From Father Steven - February 25, 2024

Father Steven Clemence • February 23, 2024


 

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

 

Have you ever felt the burden of past mistakes weighing heavy on your heart, leading to sadness and hopelessness? Confession, also known as the sacrament of reconciliation, offers a transformative path towards healing and renewal. While some may have doubts about approaching this sacrament, I assure you, as a priest, our focus is not on remembering your sins, but on offering God's forgiveness and guiding you back to the path of light. This week, I'd like to share insights on preparing for and experiencing the profound grace of confession.

 

The first step is to recognize that Christ entrusted to Peter the power to forgive sins (Whose sins you forgive, will be forgiven them – Jn 20:23). Thus, establishing the sacrament of reconciliation (and baptism) as the means through which sins are forgiven. While some may choose to confess directly to God, it is through this sacrament that God has chosen to grant forgiveness. This authority given to the apostles was passed down to their disciples (nowadays bishops). We, priests, have the power to forgive sins, because we share in the ministry of the bishops.

 

Now that we have established the need to be forgiven through the sacrament, we move on to the practicality. In preparation to receive the sacrament, we should ask the help of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit comforts us, dispels our fears, and gives hope as we decide to return to the embrace of our Heavenly Father, much like the prodigal son returning home. Just as sins separate us from God, the sacrament re-unites us to Him, hence the name of “reconciliation.” We begin with an examination of conscience. Prayerfully, we should reflect on our actions since our last confession. Various guides are available to assist with this process, which can be found on our website under the sacraments section. It should only be a help to remember certain things that we did and may have forgotten. Whether you reflect on the 10 commandments or the seven capital sins, what is important is that, to the best of our abilities, we remember our sins. You may write them down, just please be very careful with where you write them. While remorse for our sins is natural, we should also be grateful for the grace of recognizing them and the opportunity for God's forgiveness. With a resolve to abandon sin, we are then prepared to approach the sacrament.

 

 For those who haven't confessed in some time, I recommend scheduling an appointment to allow ample time for reflection. When confessing, begin by making the sign of the cross, and saying “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been ___ amount of time since my last confession, and these are my sins.” Next tell the priest your marital status and if you have children living with you (as the priest may not know you). Then you tell the priest your sins. When confessing sins, there's no need for explicit details; simply name the sin and indicate its frequency. Once you finish confessing with the best of your ability, you may say “for these sins and the ones I don’t remember, I am sorry.” The priest may offer words of encouragement and assign a penance, designed not as punishment but as a means of spiritual healing and growth. It is a medicinal exercise to undo the harm caused by sin or to strengthen you to not fall back again into the same sins. Finally, you will be asked to say the act of Contrition (O my God, I am sorry for my sins. I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin…there are many variations of it.), or the priest can ask you as well. Then, in the person of Christ, the priest will pronounce the words of Absolution to forgive your sins making the sign of the cross. He will dismiss you, allowing you to begin anew with the fire of the Holy Spirit rekindled in your heart full of joy and renewed hope, free from the weight of sins on your shoulders. Confessions are available here at the parish on Tuesdays 5-6pm Saturdays 1-3pm, or by scheduling an appointment at the office.

 

God Bless, 

Fr. Steven

 

