Reverend Sean Raftis
St. Charles Borromeo Church
Whitefish, MT
Sponsor: Rep. Ryan Zinke, (R-MT)
Date of Prayer: 03/08/2024
One Minute Speech Given in Recognition of the Guest Chaplain:
Mr. Speaker, Father Sean Raftis is originally from Spokane, Washington, the son of James and Catherine Raftis. He has a brother, of course, Pat. He was a kid who grew up in a fine town in Spokane.
He attended Gonzaga Prep and Gonzaga University in his hometown, and he studied and taught at the Edward R. Murrow School of Communication at Washington State University, also known as the Cougars. He earned his master's degree while teaching at the Murrow School.
Father Raftis started studying for the Catholic priesthood in 1995, studying philosophy at Loyola University Chicago and theology at Boston School of Theology and Ministry.
He was ordained in 2005 and is a priest of the Diocese of Helena, Montana, in western Montana and serving at the Cathedral of St. Helena, Holy Cross in Townsend, and I am proud to say that he is the pastor at my church in Whitefish, Montana.
I am honored to introduce Father Raftis.
Opening Prayer Given by the Guest Chaplain:
Loving Heavenly Father, we thank You for blessing us with faith, hope, and love.
We are especially thankful for those who defend and protect our Nation and our veterans who are with us and those who gave their lives to deliver us from evil and to protect our priceless freedoms we treasure.
Please guide us so that we can know and live the good, the true, and the beautiful. Please forgive our sins and cleanse us with Your infinite mercy so that we can live virtuous lives. We beg You that You continuously bless this Congress so that we all may work for the common good to deliver life, liberty, and happiness so that we and all citizens can fulfill Psalm 22 to ‘‘proclaim to a people yet unborn the deliverance You have brought.''
May all these noble men and women in Congress who serve here now continue to be blessed with joyful resolve to contribute to the greatest good, You, our Heavenly Father, and may God bless America. Amen.
To learn more about Members who have sponsored a Guest Chaplain, please visit the Congressional Biographical Directory