From Father Steven - November 3, 2024

Father Steven Clemence • November 1, 2024


 

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters, 

 

It is with great joy that I announce two big events coming up in our parish. The first one is a Mass and Adoration Concert on Tuesday, November 12th, with a special group called Harpa Dei. The second event will be our first senior group meeting on the following day in the lower church. I will expand on both initiatives in this letter.

 

Harpa Dei is a choir of sacred music that feels called by God first to glorify Him, because that is the primary purpose of sacred music. It also re-sensitizes people to the sacredness of the liturgy, to the transcendence, and to the beauty of God that is expressed in these songs. This Catholic vocal ensemble is made up of four blood siblings that also share the same spirituality: Nikolai (bass/tenor), Lucia (soprano), Marie-Elisée (alto), and Mirjana (tenor) Gerstner. Although they were born in Germany, they began their singing ministry in 2011 in Ecuador, where they were living at that time, as a campaign against violence, and this peace initiative has brought them to evangelize the whole world. As they have collected the most beautiful songs from different traditions, they were able to bring many people to glorify God and to transmit the beauty of the Lord that shines so eminently in sacred music. Sacred music is a bridge for people to get in touch with God, with His beauty, tenderness, and love. It provides an easy way to reach the heart of people as it helps them to open to God’s love. That is one of the reasons for which we play Gregorian chant during confessions. If you have come here to IC for confessions, then you would have heard them. All the music we play is from Harpa Dei. I first came across them while searching for a specific chant, which they were the best I have ever heard. Then I met them in Jerusalem and last year on their tour in the US. This year we have the special grace to meet them and listen to them live. On Tuesday, November 12th, we will celebrate Mass at 7:00 PM where they will chant all the songs. Then, we will have a Holy Hour led by reflections and chants sung by them. St. Hildegard of Bingen, a mystic and doctor of the Church, says that music is the only memory, almost forgotten, of our state in Paradise. I invite you all to join us for this special event free of charge.

 

Our Senior Group is ready to begin. The idea behind this group is to offer a space where anyone can come and spend time in prayer and fellowship. There are no restrictions on who can come. All are invited. We will begin with some snacks while we get to know each other a bit, followed by prayer. Since our meeting will be on November 13th, Fr. Victor will make a presentation on the apparitions of Fatima. Then we will have a time of prayer and some questions. Each month we will focus on different topics. There will always be a spiritual and social component to each meeting. As this new ministry is starting, we are leaving room for the Holy Spirit to operate and grow. There are no sign-ups, nor any registrations ahead of time. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Lee Ann at the parish office and she will assist you. I would like to invite anyone who would like to participate in our first meeting on Wednesday, November 13th, from 10:00am to 12:00pm at the Lower Church.

 

As the Gospel will exhort us this weekend to love God and our neighbor, I invite you to take advantage of this special moment in our parish to grow in holiness together! Let us also keep our country and state in our prayers as we will have our elections on Tuesday. May our Blessed Mother intercede for us and show us the way to heaven!

 

 

God Bless,

Fr. Steven




From Father Steven - October 19, 2025

By Father Steven Clemence • October 17, 2025
Dear Brothers & Sisters, Imagine a world where billions of people have never heard the name of Jesus. Picture villages where people walk miles to attend Mass because there is no church nearby. Envision communities where faith is alive yet fragile—tested by poverty, isolation, or persecution. And imagine churches filled to capacity every Sunday, even when those attending know they are targets of terrorists simply because of their faith. These are places where preaching the Gospel and bearing witness to its truth is no easy task—where believers are mocked, opposed, despised, or, at best, merely tolerated and pitied. Yet, for that very reason, these are precisely the places where our missionary outreach is most desperately needed. The absence of faith is often tragically accompanied by a loss of life’s meaning, a neglect of mercy, grievous violations of human dignity, the disintegration of families, and countless other wounds afflicting our society. Celebrated each year on the second-to-last Sunday of October, World Mission Sunday is the day when Catholics around the world unite to support the missionary work of the Church. Established by Pope Pius XI in 1926, it remains the only annual global collection that directly supports the 1,124 mission territories where the Church is young, struggling, or persecuted. On this day, every parish, in every diocese, in every country, joins in prayer and generosity to ensure that missionaries can continue their vital work—building churches, forming priests, supporting catechists, and serving communities in need. Pope Francis—before his passing—left us a powerful theme that resonates profoundly in this Jubilee Year: “Missionaries of Hope Among All Peoples.” In his message, the Holy Father reminds us that hope lies at the very heart of the Christian mission, calling every baptized person to become a “messenger and builder of hope” in a world so often overshadowed by uncertainty and despair.  Today, there are many places where the Christian faith is regarded as absurd—something for the weak or the naïve. In such settings, other securities are prized: technology, money, success, power, or pleasure. But who will announce God’s love to them if not us? Christ Himself has chosen and commissioned us to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that He has commanded” (Mt. 28:19–20). Let us not be afraid to live our faith boldly. This does not mean parading it about like a political banner—no need to wield your rosary like a sword at the grocery store—but it does mean standing firm for what we know to be true: the sanctity of life, from conception to natural death, and the enduring dignity of every human person. As Jesus prayed before the great events of His life, let us also begin with prayer—both personal and communal. This Wednesday, we will have an opportunity to come together from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for adoration, praying for peace in our world. From there, let us become missionaries of love and hope first in our own homes and among those nearest to us. And finally, let us set the world ablaze with the fire of God’s love—through our words, our deeds, and perhaps even a smile that makes others wonder what divine secret we’re keeping—just as St. Ignatius inspired Francis Xavier on his journey to the Far East. God Bless, Fr. Steven

