From Father Steven - December 1, 2024

Father Steven Clemence • November 29, 2024

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

 
















Please see the letter below from Fr. Gabriel about Advent and our upcoming festivities.






















God Bless,










Fr. Steven








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Dear Brothers and Sisters, 

 

While it has been nearly six months since my ordination, it still feels like it took place just yesterday. How quickly the time has flown by! Please take a moment with me to ready ourselves for the approaching festivities.

 

In order to better prepare for the coming season of Advent, we have to recover its original meaning by taking a closer look at just what it is we are celebrating.

 

Too often the arrival of Advent comes only as a reminder to put up decorations and shop for gifts. More than preparing for the arrival of the holidays, Advent is really a preparation for the arrival of a person, Jesus Christ. As a matter of fact, the word advent is derived from the Latin meaning “to come” or “approach.” The book of Revelation sums up the spirit of Advent best when our Lord says, “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega…’ who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” 

 

Throughout the first part of Advent, lasting from the first Sunday of Advent (Dec. 1st this year) up until December 16th, the Church has us prepare for Jesus as the one “who is to come.” All of the readings point to Jesus’ second coming that will happen suddenly and may catch us by surprise if we are not prepared; one of the oldest prayers of the Church is “Come, Lord Jesus,” because we are called to expect his return with the loving eagerness of a bride who awaits the bridegroom that seeks to be with his beloved. 

 

The second part of Advent starts on December 17th, counting nine days until the celebration of Christmas, with special prayers to ready our hearts to celebrate that Jesus is also the one “who was;” rejoicing because the Lord has been made flesh, he has come to dwell among us and to save us. This celebration does not end on Christmas day, but continues for twelve more days, expressing just how overjoyed we are at the sight of God’s love for us, shown by His coming into the world.

 

And the Church always sees Jesus as the one “who is,” because everyday he comes to us when we listen to the Word of God, when we meet with our neighbor, but most especially, in his abiding presence in the Eucharist. 

 

Along with the coming of Advent, I would also like to take the time to cordially invite you to the Feast of our parish and our Patroness, The Immaculate Conception. This year Father Steven has kindly asked me to prepare the three talks for our Triduum leading up to the Feast. Since we belong to the same Church, our community shares one mind and one heart, that is why in the Gospels Mary shares with us her memories of Jesus so that we may be evermore united to her and to him. And so for this year's theme, I will be preaching on Mary’s Memories, drawing on three instances from her memory given to us in the Gospels. Each night we will have the opportunity to reflect and meditate together, so as to experience the nearness of our mother.

 

The Triduum will begin on THURSDAY DECEMBER 5TH, AND WILL CONTINUE ON THE 6th AND 7th. WE WILL GATHER IN THE UPPER CHURCH EACH NIGHT AT 6:00PM. Leading up to our big Trilingual special mass on Sunday at 6:00pm which will be the eve of the Holy Day. This mass does not count towards our Sunday obligation so we will go twice this weekend to mass. Since the Feast of the Immaculate Conception is so important, even though it will be on Monday, it is still a day of Obligation. Besides Sunday, we will have our normal day of obligation schedule on Monday at 7:30am, 12:10pm, 6:00pm in English, 7:30pm Portuguese and 7:30pm Spanish in the lower church.  Feel free to invite friends and family to our celebrations, as all are welcome.

 

Thank you for all of your support, I am happy to be your priest.


 

God Bless,











Fr. Gabriel






















 


