A warm first Christmas for Antioch church

If there's a perfect holiday for St. Raphael the Archangel Catholic Church, it must be Christmas.

The same day on which Christians across the world celebrate Jesus' nativity, parishioners at the Antioch house of worship are also celebrating the birth of their church just four months ago.

"It's been great," said the Rev. Father John Jamnicky after the congregation's first Christmas services Tuesday. "Every Mass is a little bit different."

St. Raphael opened Sept. 1 with Jamnicky, former chaplain for O'Hare Airport, serving at the first new Archdiocese of Chicago parish in eight years.

Cardinal Francis George blessed the church on Sept. 29 for the Feast of the Archangels, in honor of St. Raphael's namesake.

The church now occupies a renovated barn just east of Route 45 on Route 173, but a more permanent structure is planned about five years from now on 40 acres along Route 45.

On Tuesday, worshippers filled many of the pews, but Jamnicky said the Christmas Eve night mass drew enough people to crowd aisles as well as the seats.

"It's been a great response on the part of the people," he said.

In his Christmas sermon, the Rev. Father Charles Rubey said that though holiday traditions are important, the true gift of Christmas is more ephemeral.

"The important thing is that Jesus was born, and that's what we're here to celebrate," Rubey said. "That's what Christmas is. God gave us love."

After the service, worshippers said they were both pleased and impressed with their church's first Christmas masses.

"It warms my heart," said Gurnee resident Debbie Schnadt. "It's wonderful."

Charles Welch, an usher, said the sense of community at St. Raphael is unique.

"The reason I joined the church was for the friendship," Welch said. "You don't find that in a lot of churches."

Organist Dean Rosko, who also plays professionally for the Milwaukee Brewers, said he agreed to play at the church just for that reason, the community's sense of openness.

"I'm so happy to be a part of it," Rosko said. "People need a warm, welcoming place to come to. This is it."

Rosko said the spirit of welcoming was in full force on the church's first Christmas celebration.

"It was really nice," he said. "It's a great Christmas here."