From Father Steven - August 11, 2024

Father Steven Clemence • August 9, 2024

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters, 

 

Please see the letter below from Janet Guzman. Janet is one of our parishioners who left on mission to the Caribbean last year.

 

God Bless,

Fr. Steven

 

Hello, My name is Janet Guzman. Some of you may remember me from a blurb in the bulletin from about a year ago. I was starting my journey in discerning my vocation and I was sent to the Caribbean as a missionary teacher. Looking at the large number of youth on the island, priests felt that the island was in need of a chance at a Catholic Education. Thus, in August 2006, Holy Family Academy was established with just two classes, Kindergarten and First Grade with less than ten students. Today, we serve grades Pre-K to 12th grade and with the help of St. Thomas University, we are helping the students receive a college education as well. All together we have almost 200 students. At Holy Family Academy, our model is to live in humility, simplicity, and praise where the other is Christ.


For a lot of children, school is the place where they feel most loved. Most children come from broken families, suffer abuse and poverty. As a missionary teacher it is not only my duty to provide them an education but to help strengthen their faith and to remind them that they are loved by God. Every morning, the school gathers in the courtyard to begin our day with prayer. We always say “God is love, and he loves us.” This is our daily reminder not only for the students but also for the teachers. Some days are tough and it is hard to think that God could allow such situations in our lives. With this saying, we also remember that God makes everything perfect. In all of our situations, as hard as they may be, God is with us through it all because of His love for us.


Holy Family Academy has a unique spirituality unlike anything else I have ever experienced. A school in which the students are loving and kind to one another. If problems arise they are willing to forgive and ask for forgiveness. The students take active roles in the school. They lector, sing, and they also play musical instruments during the school liturgical celebrations. All of this is done without fear or shame. To be able to witness all of these miracles day in and day out has been a huge blessing for me. Not only do they learn from me, but I learn from them as well.


As a result of a wonderful year on mission, I feel as though God is calling me to do an additional year. This upcoming school year I will be teaching Social Studies and Science to the Kindergarten class as well as taking on Special Education and Physical Education. These classes hold a special place in my heart and I am excited to see what the Lord has in store for me. For this to be possible, I am accepting donations so that my classes may have what they need for the year. Being a missionary means that I do not receive any form of payment for my work. Everything I have is all thanks to the providence of God. Blessed be to God for providing the needs of the school through many generous benefactors and friends of the mission.

If you would like to make a donation, please visit my Amazon Wishlist by scanning the QR code. Anything and everything is very much appreciated. Pray for me, as I will be praying for all of you at Immaculate Conception.

 

Peace,

Janet Guzman

 

From Father Steven - May 3, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • May 1, 2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters, It is with great joy that today we celebrate our First Communion. I don’t know how much you remember from the day you received your First Communion. Unfortunately, I also remember very little. Last week, I asked one of the children who had received their First Communion how it felt, and more than the words they used, you should have seen the joy in their smile. Lucky for us, this weekend we can experience their joy as well, because each time we receive Communion it is just as amazing as the first time. When we do something so often in life, we can easily take it for granted, and it can become routine. However, we need to be careful that receiving The Body and Blood of Christ does not become routine. Each time is different. The other day, I was reading the reflections of St. Alphonsus Liguori on the Eucharist and thinking about the experiences that some of the saints had while receiving Communion. For instance, some saints had mystical experiences with Jesus after communion. St. Giuseppe of Cupertino would levitate at Communion. He also levitated at the mere thought of Jesus (even church bells would draw the saint closer to heaven). There are some people who lived being fed only by The Body of Christ. This miracle is called “inedia.” Some lived for more than 10 years solely on the Eucharist. Imagine how impressive that is. I have capitalized the “T” in “The Body of Christ” because it is The one and same Body that was born of Mary and was crucified on the Cross. When we receive Communion, we receive the very Body of Christ. It is not an image, a representation, or a symbol. There is a transformation of the substance of bread into The Body of Christ during consecration. We call it “transubstantiation.” In history, some people have failed to understand it, and this has caused great misunderstanding and error in other beliefs. For instance, Protestants do not believe that The Body of Christ is in the Eucharist. As the children have prepared themselves over the past two years, it is also important that we prepare ourselves to receive Communion. We often urge you to begin by preparing your souls by going to confession. Then, we should also dress up for such the special occasion. It would also be nice to arrive early, find good seats, and pray before the beginning of Mass. I understand that at times things happen as we come to church that delay us. However, as much as possible, it is important to arrive early, and prepare ourselves for this special moment. We hear in the Gospel that Jesus has prepared a place in heaven for us. He gives us His Body to strengthen us in that journey. Let us not miss this great opportunity. As the children receive their Communion for the first time, let us also have the same attitude and awe this Sunday! God Bless, Fr. Steven

