The history of St. Raphael The Archangel Parish dates back to July of 1947. At that time, Archbishop Joseph Francis Rummel brought into existance a new parish to serve the growing Gentilly and lakefront area. Father Vernon P. Aleman, who previously served as assistant pastor in nearby St. James Major Parish, was chosen to head the new expansion. The first church building was a mission chapel located on the corner of Elysian Fields Avenue and New York Street. With the end of WWII, there occurred tremendous growth in the area of the Elysian Fields corridor. Within ten months of the founding, a new church was needed, and at that time, St. Raphel moved to it's present site with a wooden church building located just off Elysian Fields and Prentiss. By 1950, the most pressing need was for a school. On September 10, 1950, a new school building was dedicated. With a staff of twenty nuns staffing the school, there was also need for a convent. In 1953, a convent was completed. By 1958, the second church building had become inadequate. The new permanent church was dedicated on September 21, 1958. Made of the finest Botticino marbles, oak ceiling and woodwork, the new church was an impressive testament to the vitality of the parish. Even the Stations of The Cross, painted by famous Belgian artist Dom Gregory deWit, O.S.B, are treasures and have been featured in exhibits at the Delgado Art Museum now called the New Orleans Musuem of Art. Also completed in 1958, was a new air conditioned rectory. Irvin Kohler was the architect and Gervais Favrot was the contractor.

Original St. Raphael church building

Temporary church used between 1949 and 1958