My encounter with Saint Raphael the Arch-Angel

Since the feast day of Saint Raphael was just recently celebrated, I thought I would tell my own little story about my encounter with this saint.

If you know me, you know that my wife Suzette is from the Philippines.  We met online in 2002 and after chating online and on the phone for a few months I decided to go over and meet her in person.  Part of my preparation of the trip was to seek out a blessing form a priest I know for the journey. Now when asked who the patron saint of travelers is, any Catholic is likely to answer with Saint Christopher.  His name is a good answer, so I was a little surprised when father invoked Saint Raphael in the blessing. Saint Raphael is is also a good friendly saint to the traveler who is going on a long journey. While father did not knwo the reason for my trip, he did know where I was going. Since I was traveling so far away, he decided to ask for this Saint’s intercession on my behalf for my long journey to the Philippines.

After wards father and I were casually talking about the Saint as he had to explain to me the why Saint Raphael, instead of the expected Saint Christopher.  He then asked me why I was going to the Phillipines.  I told him it was ot meet a woman I had met on Catholic Singles Online. He looked at me like I was crazy.  When I asked him what was wrong, he simply answered, “Saint Raphael is also the patron of those seeking a spouse”. Of course it would only be a couple of short years later that Suzette and I were married.  So as Paul Harvey would say, “Now you know the rest of the story”.