The Raphael Network was founded by Anthony Kendrick, Erica Schuman, Leonie Nahhas, Francine Pirola and Shawn van der Linden who became the first Leadership Team providing management and developing policy (see below for current members). Priestly guidance and Spiritual Direction is provided by several members of the clergy who are associated with the Network. The Leadership Team meets periodically to plan meetings, discuss new member applications and plan events.
The Network does not engage in advocacy or political lobbying and is established as an informal association only.
The Raphael Network does not provide therapy itself, and does not endorse, guarantee, or warrant the credentials, work, abilities or opinions of any individual practitioner. It does not provide any assurances or warranties regarding the suitability of a practitioner within, or referred by, the Network or the outcome of any treatment.

The Raphael Network is open to a diversity of mental health care practitioners. This may include accredited and non-accredited Mental Health Professionals, and also practitioners engaged in Pastoral Mental Health Care Support roles such as marriage formators, mentors, chaplains, Catholic coaches, religious and clergy.
Aspiring members are required to apply via an online form (below), provide a reference from a priest in their local place of worship, along with contact details and qualifications. Applicants are interviewed by phone and their application reviewed by members of the Leadership Team who will advise them of the outcome. Once approved, the applicant is given access to the MS Team meetings and Network chat.
Members are required to affirm their ongoing commitment to the Raphael Network and update contact details annually.

Members are free to leave the Network at any time and should advise the administrator so that they can be removed from the various communication and technical tools. The Leadership Team reserves the right to remove a member should they judge a member is not suited to the Network, or who is inactive for a year or more, or who fails to reaffirm their membership annually.

No membership fees are currently required. Donations are gratefully received.

• Online meetings take place approximately twice per quarter (corresponding to the school term). These will ordinarily include input from a Speaker (guest or member) and discussion. Topics will include a Catholic lens or application.
• An annual in-person retreat is hosted in March/April or there abouts.
• In-person social events are held in December and July and are organised by local members.
• Occassional hosting or sponsoring of professional conference/symposia
• A calendar of events will be published annually and updated as required.

• MS Teams: The Raphael Network uses MS Teams which is currently supported through in-kind support by the Parish and Marriage Resource Centre. MS Teams hosts video conferences and file sharing for the Network.
• Members need to download the MS Teams app to their computer (free) to access all these functions. There are also smart phone apps in the apple/google play store to which an account can be linked.
• WhatsApp is used for informal communication between members and can be downloaded from the apple/google play store. A link to join is provided to successful applicants.

To avoid communications becoming overloaded or spammed, members agree to post only content (articles, events, resources etc) that are aligned with the Raphael Network mission. The Leadership Team reserves the right to moderate all content and discussion.
What’s App Posting Guidelines.
The Raphael Network has a reactive moderation rather than proactive screening policy.

1. Members may share a document/event/course/resource to the What’s App community on the appropriate group/channel at any time.
2. Members should not assume that what is shared by another member is endorsed by the RN Leadership Team.
3. If a member believes something shared is in breach of the RN Code of Conduct or inconsistent with the aims of RN, they should flag it for the Leadership Team to review, and if warranted, it will be removed or edited.
4. Persistent breaches of the Posting guidelines may result in the member being removed from the RN What’s App community.

The Network is working to develop a way for potential clients to find a member’s services. This will likely be via an online, searchable database. Members who opt to be listed on the Referral Database will need to provide contact details and description of their service for public access.