From Father Steven - December 15, 2024

Father Steven Clemence • December 13, 2024

 

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

 

The third Sunday of Advent is known as Gaudette Sunday. It means “Rejoice.” It comes from the mass antiphon which quotes where St. Paul exhorts to the Phillipians, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice.” However this season is not necessarily joy for some of us for different reasons. 

Every holiday we miss our departed loved ones in a special way. We remember that person used to host Christmas dinner, bring their special recipe or say those famous jokes and no longer is with us. It is ok to miss our loved ones. It means that we still love them, and St. Paul says that love never ends. Maybe someone is struggling during this time with illnesses, family issues, or personal difficulties. It is extra hard to feel sad while everyone is jolly happy. It is also a stressful season with all the preparations, last minute shopping, anxiety about Christmas dinner and relatives, and traveling. Then, how can we rejoice? 


This Sunday the Lord comes to fill our hopes. The difficulties in life that weigh us down often brings a sense of failure. As if we were not good enough or were not able to fulfill our obligations. In a world that we are taught to succeed, failure can be devastating. That is why St. Paul invites to REJOICE IN THE LORD. Only in God there is hope for everything!!! The world only brings us anxiety and stress, while Christ, King of Peace, brings us comfort. In the first reading we hear how the people of Israel, while in exile, saw a glimmer of hope. The hope of the coming of the Messiah. In the song, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” which I invite you all to carefully look at the lyrics, calls for the people to rejoice, because the Lord is coming. Today I say the same to you! If you are struggling for whatever reason, Rejoice, because the Lord is coming to save you! He is coming to rescue us from our failures, sins, frustrations, sadness, and everything else that makes us lose hope or despair. 


The color ROSE, not pink, wore this weekend, signifies that the sun is almost out. It is the sign the Messiah is almost here we say. However, if we carefully look at the rise of the sun, it is already here. We just cannot see it yet. The same is with the Lord. It is not a matter that the Lord will come. THE LORD IS HERE! We just can’t see him in his fullness just yet. The announcement of the coming of the Messiah at the end of times speaks of his triumphant return. However, He is with us. Then we can rejoice, because the help that we had for so long is here. We are no longer alone in our struggles. This is the reason for us to rejoice. THERE IS A WAY OUT OF ALL THAT TROUBLES US. The Lord announces that our captivity in this sadness is conquered. It is only a matter of time. Even the pain of the separation of our loved ones that cannot be with us for Christmas for whatever reason, the Lord announces that soon will be over. We shall be reunited with our loved one soon, whether in this world or in eternal life. Do not look at your pain right now, but rather look up to the Lord. The pain passes, but not the Lord. 



I invite you this week to say a special prayer for our brothers and sisters who are struggling these days. May the Blessed Mother console them and strengthen them on their journey. 

 

