From Father Steven - April 28, 2024

Father Steven Clemence • April 26, 2024

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

 

This Sunday and the following one we will be having our first communions here in the parish. In preparation for that, I began reading some testimonies about receiving communion that were very beautiful. Here I would like to share with you a conversation that Pope Benedict XVI had with some children regarding receiving communion.

 

Dear Pope, what are your memories of your First Communion day?

 

I would first like to say thank you for this celebration of faith that you are offering to me, for your presence and for your joy. I greet you and thank you for the hug I have received from some of you, a hug that, of course, symbolically stand for you all. I remember my First Communion day very well. It was a lovely Sunday in March 1936, 69 years ago. It was a sunny day, the church looked very beautiful, there was music.... There were so many beautiful things that I remember. There were about 30 of us, boys and girls from my little village of no more than 500 inhabitants. But at the heart of my joyful and beautiful memories is this one - and your spokesperson said the same thing: I understood that Jesus had entered my heart, he had actually visited me. And with Jesus, God himself was with me. And I realized that this is a gift of love that is truly worth more than all the other things that life can give. So on that day I was really filled with great joy, because Jesus came to me and I realized that a new stage in my life was beginning, I was 9 years old, and that it was henceforth important to stay faithful to that encounter, to that communion. I promised the Lord as best I could: "I always want to stay with you", and I prayed to him, "but above all, stay with me". So I went on living my life like that; thanks be to God, the Lord has always taken me by the hand and guided me, even in difficult situations. Thus, that day of my First Communion was the beginning of a journey made together. I hope that for all of you too, the First Communion you have received in this Year of the Eucharist will be the beginning of a lifelong friendship with Jesus, the beginning of a journey together, because in walking with Jesus we do well and life becomes good.

 

In preparing me for my First Communion day, my catechist told me that Jesus is present in the

Eucharist. But how? I can't see him!

 

No, we cannot see him, but there are many things that we do not see but they exist and are essential. For example: we do not see our reason, yet we have reason. We do not see our intelligence and we have it. In a word: we do not see our soul and yet it exists and we see its effects, because we can speak, think and make decisions, etc. Nor do we see an electric current, for example, yet we see that it exists; we see this microphone, that it is working, and we see lights. Therefore, we do not see the very deepest things, those that really sustain life and the world, but we can see and feel their effects. This is also true for electricity; we do not see the electric current but we see the light.

 

So it is with the Risen Lord: we do not see him with our eyes but we see that wherever Jesus is, people change, they improve. A greater capacity for peace, for reconciliation, etc., is created. Therefore, we do not see the Lord himself but we see the effects of the Lord: so we can understand that Jesus is present. And as I said, it is precisely the invisible things that are the most profound, the most important. So let us go to meet this invisible but powerful Lord who helps us to live well.

 

What good does it do for our everyday life to go to Holy Mass and receive Communion?

 

It centres life. We live amid so many things. And the people who do not go to church, do not know that it is precisely Jesus they lack. But they feel that something is missing in their lives. If God is absent from my life, if Jesus is absent from my life, a guide, an essential friend is missing, even an important joy for life, the strength to grow as a man, to overcome my vices and mature as a human being. Therefore, we cannot immediately see the effects of being with Jesus and of going to Communion. But with the passing of the weeks and years, we feel more and more keenly the absence of God, the absence of Jesus. It is a fundamental and destructive incompleteness. I could easily speak of countries where atheism has prevailed for years: how souls are destroyed, but also the earth. In this way we can see that it is important, and I would say fundamental, to be nourished by Jesus in Communion. It is he who gives us enlightenment, offers us guidance for our lives, a guidance that we need.

 