From Father Steven - April 26, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • April 23, 2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters, The fourth Sunday of Easter is known as the Good Shepherd Sunday, as we hear each year a part of chapter 10 from the Gospel of John. We all know by heart Psalm 23 that speaks of the Lord as our Shepherd. This weekend I would like to reflect on the role of this Shepherd in our lives. I don’t know if anyone grew up in the countryside or has had experience out in the fields. There are many threats to the flock or herds. They can be stolen by other shepherds, eaten by predators, or even get lost or hurt by the terrain. Therefore, it is imperative that the shepherd is watching the flock the whole time in order to protect them from these external dangers. That is why he will bring the sheep to a place that is secure and has an abundance of food and water. It is almost equally important that the shepherd keeps an eye on the sheep. They are known to be extremely docile and not very smart. They can easily be deceived and go on their own or even ignore the voice of the shepherd. Then, he constantly keeps going after the sheep that does not listen to his voice or decides on its own to venture to other places. Often, they don’t find food or water, and in that danger of death, the shepherd finds it and brings it back to the fold. In Israel, it is very hard to find sources of water and pasture. Only a well-trained shepherd knows where to find it. However, it can be an arduous journey which can also be challenging to get there. It is very similar in our lives. There are many dangers to our souls out there. Whether external by the temptation to sin, or we can also make the wrong choices. Only Jesus knows where our nourishment can be found and where we can truly rest. However, it is not an easy journey there. The path to salvation can be very difficult, but not impossible. Jesus himself encourages us to strive to enter through the gate of salvation that is small and the road is narrow. We can find it too difficult for us, we can give up very easily, especially when the road to perdition is broad and the gate is wide. When we start heading to that direction, Jesus calls us by name as we hear this weekend. His voice is very distinctive from all the other voices. But he has to respect our freedom. Then, when we decide to leave his presence to seek a mirage, he comes after us to rescue us and brings us back to the fold. It is very important to understand that. First, Christ goes ahead of us to show us the way to salvation. The cross leads to eternal life. He is the only gate to salvation. While in Israel, the shepherds were known to be dishonorable people because of their lifestyle and vices. Jesus declares to be the Good Shepherd. That is, he is not like everyone else that in front of danger, they abandon the sheep or take advantage of the sheep. He instead lays down his life for us, as we just celebrated that in Easter. I don’t know what is happening in your lives. What are the hidden struggles or challenges that you are experiencing in the silence of your hearts? However, Jesus knows! He comes this weekend to call us to follow Him. If we are away from the flock, he calls us by our names back to his presence. And if someone is lost, he leaves the 99 in the desert and comes looking for the lost sheep until he finds them. Once he finds us, he does not give us lectures or scold us; instead, with great joy, he puts us on his shoulders and brings us home. Let’s reflect on what that means in our lives. Let’s pick up the pace, for the journey to heaven can be long and hard…but possible.  As I mentioned previously, the children of the parish will be receiving their first communion this weekend and the next. Along with them, let’s prepare our souls properly through confession. Let’s approach Christ with great reverence. Let’s not forget the priceless value of communion. If someone does not have the sacrament, or is in a condition that keeps you away from communion, come talk to us. Let nothing separate us from the love of God! He loves us so much, that is He is willing to do anything to save us, as long as we allow Him! So let’s open the doors of our hearts for him. Let’s listen to His voice, and follow His way. God Bless, Fr. Steven