From Father Steven - December 8, 2024

Father Steven Clemence • December 6, 2024

 

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

 

This week we celebrate the Feast of our Patroness, the Immaculate Conception, and the patroness of the Americas, Our Lady of Guadalupe. We often have heard those titles of Mary, but without much familiarity with them. 

 

The Dogma (an irrevocable truth contained in Divine Revelation as the Catechism defines it) of the Immaculate Conception, is sometimes confused with Jesus being born without sin. It actually refers to the Blessed Virgin Mother who was conceived (Conception) without sin/original Sin (Immaculate). It is fitting, says St. Thomas Aquinas, that the mother of Jesus was completely perfect, in order to receive Jesus in her womb. Like her, we ourselves are also called to be perfect in order to receive Jesus in our souls. It is only through the immense love that God has for each of us that we can be transformed, like Mary, in this holy tabernacle to carry Jesus within us. This radical transformation can be intimidating, as we need much help to be Holy as God is Holy, to be courageous to follow the Word of God, to receive the Lord within us, just like Mary. This past Monday, we heard the Gospel from the Roman Centurion that asks Jesus to heal his paralyzed servant (Mt. 8:5-11). As Jesus wants to come at his request, the Centurion replies that he is not worthy that Jesus should enter under his roof.  That is what we say at every mass right before communion. But the beauty is that Jesus DOES WANT TO DWELL IN US, in our hearts, mind, and lives, even though we are not yet perfect! As God bestowed many graces to the Blessed Mother (full of Grace), He also wants to bless us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens and on earth (Ephesians 1:3). At the example of the blessed Mother let us not be afraid to become the handmaid of the Lord, and accept all the blessings from God.

 

Additionally, the Blessed Mother herself also intercedes for us, caring for us, like a mother. When Juan Diego was in a rush to ask a priest to visit his dying uncle, he avoided the place where Our Lady of Guadalupe first appeared to him, in order to complete his task. Nonetheless, she appeared to him for a second time. After listening to his concern for his uncle, she said, “Listen my little child, let nothing frighten you or disturb you. Am I not here, I, who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not the source of your joy? … Let nothing else worry you, disturb you.” Dear brothers and sisters, let us entrust all our preoccupations, concerns, and worries to her. 

 

The time of Advent is a time of spiritual preparation for the coming of Christ, not so much about getting the gifts and the house ready for Christmas. There is a prayer of St. Teresa of Avila that often comes to my mind which says, “Let nothing disturb you, Let nothing frighten you, ALL THINGS ARE PASSING AWAY: God never changes. Patience obtains all things, Whoever has God lacks nothing; GOD ALONE SUFFICES.” We are invited to rejoice also because God has not given up on us. While all things will pass away, we know that He is eternal, and He alone is all that we need. We shall celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Conception together as a parish this Sunday at 6:00pm in our annual trilingual mass (please note that it does not count as a Sunday obligation). This year it is a holy day of obligation, so if someone cannot make it to our celebration on Sunday, we will have the regular holiday masses on Monday (7:30am, 12:10pm, 6:00pm, and 7:30pm in Portuguese and Spanish). Then on Thursday, December 12, we shall have the mass to Our Lady of Guadalupe at 7:00pm.

 

Let us focus on this time of Advent, with the help of our Blessed Mother, to prepare our hearts to let Jesus into our lives, just like Christmas.

 












God Bless,









,

Fr. Steven

 

 

