From Father Steven - December 29, 2024

Father Steven Clemence • December 26, 2024

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

 

Can you imagine being raised by St. Joseph and the Virgin Mary? What do you think it was like to be part of Jesus’ family? This weekend, as we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family, let us reflect on some of the struggles faced by Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Their lives were not without hardship.


There is a common misconception that there should be no problems in our families. From A to Z, we can think of a number of issues that we face at different moments in our lives. However, we often feel as though we are the only ones facing these challenges. When we look at the Holy Family of Nazareth, we can see that they, too, experienced difficulties.

 

First, imagine the discomfort of Mary as she traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem. In those days, they did not have cars, buses, or even carriages. It is believed that Mary rode a donkey for over 100 miles through rough terrain while on the verge of giving birth. Then imagine arriving at a place that you don’t know and had nowhere to stay? This is to say that they had it very difficult from day one. Then right after the birth of Christ they had to flee to Egypt to a place that they did not even speak the language. 

 

Second, although Jesus was obedient to Mary and Joseph, he did do things that they did not understand. Surely it is not the same to our children, but there are decisions that they take that make us suffer. Imagine the suffering of Mary having lost Jesus for 3 days! But in all that moment she never despaired or lost her bearings. We don’t always behave like that in similar situations. Then we don’t know many details, but we know that Joseph dies at some point. It is never easy to face the death of a loved one. We know for a fact that Jesus cried at the death of Lazarus. 

 

Finally, Mary also endured the suffering and death of her own son. At the foot of the Cross, she witnessed the agony and death of Jesus. As the prophet Simeon foretold, "a sword will pierce through your own soul also" (Luke 2:35). This was the sorrow of sorrows, yet Mary never lost her faith. The Holy Family of Nazareth faced many adversities, but they always trusted God in those moments. Their struggles helped them grow in faith and to lean not on their own strength, but on God's providence.

 

The perfect life can only be found in Heaven. Here on earth, we mourn and weep in the valley of tears as we pray in the Hail, Holy Queen. It is normal to face adversities in our families. Surely it is difficult, but not impossible. Whether it is illnesses, vices, faults, or problems with the children, love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. Then there is our hope. When at your wedding you promised each other to be faithful in good times and bad, in sickness and health, to love and honor our spouse all the days of your lives. Let us not forget our promises, because God will help us to fulfill them. Finally, remember that no matter how big our issues may seem, our God is bigger than all of them.

 

In addition to blessings, God has given us His own Mother to help us in our lives. As we approach New Year’s Eve, we not only give thanks to God for the countless blessings we received in 2024, but we are also called to honor the Virgin Mary under the title "Mother of God." This feast is so important that the Church has made January 1st a Holy Day of Obligation. We will have Masses on December 31st at 4:00 PM and in Portuguese at 8:00 PM. Then, on January 1st, we will have Masses at 7:30 AM & 11:00 AM, and in Spanish at 1:00 PM. Let us all start 2025 with God and honor our Blessed Mother.

 

God Bless you and Happy New Year!

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