From Father Steven - June 30, 2024

Father Steven Clemence • June 28, 2024

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

 

Every year we have the mission appeal weekend where a missionary visits us. This year we welcome Fr. Dennis Koltz, a PIME missionary. Next weekend, Fr. Koltz, will be here to speak to us at all the Masses for The Society for the Propagation of the Faith. The Society for the Propagation of the Faith is one of the four Pontifical Mission Societies represented here in the Archdiocese of Boston. Father Dennis will share stories of the missions and help us build a spiritual connection to others whose daily lives may be very different from ours. The Society of the Propagation of the Faith is the official mission agency of the Catholic Church dedicated to assisting and supporting laypeople, priests, and religious in their evangelizing missionary work. The Propagation is blessed to support the multitudes of "farmers" around the world -- men and women called by God to plant the seeds of our faith wherever He sends them. We call them missionaries; the crop they sow and tend is nothing less than the promise of eternal life. Please see the letter below.

God Bless,

Fr. Steven

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Every day, by word and action, missionaries bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to our brothers and sisters around the world. They depend on the prayers and support of every Catholic so that our sacramental Church can grow.
 
In China, a family brings their baby to be baptized; through gifts to The Society for the Propagation of the Faith, the Church is there -- hidden, but waiting -- to welcome this precious child. With water and oil, the seeds are sown. His family and Church will nourish a budding faith.
 
Children in the shanty towns of Peru process into their "capilla" -- parish chapel -- in white robes to receive Jesus in the Eucharist for the first time. The robes are not only a sign of their purity before God, but also an equalizer. Many come from families too poor to afford a traditional First Communion outfit. With help from The Society for the Propagation of the Faith, missionaries teach them about Jesus, truly present in the sacrament, loving them equally. Their faith begins to bloom.
 
Before Mass in a rural outstation in Zambia, a mission priest hears confessions in the corner. The graces poured out onto the fertile souls of parishioners will yield a crop of faith beyond measure in the months to come. The church was built by local labor and by you -- donors to The Society, who are partners in this venture of faith.
 
Youth in Sri Lanka hold lit candles, inviting the Holy Spirit into their hearts at Confirmation to help them grow in His gifts. They are a sign to others that the Catholic faith grows strong wherever there are missionaries.
 
Couples are joined in marriage in Uganda. Their faith, brought to them by missionaries, will help them raise their family. They will nourish each other in faith until they near the end of their work in God's landscape. Then, perhaps because of the generous faithfulness of donors like you, they will be visited by a priest who will anoint them for their final season. Here in Boston, the Lord’s vineyard was plowed and planted by French missionaries who depended on support from the earliest collections of The Society for the Propagation of the Faith. Between 1830-1845, our young diocese received $45,000 to help to build our churches, health care facilities, orphanages, and provide faith formation for children and adults. In today’s dollars, that amounts to close to two million dollars! In a report in 1840, Boston’s Bishop Fenwick wrote, "Comparing the diocese in 1840 with the diocese in 1825, the difference is very great, thanks to the succors (help) of The Society for the Propagation of the Faith ... A few more years of kind attention on the part of the good Society, and all will be well; the diocese will be able to take care of itself, and of its own institutions."
 
Next weekend, please join us in sowing the seeds of faith -- through the sacraments -- by making a gift to The Society for the Propagation of the Faith. Envelopes will be in the pews next weekend for the second collection. You can also take the envelope home to mail your gift in or visit www.propfaithboston.org to donate. Please be sure to identify our parish so that Immaculate Conception is credited for your gift.  Better still, commit to making a regular gift to the missions – become a Monthly Donor. $5, $10, $25 or more – whatever you budget allows – is like the Biblical loaves and fishes in the hands of missionaries. It is multiplied many times over for the benefit of countless people! May our hearts and minds be opened by the Holy Spirit to support and pray for all missionaries and the people they serve in the missions.