From Father Steven - September 14, 2025

By Father Steven Clemence • September 12, 2025
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Saint Augustine defines sacraments as visible signs of an invisible reality. We have all heard about the sacraments and we know them, but we do not always fully understand what they mean. This week, I would like to reflect with you a bit more on the sacraments. God has chosen specific ways to share His divine nature with us. There are concrete actions which, when carried out with the right intention and proper form, bring about special graces for the recipient. The Catechism of the Catholic Church summarizes the definition of a sacrament as “efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each sacrament. They bear fruit in those who receive them with the required dispositions” (1131). That is a lot to take in, but each term is important. Let us begin with “efficacious.” It means that each sacrament has an effect on the recipient. We may not feel the effects immediately, but they are always there. Perhaps you have heard someone say they walked out of Mass the same way they came in. That is impossible! Even if we do not see or feel them, special graces are at work in our souls. Each sacrament imparts different graces. The seven sacraments were instituted by Jesus and entrusted to the care of the Church. No one has the power to change or modify them, not even the Pope; they are Christ’s gift to us. The sacraments are regulated by the Church in terms of who may minister them, how, and where they are celebrated. Their effectiveness does not depend on the personal holiness of the minister, but on the action itself and the openness of the recipient. As the Church teaches: the grace of the sacrament works by the action performed, not by the performer. This means our openness to sacramental grace is essential for the sacrament to bear fruit. If we close ourselves off, God respects our freedom. That is our greatest danger—that we can reject God’s grace. For example, when a couple chooses not to marry in the Church, they ultimately refuse the graces God desires to give them. Similarly, when someone sins and refuses to go to confession, God cannot forgive them, because they have chosen to remain apart from the sacrament of reconciliation. I do not intend to enter deeply into sacramental theology here, but I want to share these key ideas with you. This is also the time when our parish begins sacramental preparation. Whether a person is a child, a youth, or an adult, everyone can receive the sacraments with the proper preparation and instruction. Recently, our Archdiocese made a change regarding the Sacrament of Confirmation for teenagers: it is now offered in 7th grade. For younger children, we provide a two-year program for sacramental preparation. Our goal is not simply to “sacramentalize,” but to truly catechize—to form them in faith. The sacraments are the way to salvation. They make present here on earth the invisible reality of heaven that God longs to share with us. Therefore, if you or someone you know has not yet received one or more of the sacraments—Baptism, Eucharist (Communion), Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Orders, Reconciliation (Confession), or, for those in danger of death, Anointing of the Sick—this is the time to consider it. If someone is not Catholic but wishes to receive the sacraments—that is, to become Catholic—we also form a group each year for the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (formerly known as RCIA). Please see the religious education section of the bulletin for more information. Catechetical instruction is a volunteer based initiative. We are always in need of volunteers to help us. If you feel called to help in this important ministry, please call the office and let us know. Finally, we are resuming our Jubilee Talks after the summer break. They are offered every Wednesday at 7:00 p.m., following Adoration. Let us take advantage of the opportunities God places before us, and let us not refuse the graces that prepare us for heaven. God Bless, Fr. Steven

From Father Steven - September 7, 2025

By Father Steven Clemence • September 5, 2025
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Next Monday, 9/15, the Church will celebrate the memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows. In this jubilee year, we are called to console the sorrowing. The intention of our 7:30 a.m. daily Mass that day will be for all who are in need of consolation. Loss is never easy. If a dollar slips from our pocket, we feel upset—more so if it is $20 or $100. When what we lose carries emotional value, the pain is even deeper, because it cannot be replaced. Those are only objects, yet they can cause sadness. How much more difficult it is to lose a loved one. Even when illness makes death seem inevitable, it remains painful. Sudden loss is harder still. Moments of grief can weigh heavily, like a storm cloud blocking the sun. Mary, the Mother of Jesus, shared a profound bond between her Immaculate Heart and the Sacred Heart of her Son. She shared His joys, but also His deepest sorrows as she witnessed His suffering. I once read an exhortation on the EWTN website that said: “If you are enduring intense sorrow, flee to our Blessed Mother. Take refuge in her Immaculate Heart, and implore her maternal consolation and guidance. For she who endured unspeakable grief will never fail you as your spiritual mother. As St. Louis de Montfort said: If you put all the love of all the mothers into one heart, it would not equal the love of Mary’s Heart for her children.” Here in our parish, we will begin a bereavement ministry on October 14. Meetings will take place Tuesday evenings (time to be announced) in the lower church. Using a Scripture-based program, we will encounter the healing power of God’s Word. We invite you—or someone you know who is grieving—to come and be consoled by the Lord. Humanity has reached the moon, explored the depths of the sea, and advanced technology beyond imagination. Yet we still have no human answer to death. Only Christ holds that answer. We must listen to Him, encounter the Risen Lord, and discover that death is not the end. I also recommend My Son Carlo by Antonia Salzano Acutis, the mother of Saint Carlo Acutis. She testifies to the power of Christ and how He sustained her through the sudden loss of her son. I have only read the first chapter, and it is already inspiring. Whatever pain of loss you carry, God desires to console your heart and strengthen you to endure the storm. We never fully “get over” a loss, but we learn to live with it. Yes, it is hard, but not impossible. Please join us for the special Mass on Monday, 9/15, for all who need consolation. And remember, you are welcome to speak with one of the priests if you would like to share more about your loss. God Bless, Fr. Steven