From Father Steven - September 8, 2024

Father Steven Clemence • September 6, 2024

 

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters, 

 

While I was away, besides resting and praying, I spent a lot of time thinking and contemplating what the next steps should be for us here at IC. I asked the Lord multiple times, and the answer was always the same, namely, be patient! As you know, I’m not patient at all. Then what shall we do?


We will hear in the first reading this weekend the promises of the Lord to the people of Israel. When He comes, “the eyes of the blind will be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing….”. There are moments when we expect things to happen faster. However, the ways of the Lord are not the same as ours. Maybe the Lord will not give us what we want at all. There were a few projects and ideas that we tried to implement here in the parish, and it did not come to fruition. At least not now. Now, does it mean that we fail? Not at all. It means that the Lord had other plans. Maybe the Lord wants to reinforce what we already have in the parish. We have Saint Vincent de Paul, the Knights of Columbus, Youth Group, the Cenacle, Bible Study, Neocatechumenal Way, Adult Choir, Companions on the Journey (book club), and the Eucharistic Ministers that visit the homebound, not counting the CCD program. Soon our bereavement ministry will start along with a ministry to those retired, widows, and anyone who would like to join. The arrivals of Fr. Victor and Fr. Gabriel will also help us to be able to offer more as well. We already began talking about having some formative talks, retreats, and more. Having said this, we need to be patient to see when and how the Lord wants to act.


In the meantime, I invite all of you to pray. Ask the Lord where he is calling you to participate in the parish with what we currently have. It is also important to ask what He calls us to do. Whether to say the rosary at least once a day, read the bible for 15 minutes, visit the Blessed Sacrament more often, attend confession every month, pick up a book of a saint, or something else. It is interesting to note that Christ is always on the move in the Gospel. Very seldom you see him still, and if you do, it is only to start moving again. However, in our lives, we like to settle down, rest, and be comfortable where we are. I assume (and hope) that each of you already have your devotions that you pray daily, the sacrifices that you make secretly, the religious books that you read. Maybe it is time to start moving again, to try different things, to come out of our comfort zone. I like very much when the people who are in need bother Jesus in the most annoying way. The blind man continued to scream even after Jesus had passed. The Canaanite woman was relentlessly asking Jesus to cure her daughter. None of them were doing what they wanted, but what they needed. Then we ask ourselves again, what does the Lord want to give to us at this moment? How far are you willing to give another shot?


I noticed this past week that we have some new people coming to mass. It would be important to welcome them with a smile, introducing yourself to them. Maybe there are people that sit next to you that you never asked their name. Before moving forward, it is also important that we cover our bases first. You can also invite people in your lives to come back to Church. Why not? Maybe this is what the Lord invites us at this moment. Let us grow closer to the people that are already here. Then we will be ready to move to deeper waters. Please keep us in your prayers as we discern where the Lord wants us to go. 

 