From Father Steven - December 21, 2025

By Father Steven Clemence • December 19, 2025
HISTORY OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE Dear Brothers & Sisters, Trees have always had a great importance for primitive men: they signaled the presence of water, offered shadow, were used for tools, used for fire, gave fruits for nourishments... For this reason, trees became religious objects, they were worshipped not for what they are but for what they revealed: the divinity of a God. It is next to oak adored by pagans that the first Christmas tree is born in the 8th Century thanks to the missionary work of St. Boniface. Saint Boniface was a bishop and Apostle in Germany and in those lands he had converted many pagan tribes. His work was not easy and even if they converted, many times they faith was weak and they would fall back into old customs. During the Christmas night of 724, Boniface went to the Oak of Thunder of Geismar, which was adored by the pagans as an image of the God Thor. They would offer human sacrifices next to the oak to gain benevolence by the God. Boniface stopped this barbaric act and took an ax and started cutting down the oak tree. At that point, a strong wind started blowing and the tree fell and broke in 4 parts. Behind the oak there was a fir tree (Christmas tree). Therefore, Boniface began a simple catechesis for these men who lived their lives at the rhythm of nature and announced to them Jesus Christ: his birth, his death, and his resurrection out of love for man. He told them that among the trees that are dead because of the loss of leaves, the evergreen fir tree was the image of Christ, the living. This tree full of light was the symbol of him who is the light of the world and with his birth leads us to God who dwells in light. In the end, he invited them to put candle lights on that tree in honor of the birth of Christ and with the wood of the fallen oak tree he made them build a chapel in honor of St. Peter. Years later, this tradition crossed the border of Germany and reached the royal palaces of Austria, France, England, and even Russia. The Christmas Tree and the Nativity scene were very common in all of Europe until the protestant reformation. Lutherans forbid the use of sacred images and the nativity scene was suppressed. The Christmas tree became more and more widespread. That’s why for Catholics the tree was a protestant innovation. Only at the beginning of the 1800 Catholics began to use the Christmas tree again. In the Vatican, beginning in 1982, the Christmas tree has always been next to the Nativity scene. John Paul II on December 19 2004, during the Angelus, said: “Next to the crib, as in St Peter’s Square, we find the traditional Christmas tree. This too is an ancient tradition that exalts the value of life, for in the winter season the evergreen fir becomes a sign of undying life. Christmas gifts are usually placed on the tree or arranged at its base. The symbol thus also becomes eloquent in a typically Christian sense: it calls to mind the tree of life (cf. Gn 2: 9), a figure of Christ, God’s supreme gift to humanity. The message of the Christmas tree is consequently that life stays evergreen if we make a gift of it: not so much of material things, but of life itself: in friendship and sincere affection, in fraternal help and forgiveness, in time shared and reciprocal listening.” Address of his holiness benedict xvi to pilgrims from Walloon, Belgium who had come to bring as a gift to the holy father the Christmas tree which will decorate St. Peter’s square in the Christmas season - clementine hall Friday, 18 December 2009. “In the forest the trees are close to each other and each one contributes to making the forest a shady and sometimes dark place. And here, chosen from among a multitude, the majestic fir that you are offering me today is lit up and covered with sparkling decorations like as many marvelous fruits. Having abandoned its somber dress for a scintillating splendor, it is transfigured and becomes the messenger of a light that is not its own but bears witness to the true Light that comes into this world. This tree’s destiny is comparable to that of the shepherds: while they were watching in the shadows of the night, here they are illumined by the Angels message. This tree’s destiny is also comparable to our own, for we are called to bear good fruits to show that the world has truly been visited and redeemed by the Lord. Standing beside the crib, this fir, in its own way, demonstrates the great mystery that was present in the simple, poor place of Bethlehem. To the inhabitants of Rome, to all the pilgrims and to all who will visit St Peter’s Square through the television images broadcast across the world, it proclaims the coming of the Son of God. Through this tree, the ground of your land and the faith of the Christian Communities of your Region greet the Infant God, the One who came to make all things new and to call all creatures, from the humblest to the most exalted, to enter into the mystery of Redemption and to be associated with it.” God Bless, Fr. Steven

From Father Steven - December 14, 2025

By Father Steven Clemence • December 12, 2025
Dear Brothers & Sisters, It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas… I hope the nativity scene, the trees, the lights, the gifts, and the Christmas carols are helping you prepare for the big day! If not, hurry up with your preparations! This weekend we celebrate Gaudete Sunday , which translates to “ Rejoice Sunday .” This expression comes from the Introit (entrance antiphon) of the Mass: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near.” The priest wears rose (not pink!) as a sign of the sun that is just about to rise on the horizon, representing the imminent coming of Christ. Although we are living through one of the darkest times of the year, we know that the Light is coming. Sin and suffering have an end. We are almost there. The first reading speaks of how everything dead, feeble, or broken will be transformed—and will rejoice. St. Paul cautions us to be patient. The Lord is near, but not yet. We are very close, and if anyone is not ready, there is still time! A couple of weeks ago, we heard St. Paul’s exhortation: “It is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed; the night is advanced, the day is at hand. Let us then throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.” (Rom 13:11–12) However, not everyone rejoices at this time of year. I want to acknowledge all those who struggle during this season. For some, this will be the first Christmas without their father, mother, husband, wife, child, sibling, or another loved one. Whether they are far away, estranged, or have been called home to the Lord, not being able to celebrate such an important moment with them is very hard. Instead of laughter, there may be tears. Instead of a house full of people, there may be only a few—or no one at all. There are also people who must be away from their families this Christmas. I ask each of you reading this letter to say a prayer for them this weekend. In your Christmas gatherings, when you pray or say grace before the meal, remember them. If you know someone who has recently lost a loved one or is separated from their family, please be especially considerate. A small gesture can go a very long way. I also want to take this opportunity to publicly thank all the people who worked so hard these past days with the Novena, the Consecration to Mary, and the celebrations of the Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Guadalupe. They did a fabulous job organizing everything, decorating, and cleaning up. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! And thank you as well to all of you who participated in these events—it would not have been the same without you. Finally, next week we are preparing for our Immaculate Conception Christmas Concert! It will be an opportunity for the whole parish to come together and celebrate each other’s cultures. Children and adults from all three communities are preparing to share their Christmas joy with us. I invite you all to come. It will take place Sunday, December 21 at 3 PM . Feel free to bring others as well. We will have refreshments afterward.  …and don’t forget to keep Christ in Christmas!!! God Bless, Fr. Steven