From Father Steven - March 2, 2025

Father Steven Clemence • February 28, 2025


Dear Brothers and Sisters,

 

Church is not about “me”…it is about “us”…at least it should be. In a recent conversation this topic came up. We all know about it, however, we don’t do anything to change it. We walk into church, we smile to those around us, and we sit, we say our prayers, and leave. Maybe when we leave, we smile back at that person and that’s it. Look how many people have been sitting next to you for years and you still don’t know their names. You know who they are, but you don’t KNOW them. Isn't that true? If so, what can we do to change it? Maybe it is time to come out of our comfort zone. Maybe this would be a good Lenten practice. 


In 1979 Pope Saint John Paul II visited the US shortly after becoming pope. In one of his speeches, he said that in the modern world, especially in cities, there is a tendency to anonymity. There is no longer a community, but rather a collection of individuals. He opposed that view urging the Church to become a community where individuals are not just faceless members of society, but are known, loved, and valued by God. The only way to accomplish this is through getting to know each other. There are many new faces in the Church recently that I’m afraid are not welcomed by those sitting next to them. It is not only a matter of social ethics, but why wouldn’t we welcome someone new who comes to our house? I just hope they don’t dare to sit on your spot. But, again, why wouldn’t we give our place to someone who feels a bit lost and afraid of taking someone’s seat. Let us welcome them and help them to make IC their new home.


I would like to share a story with you of how this happened here at the parish. There was a man who always came by himself and sat at the same pew next to a couple who also came by themselves. One day this couple reached out to him and asked his name. Since then, they became “pew-mates,” and there a friendship was formed. This couple also reached out to the family sitting in front of them, and more friendships were formed. So much so, that they became almost a big family, participating in each other’s important moments. Recently, he passed away. He was not a stranger or anonymous. Them, along with a couple of other people were the only ones who showed up at his funeral. Isn’t that sad? Shouldn’t more people have participated in his life? This is one story, but I dare to assume that this is the case with most of us. 


Let this be our Lenten Mission here at IC. Let us get to know our pew-mates and beyond. Starting this week, WHEN YOU COME TO CHURCH, GREET AND INTRODUCE YOURSELVES TO THOSE AROUND YOU even if you have to slide a couple of feet to talk to the person at the end of the pew. Let us no longer be a collection of individuals who come to the same place to do the same thing. Instead, let us become a community of brothers & sisters and not strangers. You never know what kind of friendships would be formed. Maybe you get to know a person who one day will be the governor, a nun, the pope, or even a saint. And you can contribute to their journey fulfilling their mission.


Lastly, I would like to encourage you to take advantage of the upcoming Jubilee talks we will have this upcoming year. We will begin on Wednesday March 12th 7-8pm. Check the website for more updates! We will have a tab with the information about Jubilee activities. 

 

God Bless,

Fr. Steven

 

From Father Steven - October 11, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • October 9, 2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Please see the letter below from our new Deacon Rich Kearns. Our parish is blessed to have Deacon Rich assigned to us. Please keep him and his family in your prayers. God Bless, Fr. Steven --------------------- Dear Brothers and sisters, my name is Deacon Richard (Rich) Kearns and just four weeks ago, on September 12, I had the great blessing of being ordained a permanent deacon by Archbishop Richard Henning at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston. I am deeply grateful that my first assignment is here at Immaculate Conception Parish. My wife Valerie and I have been part of this parish community since St. Ann’s closed in 2004. Over the years, we have been blessed to serve in many ways, including bringing Holy Communion to the homebound, sick, and those in assisted living and rehabilitation facilities. I grew up on Long Island, New York, and later moved to Arizona, where I met Valerie while we were both engineering students at Arizona State University. We have been married for 31 years and have three adult daughters. I spent more than 30 years working in the high-tech industry, primarily with Intel and later The MathWorks, before retiring in 2025. My journey toward the diaconate has been a long one. I first felt called to the diaconate while we were living in Arizona, but at that time our children were young and we were preparing to move to Massachusetts. I came to understand that the timing was not right. Many years later, during COVID, Valerie and I began bringing the Eucharist to people who could not come to Mass. Visiting them, listening to their stories, praying with them, and bringing them Communion renewed that call. The last five years of formation have been a tremendous blessing, and a tremendous challenge. I am grateful to the Lord for guiding me through the academics and discernment. But I have come to realize that formation is not primarily about gaining academic knowledge. It is about the formation of the heart. Through this journey, God has changed me in ways I could not have accomplished on my own. As part of my pastoral formation, I also spent three months ministering at Old Colony Correctional Center. I was deeply moved by seeing some of the men take steps toward Christ and grow in their faith. Those who came to the chapel were each at a different point in their journey. Some were just beginning to seek God, while others were growing deeper in their faith. It reminded me that we are not so different from one another. We all come to Mass from different places in our own journey toward Christ. Since my ordination, I have felt a new responsibility to bring the needs, concerns, and prayers of this community to God, to intercede for you. Not because I am anything special, but because I now hold the people I serve differently in my heart. I have already had the joy of serving at several Masses and preaching, and over the coming weeks I will be rotating through our different daily and Sunday Masses so that I can meet more of you. One of the ministries closest to my heart is visiting those who cannot come to church and bringing them Christ in the Eucharist. Valerie shares that passion with me, and we look forward to continuing that ministry together. I am truly grateful to be here. Please pray for me as I begin this new chapter of service, and know that I will be praying for you. Your brother in Christ, Deacon Rich