God Bless,

Fr. Steven


From Father Steven - March 22, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • March 20, 2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters, As you may be aware, we are starting our next Bereavement Ministry on March 31st. This is the third session we are offering to those who have suffered the loss of a loved one. The loss can be a recent one or one from years ago. We will be following the Catholic program called Seasons of Hope. I encourage you to participate to find support and comfort within our faith-filled community. God Bless, Fr. Steven ——————————————————————— Bereavement Ministry: Seasons of Hope to Begin As we mourn together, our parish bereavement team of Nancy Papp, Mark Vital, and Nancy Wells would like to personally invite anyone who is grieving the loss of a loved one to attend Immaculate Conception’s next bereavement session which will begin on Tuesday evening, March 31st at 6:30 pm in the Lower Church and continue for six consecutive Tuesday evenings ending on Tuesday, May 5th. There are no stages to grief. We all experience grief in our own unique way, and healing is an intentional process, where we gather as a community of faith to become disciples of hope. It is through prayerful reflection, practical learning, and personal fellowship that we mourn. We will be following the Catholic program called Seasons of Hope . It is a 6-week program based on Scripture that focuses our faith on the spiritual side of grieving. Our mission is to support and accompany those going through the grieving process through Scripture, prayer, reflection, and simple activities. The program centers on Jesus Christ and is founded in the wisdom, traditions, and practices of the Church. It provides an opportunity for those who are grieving to be together, share their experiences, listen to God, and to each other, and be heard and comforted. St. John of the Cross, a Carmelite and Doctor of the Church, said: “In sorrow and suffering, go straight to God with confidence, and you will be strengthened, enlightened and instructed.” Fr. Mike Schmitz (many of you know him from his Bible in a Year podcast) was asked in an interview once about suffering. He responded: “God doesn’t always take the pain away. God doesn’t take the grief away. God doesn’t undo your loved one’s death. But with hope, our faith in God can console us.” Once again, we warmly invite those mourning to “come and be comforted.” Please call Lee Ann at the parish office to register. This program has helped hundreds of people mourn the loss of a loved one. We are delighted to bring this ministry to you again and hope and pray you will consider attending. Thank you and please keep us and those we serve in your prayers. The Bereavement Team: Nancy Papp, Nancy Wells, Mark Vital

From Father Steven - March 15, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • March 13, 2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Last week we heard the terrible news from the Diocese of Providence regarding the abuse of minors by clergy. Any form of abuse of minors is always despicable. In this particular case, not only is there the problem of the priests themselves, which would be unacceptable, but it seems that there were also problems in the hierarchy/administration as well. Once I heard an expression that portrays well this issue: one is way too many. Every victim counts. It is very unfortunate that so many cases of abuse happened in the past, and even worse when they happened in the Church, where it should be a safe place for every person. For many years, anything related to abuse was always a big taboo that no one ever spoke about, much less reported. In 2002, the Boston Globe reported the systematic abuse that happened in the Archdiocese of Boston for decades. The Church has failed its people. Even if there were only one single case, one is too many. With the arrival of Cardinal Sean O’Malley, many rules and procedures were adopted to guarantee the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops also changed their protocols to never allow any sort of omission of abuse. Mandatory training for all volunteers who have contact with children and yearly background checks for all volunteers are some examples of what was adopted. There was also some support offered to victims. However, there are more out there who have never reached out. The problem is far from its resolution. Although many changes have taken place in the Church, we must remain vigilant. Abuse remains a terrible reality in many parts of society—from schools to sports and other institutions—and the Church must always strive to be a place where children and vulnerable people are protected and safe. Nowadays, there is also a call to protect vulnerable people, such as the elderly and anyone with special needs. Although there is a policy that requires certain people to report any form of abuse to the authorities (mandated reporters), it is the duty of every person to protect their neighbor. I would like to plan a day or evening to offer training from the Archdiocese to everyone who would like to participate. There we can also explain all the efforts that are being made in the Church to promote a safe environment for anyone who comes to the parishes in the Archdiocese of Boston. On a related topic, for anyone who has suffered any sort of abuse, we also want to offer help. There can be a stigma that pushes victims away because of shame. A person can even feel guilty for having allowed such a thing. God is there to help us take things off our chest and from our souls. This can be expanded to other kinds of traumas that we keep only to ourselves. How many times have we heard in the past that people bring such things to their tombs? God is here to help us carry our burdens. We priests are also available to listen and offer whatever resources may assist anyone who is suffering. There is help that can be offered, whether through professional counselors, victim assistance, or independent resources. On the spiritual side, we do know that God heals our wounds, accompanies us in our journeys, and helps us carry our crosses. In moments like this, when human failures are so evident, we are reminded that our hope ultimately rests in Christ. Only He can help us live by His grace. Only He can console us when we are tired and burdened. Only He can bring us to green pastures to refresh our soul. Only He is the way, the truth, and the life. Let us then follow Him up to the Cross, because if we die with Him, we shall also live with Him. And if people need our help, let us not neglect their needs. Let us be there for them, to listen, or even hold their hands in their journey. No one should be left behind…no one.  God Bless, Fr. Steven