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A Profile
of Saint Raphael the Archangel Parish
Founded in 1888, as Manchester's mill-based economy was reaching its height,
Saint Raphael is now a community of faith for approximately 3,000 persons
from some 900 families. Situated in southwestern Manchester, the parish continues
to serve the descendants of the first German and Irish immigrants for whom
it was established. Joined by many Americans of French-Canadian background,
the parish today is multi-ethnic and includes all income groups. The parish
is operated by the Benedictine monks of Saint Anselm Abbey in Goffstown on
behalf of the Diocese of Manchester; at present, one monk is assigned as
pastor and assistance from others is provided as needed.
The first pastor and first Mass - in a firehouse
The parish was created to serve the needs of German-speaking immigrants from
the Rhineland and Bavaria, as well as English-speaking families of Irish
extraction. The Diocese of Manchester, established in 1884, turned to the
Order of Saint Benedict, which counted many German-born monks among its members,
and Benedictines from Saint Mary Abbey in Newark, N.J., agreed to the request
of the Most Rev. Denis Bradley, bishop of Manchester, to come to New Hampshire
for two purposes: to establish the parish and to open a college for the education
of young men. From the initial parish foundation under the Rev. Sylvester
Joerg, O.S.B., the first pastor, the first monastic community and the groundwork
for the college emerged in 1889. He situated himself, through Bishop Bradley's
assistance, at the home of Mrs. Elizabeth Lee, where Mass was celebrated
and rectory business initiated.
The first public parish Mass was celebrated on Easter Sunday, 1 April 1888
in the Harrington Hose Co. building on Clinton Street on the West Side. In
due course, the parish opened its first building, a structure containing
church, auditorium, school, rectory and convent. The "all-in-one" building,
designed by the firm of architect P.W. Ford, Boston, was not uncommon in
Catholic life in New England in the late 19th century, and the structure�s
basement and first floor continue to serve the parish. The upper two stories
were removed in the 1960s.
The Saint Raphael complex today
Today, the parish complex consists of Saint Raphael Church, constructed in
1964; the parish rectory, built in 1907; Saint Benedict Academy, opened in
1964, and the parish religious education center in the original Saint Raphael
building of 1888. Unlike some churches of the 1960s criticized for their
spare interiors and uninspiring exteriors, the Saint Raphael Church building
is both functional and aesthetically pleasing - a tribute to the architects
and monastic ethos that helped design it. The contemporary Italianate-style
church, designed by architects Andrew and Nicholas Isaak of Manchester, includes
a belfry, baptistery and daily Mass worship space, the Saint Benedict Chapel,
as well a fully fitted kitchen, hall and classrooms for religious education
on the basement level. The Isaaks also designed Saint Anselm Abbey Church.
The new parish church was blessed and dedicated in impressive ceremonies
on Aug. 1, 1965, by the Most Rev. Ernest J. Primeau, D. D., bishop of Manchester.
Earlier, on June 14, 1965, the Rt. Rev. Gerald F. McCarthy, O.S.B., abbot
of Saint Anselm, had dedicated the main altar. The first Mass in the new
church, however, was celebrated even earlier than that, on Mother's Day,
May 9, 1965.
Saint Benedict Academy, an elementary school for approximately 150 youngsters,
serves the Catholic parishes on the West Side. The parish originally operated
the facility as Saint Raphael School for Grades K-8. Instruction was first
under the direction of the Benedictine Sisters of Elizabeth, N.J., and later
by the Religious Sisters of Mercy, as well as many devoted lay teachers.
In the 1970s, faced with a declining number of religious sisters, mounting
costs and eroding enrollment, the school was regionalized and made part of
the diocesan system. Reflecting its location, the facility was called West
Side Catholic Regional School. As a result of a diocesan policy to give religious
names to its educational institutions, the school was renamed Saint Benedict
Academy in 2003 and rededicated in ceremonies led by the Most Rev. John B.
McCormack, bishop of Manchester. Currently, Sister Maria Rosa of the Sisters
of the Presentation of Mary, serves as principal.
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DIRECTIONS
From Route 101 - EAST and WEST
Take the ramp for I293 North
Take Exit 5 - Granite Street
Turn left at the end of the off ramp
Continue up the hill to Main Street light
Turn left onto Main Street
At the park, turn left onto Ferry Street
Parking is available in the lot across from the church
From Route 3 North (Everett Turnpike)
Take the toll into Bedford/Manchester
Continue North onto I293 North
Take Exit 5 - Granite Street
Turn left at the end of the off ramp
Continue up the hill to Main Street light
Turn left onto Main Street
At the park, turn left onto Ferry Street
From I293 South
Continue on I293 South
Take Exit 4 - US-3 (there is no southbound exit 5)
Bear right onto US-3 / 2nd Street
Continue on 2nd Street
Turn left onto Ferry Street
The church is on the left, parking is on the right
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