From Father Steven - December 14, 2025

By Father Steven Clemence • December 12, 2025
Dear Brothers & Sisters, It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas… I hope the nativity scene, the trees, the lights, the gifts, and the Christmas carols are helping you prepare for the big day! If not, hurry up with your preparations! This weekend we celebrate Gaudete Sunday , which translates to “ Rejoice Sunday .” This expression comes from the Introit (entrance antiphon) of the Mass: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near.” The priest wears rose (not pink!) as a sign of the sun that is just about to rise on the horizon, representing the imminent coming of Christ. Although we are living through one of the darkest times of the year, we know that the Light is coming. Sin and suffering have an end. We are almost there. The first reading speaks of how everything dead, feeble, or broken will be transformed—and will rejoice. St. Paul cautions us to be patient. The Lord is near, but not yet. We are very close, and if anyone is not ready, there is still time! A couple of weeks ago, we heard St. Paul’s exhortation: “It is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed; the night is advanced, the day is at hand. Let us then throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.” (Rom 13:11–12) However, not everyone rejoices at this time of year. I want to acknowledge all those who struggle during this season. For some, this will be the first Christmas without their father, mother, husband, wife, child, sibling, or another loved one. Whether they are far away, estranged, or have been called home to the Lord, not being able to celebrate such an important moment with them is very hard. Instead of laughter, there may be tears. Instead of a house full of people, there may be only a few—or no one at all. There are also people who must be away from their families this Christmas. I ask each of you reading this letter to say a prayer for them this weekend. In your Christmas gatherings, when you pray or say grace before the meal, remember them. If you know someone who has recently lost a loved one or is separated from their family, please be especially considerate. A small gesture can go a very long way. I also want to take this opportunity to publicly thank all the people who worked so hard these past days with the Novena, the Consecration to Mary, and the celebrations of the Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Guadalupe. They did a fabulous job organizing everything, decorating, and cleaning up. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! And thank you as well to all of you who participated in these events—it would not have been the same without you. Finally, next week we are preparing for our Immaculate Conception Christmas Concert! It will be an opportunity for the whole parish to come together and celebrate each other’s cultures. Children and adults from all three communities are preparing to share their Christmas joy with us. I invite you all to come. It will take place Sunday, December 21 at 3 PM . Feel free to bring others as well. We will have refreshments afterward.  …and don’t forget to keep Christ in Christmas!!! God Bless, Fr. Steven

From Father Steven - December 7, 2025

By Father Steven Clemence • December 5, 2025
Dear Brothers & Sisters, The month of December is always filled with excitement as we prepare for Christmas. Even though the season can get a little busy—and yes, sometimes stressful—God offers us a beautiful time overflowing with grace. You’ve seen the saying, “Jesus is the reason for the season.” With all the wonderful events ahead, we will certainly keep Him at the center! As in the Christmas story, everything begins with Mary. This Monday, December 8 , we joyfully celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception , the patronal feast of our parish and of the United States. Because of its great importance for our faith, it is a Holy Day of Obligation , meaning we gather for Mass just as we do on Sundays. We will have our daily mass at 7:30am, then 12:10pm, and then the Trilingual Mass at 7:00pm followed by parish fellowship in Meehan Hall. At the evening Mass, those who have completed their 33-day preparation will make their Consecration to Mary —a beautiful milestone in their spiritual lives and a special moment for our parish family. (Reminder for all those doing the consecration to Mary: we will have an important meeting on Sunday, December 7, at 6:00 PM, regardless of whether you came on Wednesdays or completed the preparation on your own.) On Friday, December 12 at 7:00 PM We are very blessed and excited to welcome Archbishop Richard Henning , our shepherd and leader! He wants to come to the parish to meet YOU ! He is coming to celebrate the mass on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe , patroness of the Americas. During his first year in Boston, he has been visiting parishes and getting to know the people. Now that he is coming to us, we encourage you to be there to welcome him. We are preparing a wonderful evening for this special visit. Nearly 500 years ago, the Virgin Mary appeared to St. Juan Diego, bringing hope and unity to countless hearts. To prepare for this feast, the Archbishop has invited all parishes of the Archdiocese to pray a novena. Although we have already begun, you can join us every evening at 7:00 PM in the church. Come and join us! After this grace-filled week, we gather again on Sunday, December 21, at 3 PM for our Immaculate Conception Parish Christmas Concert ! Our children’s choir from each of our three communities has been joyfully preparing their songs, along with our parish choirs. We even have a special surprise in store! After spending Advent contemplating Mary’s faith, we now contemplate her beautiful “yes” —and through music, we quiet our hearts and adore the newborn King, even amid the rush of last-minute preparations. Finally, in this season of lights, lists, and long lines, let us not lose sight of the One we celebrate. Take a moment to slow down… recognize the wonderful things God is doing for us and through us. That is the greatest gift of all. Love is one of the few things that lasts forever. Let us give it generously—and receive it joyfully. May God fill your hearts with peace as we enter this blessed season together! God Bless, Fr. Steven