St. Joseph/St Raphael Springfield at 225 E. High Street, Springfield, OH 45505-1052 US - Our Parish Community
Our Parish Community
We are a Parish with a past; we are a parish with a future. And in the present, we have a mission in our lives. We are committed to praying and working together to be a community who:
“acts justly, loves tenderly, and walks humbly with our God” (Micah 6:8)
About the Catholic Church:
The Catholic Church is a community with a 2,000 year history, a global vision, a message of joy.
``Where the Bishop is, there let the multitude of believers be; even as where Jesus is, there is the Catholic Church'' ~ Ignatius of Antioch, 1st c. A.D
We believe in:
• Community
where the emphasis on "WE" rather than "I"
• Sacramental Life
where God is reachable through human experience
• Mission
which calls us to share the revelation of God & our commitment to God with others
• Compassion
which urges us to see all people as family members
• Service
which alerts us to the moral imperative to care for each other
WHY?
Because we are loved by the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!
The Nicene Creed discusses the basics of what Catholics believe about God:
The Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit, he was born of the Virgin Mary, and was became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.
AMEN.
Do you have questions about the faith? For more information call Deacon Norm Horstman at 937-323-7523.
Why Is The Church Building So Important?
The building where we gather as a community to celebrate the dying and rising of Christ is so important that we have come to call it “the church”. In reality, we are the Church. The Church is the assembly of God’s people called together to share in, and to become, Christ’s body.
But that is such a far out idea! How can a group of people come together and be a thing? What does it mean to be a body? It is largely because the notion of the reality of the Church is so difficult to understand that, over the centuries, we came to identify the building where we gather as “the church”.
When we say we are going to “the church”, we usually mean a specific building, which, for us, is the St. Joseph ~ St. Raphael Parish. If it were not for those who gather within it, though, it would not be a church, but only a building. It is our assembly that makes it a church, or, more accurately, the House of the Church – THE HOUSE OF GOD.
What Makes A Building So Important?
Recently, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops issues a document called Built of Living Stones. This document, which was agreed to by the entire conference of United States bishops and consented to by Rome, says a lot about the Church. It is the official document regarding what we, as Catholic Christians in our country, follow as a guideline for our church buildings. Let’s see what this document says.
We are told that the building “…is both the house of God on earth…and a house fit for the prayers of the saints.” It is “…the proper place for the liturgical prayer of the parish community… [and]…the privileged place for the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament…” Further, we are told that “…every church building is a gathering place for the assembly, a resting place, a place of encounter with God, as well as a point of departure on the Church’s unfinished journey toward the reign of God.” Sounds pretty impressive!
In fact, far from being just a room, just bricks and mortar, we are told that, in the church, “…architecture and art become the joint work of the Holy Spirit and the local community, that of preparing human hearts to receive God’s word and to enter more fully into communion with God.” In other words, the room in which we celebrate Mass is itself very important in how we express ourselves. We are called to hear the Holy Spirit, to be open to God’s will, in what we do with and in that room.
GENEALOGY RESEARCH
Because of the age and fragile condition of our sacramental books and death records, and because of limited staffing we are unable to accept requests for genealogy research.
However, all of our records have been micro-filmed and are kept at the Archives for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.
For information contact:
Archdiocesan Archivist
Mr. Don H. Buske
6616 Beechmont Avenue
Cincinnati, Ohio 45230
Phone: 513-231-0810
Fax: 513-231-3254
E-mail: dbuske@cinti.net
Clark County Combined Health Dept
(for birth &death records)
Vital Records
529 East Home Road
Springfield, Ohio 45503
937-390-5600 phone
937-390-5625 fax
Please call in advance; a cashier’s check
may be required. Legal copies may cost
$8 per file; non legal copies may be .25 each.
Probate Court (for marriage records)
50 East Columbia Street
Springfield, Ohio 45502
937-328-2589 phone
They require payment of $2
(or more) for each certificate requested.
Clark County Public Library
(for census records)
Reference Dept
201 South Fountain Avenue
Springfield, Ohio 45506
937-328-6903 phone
937-328-6908 fax
Clark County Historical Society
117 South Fountain Avenue
Springfield, Ohio 45502
937-322-5035 phone
937-324-0657 phone
Church of Latter Day Saints
(genealogy library for entire USA)
Family History Center
3060 Terry Drive
Fairborn, Ohio 45324
937-878-9551
OUR HERITAGE - St Joseph
November 4. 1883
It was warm inside the new basement of the new Saint Joseph Parish schoolhouse. The boilers have been fired for the first time earlier that day; several hours before the crowd would gather for the first Mass celebrated at this new missionary parish. As the faithful settled in makeshift seating, the smell of fresh-cut wood and newly applied paint mixed with the incense lit for the use during the holy event.
This cold day, November 4. 1883 marked a special beginning in the hearts of and lives of hundreds of Irish immigrants who, for some time, had wanted a parish of their own in their neighborhood.