From Father Steven - October 4, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • October 2, 2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters, As your pastor, I am charged with the responsibility of the care of souls of everyone who lives in the parish territory, even if they are not Catholics. The care is summarized in the three “functions” of every priest, that is, to teach, govern, and sanctify. Today I would like to exercise the first office, even if it is a bit controversial. Already in Biblical times, life has always been considered sacred by everyone. Moreover, the Greek philosophers also have defended the right to life, even to the point of including it in the oath that every doctor made in ancient times “to do no harm.” It is true that times have changed, and we live in a totally different world. However, the TRUTH has not changed. Whether religious or philosophical thoughts, they all have agreed that life is sacred no matter who, where, when and it should be defended at all times, no “ifs, ands, or buts". Pope Saint John Paul II has written, in 1995, a beautiful encyclical Evangelium Vitae (Gospel of Life). If you have never heard of it, I highly recommend you read what he wrote on the value and inviolability of human life. It is important to stress that we are not anti-abortionist, or anti-euthanasia, anti-deportation, but we are in favor of all lives, regardless of age, race, sex, condition of life, political party, etc. In this encyclical the Pope has declared that society has adopted a “culture of death.” He exhorts us to understand that we the issues affecting life “to make us all fully aware that we are facing an enormous and dramatic clash between good and evil, death and life, the "culture of death" and the "culture of life". We find ourselves not only "faced with" but necessarily "in the midst of" this conflict: we are all involved, and we all share in it, with the inescapable responsibility of choosing to be unconditionally pro-life.” (#28) This is not a matter that we can remove ourselves because we are uncomfortable, or it does not express our ideas. He continues “For us too Moses' invitation rings out loud and clear: ‘See, I have set before you this day life and good, death and evil. ... I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live’ (Dt 30:15, 19). This invitation is very appropriate for us who are called day by day to the duty of choosing between the ‘culture of life’ and the ‘culture of death’.” We are not ideological, religious, or fanatic activists. We are speaking because we believe human life has an inherent dignity that must be respected and defended. In the month of October, the Church has always observed “Respect Life Month”. Life means everything in between conception and natural death. We will be promoting different activities that highlight different stages of life. This week we begin with the baby’s. We will have a bassinet from birthright pregnancy help center which we will be collecting clothing (boys and girls 0-2T), diapers (sizes 5-7), wipes, baby products, and monetary donations (write and mail a check for birthright). Also, we will be collecting signatures to repeal the law recently approved allowing the abortion throughout the pregnancy for any reason. (PLEASE OBSERVE WHERE YOU ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE - the forms are according to the town you are registered to vote in). Next week the Knights of Columbus will be doing their annual Tootsie Roll drive for children with disabilities for the Special Olympics. Next week too, we will gather as our Archbishop recommended to pray for life. We will do our 24Hr adoration from Sunday into Columbus day. Please set a time to come to pray for life. I conclude with another quote from John Paul II (same encyclical), “To all the members of the Church, the people of life and for life, I make this most urgent appeal, that together we may offer this world of ours new signs of hope, and work to ensure that justice and solidarity will increase and that a new culture of human life will be affirmed, for the building of an authentic civilization of truth and love.” (EV #6) This is what the Church is about, namely, “LOVE ONE ANOTHER, AS I HAVE LOVED YOU.” (Jn 13:34) God Bless, Fr. Steven