From Father Steven - October 12, 2025

By Father Steven Clemence • October 10, 2025
Dear Brothers & Sisters, I write to you this week to share a powerful and life-changing devotion that has brought countless blessings to individuals, families, and entire communities throughout the centuries—the Consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary . This spiritual practice is more than a simple act of piety; it is a profound commitment to grow closer to Jesus through His Mother, Mary. Why consecrate ourselves to Mary? As Catholics, we believe that Mary plays a unique role in the plan of salvation. She is not only the Mother of Jesus but also our spiritual Mother, given to us by Christ Himself as He hung on the Cross (John 19:26–27). Just as she nurtured and guided Jesus in His earthly life, she desires to nurture us in our spiritual lives, always pointing us to her Son. When we consecrate ourselves to Mary, we are not worshiping her—we are entrusting ourselves to her motherly care and guidance, allowing her to form us into better disciples of Christ. As St. Louis de Montfort, one of the foremost promoters of Marian consecration, beautifully put it: “To Jesus through Mary.” He taught that by giving ourselves entirely to Mary, she gives us entirely to Jesus, in the most perfect and pleasing way. This consecration is a voluntary act of love. It is a renewal of our baptismal promises, made with Mary as our model and advocate. Many saints and popes, including St. John Paul II, who took “Totus Tuus” ("Totally Yours") as his papal motto, have emphasized the transforming grace that comes from Marian consecration. St. Maximilian Kolbe called it “the quickest, easiest, surest and most perfect way to become a saint.” Practically speaking, consecration involves a period of preparation—traditionally 33 days—during which we reflect on Scripture, Marian devotion, and the call to holiness. Various methods exist. One of the most famous is by St. Louis de Montfort. Here in the parish we will use Fr. Michael Gaitley’s 33 Days to Morning Glory which is spiritually enriching and accessible. There is a book which we will encourage people to purchase that will guide us through this process. If someone has any difficulty in acquiring this book, please contact the parish office. I encourage every member of our parish family, whether young or old, to prayerfully consider making this consecration. Whether you are seeking a deeper relationship with Jesus, struggling in your spiritual life, or simply looking for a way to grow in faith, turning to Mary is a sure path. She is a gentle, powerful intercessor who will never lead us astray. One could do this consecration by oneself. However, we are planning to begin a parish-wide preparation for Marian Consecration next month, starting on Wednesday November 5 th . All three communities will do this consecration together. It will conclude with an Act of Consecration during the Trilingual Mass on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Dec 8 th . Additionally, Bishop Reed has also invited us to serve as one of the host churches for a special “Day of Prayer for Harmony in Our Nation and Peace in the World.” On Wednesday, October 22, from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Immaculate Conception will be open for Eucharistic Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. What a blessing it is to welcome such a day of prayer! In a time marked by deep division in our nation and turmoil across the world, we are called to bring everything before Jesus, the Prince of Peace. As we sit in silence before the Eucharist, we are reminded that true harmony and reconciliation are possible—not through our efforts alone, but through Christ, who tears down walls of division and unites us, when we open our hearts to Him. The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed on the altar throughout the day, concluding with Benediction at 7:00 PM in the Upper Church. Morning Mass will be held as usual in the Lower Church. In order to support this day of Adoration, we ask that at least two adorers be present for each hour while the Eucharist is exposed. I encourage parishioners to consider committing to one hour of prayer during this sacred time. To help coordinate coverage of 2–3 people per hour, an online sign-up is available through our website via Signup Genius, or you may call the parish office directly. While all are welcome to come and pray at any time, we rely on scheduled commitments to ensure continuous presence before the Blessed Sacrament throughout the day. God Bless, Fr. Steven