From Father Steven - February 23, 2025

Father Steven Clemence • February 21, 2025

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

 

This week’s readings urge us to love our neighbors. It is certainly not easy, but not impossible either. Let us reflect on what God is asking us and how we can do it.

 

The greatest and most important tenet of our faith, and the first commandment is to love God and Him alone. The other day someone came to my office asking how we can love God. There are many ways to love God, talking to Him, listening to what He has to tell us, and putting into practice what He revealed to us. Another way we have to love God is to love everything that he created and to love Him in other people. Sometimes we don’t see God in other people. We forget that every single person was created in His image and likeness. Therefore, God can be seen in each person. Surely if we look at a person’s actions, we might not see God. However, He is present in that person in one way or another. Then, it flows from there what Christ will tell us what the other commandment is, “love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mt22:39)

 

One important observation is that these are not merely laws or suggestions which we can follow or break. The Jews see the 10 commandments as the “words of Life.” That is, these are the words that give us (eternal) life. Sometimes we understand only the legality of the law. We don’t understand the spirit through which it was passed onto us. A father does not have to create a law for his children saying that it is wrong to stick the finger into a power outlet. He teaches his children that it will hurt them if they do that. God in his pedagogy with the people of Israel and by extension with ourselves, he also teaches us what to do and what to avoid. These teachings that are meant to help lead us to heaven are handed down to us through the optic of the legal/judiciary mentality of the Roman Law. It is no longer a matter of doing the will of God or following the path to holiness, but rather to follow the dictate of the law.

 

Returning to the original topic of our reflection, we can now read that through a different way. The love of the other person, it is no longer a matter of personal preference, but rather, it is a path to salvation. It is interesting to observe that Christ will say to “love” one another. He never said that we have to like other people. Then he adds on, love “as I have loved you.” (Jn 13:34). Here we qualify what kind of love we are to give, that is, the same that we have received. Then the moment that we understand that by loving each other is the path to salvation, why should we not do it? What could prevent us from loving the other? Of course, to love the people that love us is easy, and to love the ones that are good to us is also natural. However, what about loving the people that persecute, hurt, and despise us? Let us look at St. Stephen while he is being stoned, or St Paul as he writes to the persecuted Christian community of Rome “bless those who persecute you.” (12:14). There are so many other testimonies of countless Christians that showed love to their executioners. Then, again, why should we not follow their example? One may add that he does not have the graces or he is not a saint like them, which is a valid response. I insist on asking the same question, what prevents us from being like them? We were all created in the same image and likeness of God. We all received the same Holy Spirit. We all received the same blessings through the sacraments.

 

In this Jubilee year, God wants to give many special graces. These graces are all means to help us to go to heaven by putting into practice that which God has called us. That is why we will be doing many activities this year to help flourish the graces in us and reject sin and the disordered desire for worldly things. I would even dare to say that God allows difficult people in our lives as a way to help us, not the contrary. In the life of St. Therese of Lisieux, we learn how challenging her mother superior was and how providential she was to make her a saint. Then, starting in Lent, we invite you to come to adoration and take advantage of the sacrament of confession Monday, Wednesday, Friday in English, Tuesday in Spanish, Thursday in Portuguese (Monday to Friday 6-7pm). We are also preparing talks every week where everyone is welcome to attend.

 

God Bless,

Fr. Steven

 

From Father Steven - June 29, 2025

By Father Steven Clemence • June 27, 2025
Dear Brothers and Sisters, I was deeply edified to see all three of our communities come together to celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi! It was an amazing day—celebrating Mass as one family and processing shoulder to shoulder behind our Lord Jesus Christ, present in the Blessed Sacrament. The beautiful carpet prepared for the Lord’s arrival at our church was truly astonishing! Many of our parishioners came at 3:30 a.m. to begin working on it. Needless to say, the dyeing of the sawdust alone took days of effort by many dedicated people. Seeing everything come together left us speechless. If you missed it, mark your calendar now: next year’s celebration will be on June 7th, 2026 (rain or shine)! This week, we had another wonderful experience: an appreciation dinner for all our catechists. Over 70 people from all three communities joined us once again. When we say “it takes a village,” it truly does. During the dinner, we presented highlights from all the events that took place at IC over the past year. Our Faith Formation program served 402 students, and 39 adults received sacraments—bringing the total to an incredible 441 people! Speaking of sacraments, we celebrated 74 First Communions and 81 Confirmations this past month. Nearly 20 retreats were held over the course of the year. At our Lenten retreat for children alone, we had 242 attendees ! Our Jubilee Talks—currently on pause for the summer—had an average weekly attendance of 155 people across three nights: Tuesday in Spanish, Wednesday in English, and Thursday in Portuguese. We also had an average of 250 people coming to confession each week. Offering confessions daily has truly been a blessing for our parish. If you haven’t come yet, there is still time. We will continue offering daily confessions! This year, in honor of the Jubilee Year , and because we believe God wants to pour out many blessings on all people, we are excited to host a new event for the entire parish—and for the greater Marlboro community: CATHOLIC FEST ! This all-day event will feature delicious food, games for children, and a powerful talk by Sean Forrest , an incredible speaker and musician with an inspiring conversion story. The event will run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. , and everyone is welcome ! Believe it or not, many people in town still don’t know where the Catholic Church is—we have a real opportunity to open our doors and show God’s love to our neighbors. Food and entertainment will be ticketed, but we’re working hard to keep everything affordable. We’re currently seeking event sponsors—if you own a business or your family would like to help, please contact the parish office. Yes, we know it’s summer and you may already have plans. But consider adding Catholic Fest to your summer schedule. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to come together as a community and be inspired. Finally, as we wrap up the year, I want to thank all our countless volunteers who make everything happen. Some may not be “official volunteers,” but they contribute greatly—whether by maintaining the parish, supporting various ministries, or praying faithfully for our community. Nothing can be done without love and the help of God. Please continue to pray earnestly that our parish may fulfill its mission to be the light of the world . God Bless, Fr. Steven