 

 

From Father Steven - August 16, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • August 14, 2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters, I hope you are enjoying your summer! Please see the letter below from Fr. Javier. God Bless, Fr. Steven ——————————————— Hello Brothers and Sisters, Time flies, it has already been a few months since my ordination but I feels like it was only yesterday. The ordination has been a gift and a joy. Thank you all for your support in my formation. I would like to share with you two things that have been close to my heart since my ordination to the deaconate and now the priesthood. The first is on God's Providence and the second is a particular part of the Eucharist. My diaconate ordination marked the end of my time of mission and my return for the final year in the seminary. As many of you might remember I was in mission in American Samoa, Samoa, and a short but impactful time in Saipan. During that time I experienced how God opened doors that I never even knew existed. In difficult times God always had a solution in ways that I didn't expect. In short, I experienced God's Providence and I was awe-struck. I felt that God was my Father who was providing what I needed. Looking ahead into my priesthood, I know that there will be challenging moments but I have these core memorials that serve to remind me that God provides the grace needed to carry out his will. Providence comes to you when you seek out God and his will, everything else falls into place. Now as a priest there is a particular part of the Eucharist that I really enjoy, the Holy sung during the Eucharistic Prayer. "Heaven and Earth are full of your glory". That line has stuck with me because it calls to mind all the wonders that I have seen God work in my life, the life of my family, and in the lives of others. Not only this, but the action of singing Holy, Holy, Holy during the Liturgy fulfills our heavenly calling to one day join the angels and saints in Heaven singing the perpetual praises of God. The Book of Revelations says that they never cease to sing Holy, Holy, Holy. In the Eucharist, and in this moment in particular Heaven and Earth come together. What a blessing to celebrate the Eucharist! I remember you in my prayers, please pray for me. In Christ, Fr Javier Alexis Padilla

From Father Steven - August 9, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • August 7, 2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Please see the information below from Deacon Joe Cooley about their Encounter School of Ministry 2026 Summer Intensive program to be held at Meehan Hall August 17—August 20th. Come immerse yourself in the Holy Spirit and whet your appetite for more of what the Lord wants to do through you, with you, and in you! God Bless, Fr. Steven —————————— Encounter School of Ministry 2026 Summer Intensive – Marlborough "Taste and see that the LORD is good." — Psalm 34:8 Are you looking for new zeal, inspiration, and energy to live out your vocation? Do you desire a deeper encounter with God’s healing power, a breakthrough in your spiritual life, or a clearer understanding of your life's purpose? Don't let the season pass without investing in your spiritual growth. The Encounter School of Ministry Boston Campus warmly invites you to join us for our final 4-evening Summer Intensive of the 2026 season, hosted right here at Immaculate Conception Parish. Whether you serve actively in parish ministry or simply want to live out the Great Commission with supernatural confidence in your daily family and professional life, this transformative experience is designed intentionally for you. Over four powerful nights, participants will receive a rich, accelerated distillation of our first four quarters of ministry training. You will unlock foundational blueprint tools rooted in our Catholic heritage to help you live out the Gospel with joy and walk in authority in Christ. Each evening features a dynamic mix of praise and worship, foundational teachings, and hands-on activations in a safe, humble environment marked by genuine kindness and charity. Nightly Curriculum Focus: Night 1: Kingdom Identity – Discover your true identity as a beloved son or daughter of God, shifting from a performance-based mentality to a heavenly perspective. Night 2: Prophetic Gifts – Learn the "language of the Holy Spirit," grow in hearing God’s voice, and cultivate gifts to build up, encourage, and console others. Night 3: Physical Healing – Learn a basic prayer model for healing ministry rooted in love and compassion for the sick. Night 4: Inner Healing & Freedom – Partner with the Holy Spirit to find emotional renewal, freedom from hidden wounds, and deep peace. Historical data from our local campus graduates demonstrates profound, multi-layered fruits: past attendees have experienced physical healings, freedom from anxiety, strengthened marriages, and a major activation in parish life, including a deeper love for Eucharistic Adoration. Come with an expectant heart ready to close out your summer with incredible spiritual fire! Event Details: Where: Immaculate Conception Parish (Meehan Hall), Marlborough, MA When: Aug 17–20, 2026 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM nightly | Worship begins at 5:00 PM Registration / Info: Please scan the QR code on the Marlborough flyer available at the church exits, reference our digital announcements, visit online at encounterschool.org/boston , or register at the door. Contact: For questions or group details, connect with Satellite Campus Director Deacon Joe Cooley at boston@encounterschool.org . Claim your seat today and see the new horizons the Lord is opening for you!