God Bless,

Fr. Steven

From Father Steven - June 7, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • June 5, 2026
Car Show, Trinity Sunday, and Corpus Christi Dear Brothers and Sisters, I hope that this title hasn’t confused your minds! How is it possible that we can put all these three things together? Very simply, those are our hidden treasures that once a year they are celebrated. Every year I have always walked down the street to the corner of Prospect and Main St. to take a peek at the cars. Last year however, after all the masses, I adventured to look at all the cars. It is amazing how cool and awesome it was. But it is also “sad” that we don’t get to see them that often riding on the streets. Some of the cars are true hidden gems that are probably guarded very safely somewhere away from the curious eyes. The same can be said about our Celebration of The Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi). Those are true gems that often are not seen/spoken about. This week we will be celebrating the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, also known as Corpus Christi. In the old days we celebrated it on Thursday after Trinity Sunday, but here in the States it has moved to Sunday. For almost 1000 years, the Church has always celebrated this day with a procession with the Blessed Sacrament through the streets around the churches. Even before the Reformation, the Church has always believed and affirmed that “By the consecration, the transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ is brought about. Under the consecrated species of bread and wine Christ himself, living and glorious, is present in a true, real, and substantial manner: His Body and His Blood, with His soul and His divinity” (CCC 1413 quoting the Council of Trent). Unfortunately, many people nowadays do not believe in the real presence of Christ on the Eucharist. In spite of many miracles around the world and even recently, where the consecrated host became the tissue of a human heart, and the consecrated wine became real human blood, people refuse to believe in it. Recent studies have shown that even a major number of Catholics (including practicing Catholics) do not believe that Jesus is really present in the Eucharist, but it’s a mere representation of him. St. Alphonsus Liguori writes in a great reflection book titled Visits to the Blessed Sacrament , “Loving souls can find no greater delight than to be in the company of those whom they love. If we, then, love Jesus Christ much, behold we are now in his presence…let us console ourselves in his company; let us rejoice in his glory and in the love in which so many enamored souls bear him in the Most Blessed Sacrament.” We are called first of all to be close to Jesus under the sacramental species, not only when he is present inside the tabernacle, but above all when he is exposed. We will have the special grace to do our own Eucharistic Procession here in the Parish. Some parishioners will be working from the early hours of Sunday creating a sawdust carpet with holy images on Prospect St., which will be closed on Sunday. After the trilingual Mass at 11am (rain or shine) all three communities will gather for a procession through downtown Marlboro. It will be our time to take our greatest gem out “from hiding” and show it to everyone!!!! Last year we had a great attendance, and I invite you to reach out to family and friends and invite them to celebrate this awesome event with us! Finally, as I mentioned before, mark on your calendars the National Eucharistic Procession that will pass through Boston as part of the 250 th of the birth of our Country. There will be events on June 26-28 in Plymouth, Freedom Trail and Lexington. God Bless, Fr. Steven

From Father Steven - May 31, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • May 29, 2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters, This year our nation celebrates the 250th anniversary of its independence. Many celebrations have been taking place throughout these past months and will continue in the months ahead. The Catholic Church is also organizing events to mark this important milestone. A National Eucharistic Pilgrimage began in St. Augustine, Florida, and will travel through several cities significant to the history of the United States. Boston will host three days of the National Pilgrimage. On Friday, June 26, there will be celebrations in Plymouth. On the following day, there will be a Eucharistic Procession along the Freedom Trail, beginning at Boston Common at 10:00 a.m., followed by Mass at 4:30 p.m. at the Cathedral. On the final day, there will be Mass, Adoration, and a procession in Lexington. We would like to organize a group from the parish to participate in some of these events. We will publish more information at a later date, but you may also find details online. Another important event will take place on Friday, June 12 . All the bishops of the United States have decided to dedicate our country to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Following their call and the encouragement of our Archbishop, we will also consecrate our parish and ourselves to the Sacred Heart. To prepare ourselves for this consecration, we will pray the Novena to the Sacred Heart in all three languages. We will pray the first day together on Wednesday, June 3 , after Benediction at 7:00 p.m. (The novena prayers will be available at the entrances of the church beginning this weekend.) We will conclude the novena and make the Act of Consecration on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Friday, June 12 , also at 7:00 p.m. It will be similar to the consecration to Mary that we made last December. Although many people have seen the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus—such as the statue to the left of the main altar—some may not be familiar with the devotion itself. In 1673, during a time when the world had grown cold and had forgotten the tenderness and mercy of Christ’s love, Jesus appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque on the feast of St. John in Paray-le-Monial, France. He revealed to her His Heart burning with love for humanity. In these visions, Jesus asked her to spread devotion to His Sacred Heart and instructed her on how the devotion should be practiced. The devotion as we know it today is largely based on these revelations to St. Margaret Mary. Jesus’ profound love for us is demonstrated through His willingness to sacrifice His life for our sake. The love flowing from His Heart motivated all His actions—His inner life manifested in His virtues, compassion, and sacrifice. Yet this great love is often met with indifference and ingratitude, even among the faithful. The purpose of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is to focus our hearts on receiving and returning His love with gratitude—with all our heart, soul, and strength—so that He may be glorified. From a theological perspective, consecration is not considered magic, protection from all hardship, or a guarantee of prosperity. Rather, its purpose is surrender, transformation, and the alignment of our lives with Christ’s love by becoming more patient, forgiving, compassionate, and self-giving toward others. On a different note, NEXT SUNDAY we will celebrate our annual trilingual Corpus Christi Mass at 11:00 a.m. There will be no 9:00 a.m. or 1:00 p.m. Mass that day. We will gather outdoors in the parking lot—rain or shine—to celebrate the greatest gift: the true Body and Blood of Christ. After Mass, we will process with the Blessed Sacrament through downtown Marlborough, singing and praising God. This year the procession will coincide with the car show, so please plan ahead and arrive early to find parking. Hopefully, as in past years, we will have a large crowd. If there are volunteers who would like to help with the sawdust carpet, please arrive around sunrise. God Bless you all, Fr. Steven