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 - November 15, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • November 12, 2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters, As we approach Thanksgiving, it is more important than ever to be aware of the graces that God has given us and how much we give back. By this, I refer to everything: our lives, time, talents, and treasure. Before we speak about giving, let us reflect on receiving. What do we have that has not been given to us? When we are born, we literally have nothing of our own. Everything is given to us, namely, love, care, clothing, food, shelter, etc. Maybe we have not received what we wanted, or even what we should have received, but rather what was possible. Our parents may not have been the best parents, but they gave their best to us, according to their capacity. Analogously, we can also say that God did not always give us what we wanted, but rather what was necessary for us to discover Him. Even in times of lacking or precariousness, God was always there to help us. Throughout our lives, there have always been people next to us who gave their best. Some have even given us the clothes off their backs. Whether we were aware of it or even acknowledged it, there has been a lot of support that has helped us become who we are. This weekend's Gospel invites us to reflect on the parable of the talents. Not all received the same amount, but each received according to their capacity. God has called us to a special mission which, among the 8 billion people in the world, only we can fulfill. Therefore, it is important to discern, to "investigate" according to God's will, what that call is. Certainly, it is based on the love of God and neighbor, as we recently heard at Mass. The harder question is: How can I love? To love God means, first and foremost, to be grateful for what He has given us, for the many opportunities, forgiveness, and graces that He has bestowed upon us. Therefore, as we pray at every Mass, "it is truly right and just, our duty and salvation, always and everywhere to give thanks" to God. The Mass itself is the greatest act of thanksgiving that we can offer to God. Then, once our hearts are full of grace, we can go out and share those graces with others. Not all of us have received the same amount or the same kind of graces. Each of us has our own special gifts, even if they have not yet been discovered. Therefore, we need to pray and reflect, both individually and collectively, on what God is calling us to do. We may say that we are already doing something, but are we called to do more or even to change what we are doing? Soon, we will have different opportunities to serve and to give. Technically, we already have opportunities to give to different needs. At each exit of the church, we have the poor box, which helps St. Vincent de Paul assist those in need. Recently, we held a drive to benefit Birthright. There is also First Concern Pregnancy Help, which needs our support to continue its service. I would also like to announce that the Redemptoris Mater Seminary, which formed the three of us priests and where our seminarians are currently in formation, is in serious need of financial assistance. The seminary lives entirely on donations from people. It is also building a larger chapel, which is in dire need of financial support. Moreover, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving is known as Giving Tuesday, an initiative that encourages people to help others financially. Some companies even match your donations. Therefore, we should take advantage of these opportunities to do good and share the blessings that God has given us. Lastly, I would like to point out that at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 24th, we will have a special Thanksgiving prayer service. Our music director, Gabriella, is helping prepare a special moment to praise God through music and prayers. Finally, on Black Friday, we have made a change here in the parish: it will be Adoration Friday. Instead of making it a day to go out looking for special savings, we are called to look for the One who saves us, which is the best bargain that exists. Please join us! God Bless, Fr. Steven

From Father Steven- November 8, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • November 6, 2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Last week we were reminded that our call is towards Holiness. This week, in case it was not clear enough, the liturgy will point out that our lives were made for the Kingdom of Heaven. However, God needs our internal disposition, our desire, acceptance, and readiness to enter this Kingdom. We live in a world full of distractions, which each day they are more appealing. Whether TV shows, youtube videos, social media, our lives are more and more are behind a screen. There are numerous psychologists alerting to the danger that simple tasks are no longer enough to make a person happy because of the overdose of dopamine. The human body is not used to the amount of stimulation as given by the electronics (screen). Then, simple tasks, such as praying, can become boring, unpleasing, lacking the necessary stimulus. How then are we going to be ready for the Kingdom of God if we spend a good amount scrolling through the phone or channels? Human interaction in New England is already limited. After Covid, it became almost nonexistent. Nowadays, we limit our conversations to emojis, or if you come out of the house and see another human being, a simple nod or a half smile. Gone are the days that people talk to each other. Then, let’s begin a new culture, as Pope St. John Paul II would often exhort the youth. Pope Francis in a World Youth Day called those in attendance to dictate their own lives, instead of following what the world tells them to do. As St. Teresa of Calcutta says, we cannot do great things, but small things with great love.” Another element present, which we don't often speak about, is the adversary whose mission is to condemn us. Since the day he opposed God and his loving plan of redemption of man, he seeks to destroy the image of God, which is us. He speaks to us through thoughts (temptations). He can throw darts of false desires into our hearts. It is important to understand that these inclinations are not ours. They come as suggestions as if whispered in our intellects which we can agree or reject them. Taking the passage of the Gospel, maybe the Virgins were alerted to go out to get more oil to wait for the groom, but then the temptation of laziness, pride, or presumptuousness came and suggested them not to come. It is important to learn the strategies of our enemy in order to be alert and counterattack them. This is another way for us to fight for the Kingdom of God. In Theology we say that the spiritual beings (angels and demons) are much more intelligent than us. It can be compared to the difference between an adult and a toddler. Then the enemy can easily deceive and distract us of what is important as children do. That is why we invited Fr. Carlos Martins next Monday (11/16) to explain to us better what the spiritual world is and how to fight. We do not need to fear these things. They can do nothing without our consent. Like a barking dog on a leash cannot bite us, so the spirits cannot hurt us unless we get close to the dog. Finally, I would like to say a word about our fellow brothers and sisters who have dedicated years of their lives and sacrificed much serving in the military. Our dear Veterans, whose day we observe on Wednesday, are an example of selfless action that we should imitate. Jesus says that there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friend (Jn 15:13). These countless men and women have sacrificed their lives. They set a great example to be followed. This is still part of what we need to do to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, I invite you to say a Rosary on Wednesday praying for the Veterans in thanksgiving for their service, especially those who are struggling because of their time in the military. God Bless, Fr. Steven