(see more...)
ST. JOSEPH CHURCH CELEBRATES 125TH ANNIVERSARY
The 125th Anniversay of St. Joseph Church was celebrated on March 9, 2008 with Archbishop Daniel Pilaczyk presiding over the 10:30 a.m. Mass. Fr. Dennis Caylor, Pastor of St. Joseph, severd as Concelebrant with Deacon Norm Horstman and Deacon Jason Beedle assisting. The Fourth Degree Knights of K of C Council #624 were in procession, and the St. Joseph Choir led the congregation in songs of praise. Despite a record snowfall, more than 200 Parishioners and Guest braved the elements to attend this special Anniversary Mass.
(see more...)
OUR HERITAGE - St Raphael
St. Raphael Parish was born in 1849, brought into being to meet the needs of a small but growing number of Catholics in a population of about 5000 persons. Our present church building was begun in 1892 and dedicated in 1898. Since that time, our church at the corner of Spring and High Streets, has been a symbol of Catholic life for many thousands of Springfield’s residents. St. Raphael parishioners have come to it to be nourished by the Gospel and the Sacraments. In it they have found their identity as a community. From it they have gone out to live their faith in their home, places of employment, and the market place. This long and proud history, built on the dedicated service of laity, religious, and clergy, provides a strong foundation upon which St. Raphael can look to the future. The Church’s mission is nothing less than the establishment of the Kingdom of God.
OUR VISION
As a Parish, the people of St. Joseph ~ St. Raphael are united by a common faith in Christ. We gratefully bring our gifts of time, talent, and money to the table of the Lord. Through all our efforts, we are called to the Body of Christ among the people of Springfield. As such, we are called to serve as Christ did; to seek out and serve the poor and hurting as well as the entire community. We are engaged in the continual work of building up the Lord’s Body by our love and concern for one another. It calls us to be responsive to the spiritual, educational and social needs of individuals, of families and of the total community. As a parish community, worship is the heart of our life. It is this community worship which helps us to focus on our vision, our purpose. So we pursue our vision with loving concern for all of God’s people.
OUR COMMITMENT
In light of our heritage, and mindful of our vision, we commit ourselves to strive to achieve certain goals. We will broaden our understanding of ourselves, and provide greater opportunities of our community; opportunities for spiritual renewal, and strengthening our ties through education and socializing. We will support the families of the parish, as well as individuals, and we will realize the benefit of youth ministry. We will recognize and develop resources in our parish among our people, in the areas of worship, education and service. We will have a functioning organizational structure. We will be a community whose identity is characterized by warmth and acceptance which promotes a feeling of belonging and a deep respect for people of any age. We will have a community aware of its real needs and able to direct its resources to meet those needs
MISSION STATEMENT
St. Joseph ~ St. Raphael is a diverse community dedicated to living its baptismal commitment: to providing for the spiritual growth of its members; and to reaching out to others through worship and action.
In support of this end, we are committed to:
• providing opportunities for members of the parish to experience the Word of God and to celebrate the Eucharist;
• serving the basic needs of the parish and the larger community:
• spreading the Word of God through Christian fellowship;
• providing quality Catholic education for parish members of all ages;
• supporting the parish financially as well as with gifts of time and talent;
• communicating the parish’s unique history and tradition;
• developing the leadership potential of parish members;
• envisioning and planning for the future:
STEWARDSHIP: TreasureSt Joseph ~ St Raphael Parish Community is supported entirely by donations from parish members & friends. If you would like to make a donation to help spread Christ's Word, you may do so by postal mail or by calling (937) 323-7523. To make a donation by mail, please send check ...
Ministry Volunteer Program
If you are interested in any ministry please contact the coordinator
SCRIPTURE SAFARI
Scripture Safari is our parish Vacation Bible School. We have gathered together the children of this parish and the wider community for
The Holy Mass
The Passion of Jesus Christ is the greatest love story of all time. We Catholics believe that to celebrate the Lord's Supper is a sacred event that dynamically unites us to the eternal sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Benedict XVI says that the secret of Pope John Paul II's spiritual life was ...
Prayers
In the Roman Catholicism religion, prayer is powerful. Catholics communicate to God, Jesus Christ, and the saints. Even though we often feel our prayers are not answered, we continue to seek prayer. Ultimately, God does hear our prayers. Sometimes we don’t get exactly what we ...
Sister Dorothy Stang
The assassination of Sister Dorothy Stang Sister Dorothy Stang, a Sister of Notre Dame de Namur from Cincinnati, was assassinated on Saturday, Feb. 12, 2005 in Anapu, Para. Sra. Dorothy was 74 years old and lived in Brazil for more than 30 years. She was a member of the ...
Forms & List
View Document, Download, Print, Deliver, Email or Mail to the Office where needed:
These forms & List may be downloaded by selecting your desired format and then using your browser's Save-To-Disk function.
