in the old church which was converted to the parish hall after the new church was completed. Not only was the inside of the church spectacular, but the grounds leading to the church consisted of a Marian grotto, an outdoor display of the Stations of the Cross, and a beautiful statue of the Archangel, St. Raphael.

Some may wonder how plans for a church are developed. My research showed that the planners traveled to many parishes throughout the United States borrowing different designs from churches to develop their final plans. This waterfront church is over 20,000 square feet and seats a thousand people, which is twice the capacity of the previous structure.

St. Raphael the Archangel is known as a protector and healer. He is also the patron saint of physicians and the blind. Most importantly, he is the patron saint of travelers. This was new information for me, and I certainly will remember St. Raphael as I continue my solo travel adventures. My next adventure is Portugal in February. Stay tuned for future blogs and videos. But for now, enjoy this short video of St. Raphael parish in St. Petersburg, Florida.

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Happy Reading and God bless!