From Father Steven - June 22, 2025

By Father Steven Clemence • June 20, 2025
Dear Brothers and Sisters, This week we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, commonly known as Corpus Christi. This feast is a longstanding tradition of the Church, which began in the 13th century in Italy following the Eucharistic Miracle of Orvieto. On this special occasion, I would like to reflect on the Real Presence of Christ in the consecrated host. Fr. Peter of Prague, a German priest, was on a pilgrimage to Rome. While celebrating Mass in a small chapel in Bolsena, he began to doubt whether Christ was truly present in the consecrated Bread. As he pronounced the words of consecration—“Take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my Body, which will be given up for you”—the host began to bleed. Unsure of what to do and aware that Pope Urban IV was nearby in Orvieto, Fr. Peter brought the matter to his attention. The Pope listened to the priest’s account, granted him absolution, and sent emissaries to investigate. Once the facts were confirmed, the Pope ordered the Bishop of the diocese to bring the consecrated Host and the linen cloth, now stained with blood, to Orvieto. In a solemn procession attended by archbishops, cardinals, and other Church dignitaries, the Pope received the relics and placed them in the cathedral. The linen corporal, still bearing the bloodstains, is reverently enshrined and exhibited in the Cathedral of Orvieto to this day. Interestingly, Pope Urban IV had been involved in the Eucharistic Revival in Liège, Belgium, twenty years earlier—where the first celebration of Corpus Christi was ever observed. One year after the miracle of Bolsena, the Pope commissioned St. Thomas Aquinas to compose special prayers and a Mass for the feast and instituted the Solemnity of Corpus Christi for the entire Church. Inside our church over the next few weeks, we are displaying information—in all three languages—about other Eucharistic miracles from around the world. These accounts can deepen our faith and help us to better appreciate the mystery of the Eucharist. “A Christian is not obliged to believe in Eucharistic miracles,” As Monsignor Raffaello Martinelli explains. “However, Eucharistic miracles can encourage us to understand, appreciate, and love the Eucharist… They can help a person discover the mystery, the beauty, and the richness of the Eucharist. We must never forget nor fail to mention that the Eucharist is the true, great, inexhaustible daily miracle. It is indeed true that the most important and astounding miracle is the one that takes place whenever the Eucharist is celebrated, during which Jesus Christ is present in the Eucharist in a unique and incomparable way. He is present in a true, real, and substantial way—with His Body and Blood, with His Soul and Divinity. In the Eucharist, therefore, Christ is present sacramentally, under the appearances of bread and wine, whole and entire: God and Man (Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 282). In making His Sacrifice on the Cross present and actual, He becomes our food and drink—uniting us with Himself and with one another, and becoming our viaticum on our earthly pilgrimage toward our eternal homeland.”  As we celebrate Mass this weekend, I invite you to reflect on the importance of what happens at Mass—and on the Mass itself. If what we believe is indeed true, then we are called to approach the Eucharist with deeper reverence and preparation. Let us consider arriving a bit earlier, taking time to meditate and prepare spiritually, dressing appropriately, and maintaining a posture of reverence during the liturgy. One essential way to prepare is through the Sacrament of Confession. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church §1385 teaches, anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must receive sacramental absolution in Confession before receiving Holy Communion, because receiving the Eucharist in a state of mortal sin is a sacrilege. May this celebration be a true Eucharistic Revival—for our parish and for each of us personally. God Bless, Fr. Steven
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