NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) –The City Council recently approved changing the name of a portion of LaSalle Street to Rev. John Raphael Jr. Way. On Sunday, church members, family and friends celebrated the name change with Mayor Mitch Landrieu and City Council members in attendance.
Rev. John C. Raphael, Jr. was a strong pillar in this community and icon in Central City and all over New Orleans. He served the City of New Orleans for 15 years as police officer as well as a police detective. In 1988, Rev. Raphael became the Pastor of New Hope Baptist Church. During his 25 years as Pastor, he advocated for righteousness and justice and was a voice for the under-privileged. He worked tirelessly to feed the hungry, providing clothing for those in need, offered shelter for the homeless and spent countless hours on the streets of this Community, including sleeping on the street to display his concern for victims of violent crimes. Rev. Raphael brought people together and led movements such as “Thou Shalt Not Kill, “Enough”, “Yes We Care”, “I Am My Brother’s Keeper”, and “We Gotta Fix Us”. He comforted the bereaved, gave hope to the hopeless, and help to the helpless. Pastor Raphael was a man who walked with presidents, governors of this state, supported mayors of this city, and interacted with many great Pastors, yet never lost his touch as he walked with the common man. His influence was global. Not only did he serve the City of New Orleans and the State of Louisiana, he was impactful across the United States where his “Thou Shalt Not Kill “ movement was followed. Rev. Raphael did not limit his love for humanity to this country, but shared it all over the world, including West Africa, Haiti and Panama.
“For those who don’t know him, I hope now with the street name that people will ask questions to find out more about him and who he was,” Earl Peters, Pastor Raphael’s cousin, said.
“I think he’d be so happy about today. I think he’d be overjoyed about the street name change,” Keely Brown, Pastor Raphael’s sister, said.
Brown said her brother was extremely kind, always buying her snoballs, getting the family Christmas tree, but most of all he made her feel important.
“We were all the little brothers and sisters. He never shunned us or told us to go away. I miss him horribly. We still remember him and love him,” she said.
Pastor Raphael passed away over a year ago.