God Bless,

Fr. Steven


From Father Steven - March 29, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • March 27, 2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Here we are in the most holy week of the year! I hope you had a fruitful Lent, preparing your souls for this moment. I would like to share a brief reflection with you for each day of this upcoming week.  You might have noticed last week that all the sacred images and statues were covered. The Church recommends covering them after the Fifth Sunday of Lent to help us focus more deeply on Christ and to heighten our longing for Easter Sunday. When we walk into the church and notice that things are different, we sense that something significant is about to happen. These final days of Lent are meant to be a time of preparation for the Sacred Triduum, and these veils serve as a powerful reminder to get ready. We begin Holy Week with the celebration of Palm Sunday. The technical name for this Sunday is “Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion.” As you may recall, we proclaim two Gospels: one recounting the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem at the beginning of Mass, and another, at the usual time, recounting the Passion according to one of the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, or Luke). These two passages are important, as they direct us toward Easter. They help us meditate on the events of Holy Thursday and Good Friday with hearts that long for the Resurrection of Christ. On Thursday, as we begin the Triduum, we celebrate the Lord’s Last Supper. Although it is often associated with the washing of the feet, there are two other essential elements to remember. The washing of the feet symbolizes fraternal love, as Christ loves and serves His disciples as His friends. At the Last Supper, we also celebrate the institution of the priesthood and the institution of the Eucharist. Not long ago, during the pandemic, we deeply missed receiving Communion. In this moment, we are reminded that Jesus gives us His Body and Blood as a gift to sustain us. During that time, we had to suspend the distribution of the Precious Blood, but now we are able to restore it. What better day to do so than the very day on which Jesus Himself instituted it? I encourage you to receive the Blood of Christ, not only because it is His desire, but also because the Church, especially since the Second Vatican Council, has affirmed that the faithful should have this opportunity. At the end of the celebration, we will process to the hall, where we are invited to keep vigil with Christ until midnight. On Good Friday, when Mass is not celebrated, we gather for the “Celebration of the Lord’s Passion.” In this service, we listen once again to the Passion, and we venerate the Cross of Jesus, as well as reflect on our own crosses. Jesus calls us to take up our cross and follow Him, though this is not always easy. On this day, we are invited to come forward to adore and kiss the Cross, trusting that Christ helps us carry our burdens. Finally, on Saturday evening (8:00PM) and Sunday morning (7:30AM and 11:00AM—there will be no 5:00PM Mass), we will gather to proclaim the Resurrection of Christ. As we accompany Him to the tomb and mourn His death, we will also come together to proclaim to the world that God is not dead—He is alive and desires to share His divine life with us. Last week, we heard St. Paul exhort us to live by the Spirit and not by the flesh. This is only possible if a new life is formed within us. That new life comes through the power of God, made present in the death and Resurrection of Christ. Just as God led His people from Egypt to the Promised Land, so too He desires to lead us into new life. Therefore, it is essential to approach these days with intentionality, striving to rise with Christ into a new life. God Bless, Fr. Steven

From Father Steven - March 22, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • March 20, 2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters, As you may be aware, we are starting our next Bereavement Ministry on March 31st. This is the third session we are offering to those who have suffered the loss of a loved one. The loss can be a recent one or one from years ago. We will be following the Catholic program called Seasons of Hope. I encourage you to participate to find support and comfort within our faith-filled community. God Bless, Fr. Steven ——————————————————————— Bereavement Ministry: Seasons of Hope to Begin As we mourn together, our parish bereavement team of Nancy Papp, Mark Vital, and Nancy Wells would like to personally invite anyone who is grieving the loss of a loved one to attend Immaculate Conception’s next bereavement session which will begin on Tuesday evening, March 31st at 6:30 pm in the Lower Church and continue for six consecutive Tuesday evenings ending on Tuesday, May 5th. There are no stages to grief. We all experience grief in our own unique way, and healing is an intentional process, where we gather as a community of faith to become disciples of hope. It is through prayerful reflection, practical learning, and personal fellowship that we mourn. We will be following the Catholic program called Seasons of Hope . It is a 6-week program based on Scripture that focuses our faith on the spiritual side of grieving. Our mission is to support and accompany those going through the grieving process through Scripture, prayer, reflection, and simple activities. The program centers on Jesus Christ and is founded in the wisdom, traditions, and practices of the Church. It provides an opportunity for those who are grieving to be together, share their experiences, listen to God, and to each other, and be heard and comforted. St. John of the Cross, a Carmelite and Doctor of the Church, said: “In sorrow and suffering, go straight to God with confidence, and you will be strengthened, enlightened and instructed.” Fr. Mike Schmitz (many of you know him from his Bible in a Year podcast) was asked in an interview once about suffering. He responded: “God doesn’t always take the pain away. God doesn’t take the grief away. God doesn’t undo your loved one’s death. But with hope, our faith in God can console us.” Once again, we warmly invite those mourning to “come and be comforted.” Please call Lee Ann at the parish office to register. This program has helped hundreds of people mourn the loss of a loved one. We are delighted to bring this ministry to you again and hope and pray you will consider attending. Thank you and please keep us and those we serve in your prayers. The Bereavement Team: Nancy Papp, Nancy Wells, Mark Vital