From Father Steven - April 27, 2025

Father Steven Clemence • April 25, 2025

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

 

This weekend we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday—a feast that comes from Jesus’ own desire to make known the abundance of His eternal mercy, so that sinners may be reconciled with God and find peace in His love. At the same time, we are mourning the passing of Pope Francis, and praying for the Church during this time of transition. It is a moment both solemn and sacred, calling us to entrust our hearts to God’s providence.

 

Back in 1931, a Polish nun named Saint Faustina Kowalska began receiving visions of Jesus. In one of these visions, He appeared clothed in white, raising His right hand in blessing while His left hand touched His heart. From His heart flowed two rays—one red and one white. Jesus instructed her to have this image painted and shared throughout the world. This now-famous image, which we see in many churches and homes, has deep meaning: the white ray symbolizes the water of Baptism, which makes souls righteous, and the red ray represents the Precious Blood of Christ, which is the life of our souls. Together, they proclaim the great truth of our faith—that Christ suffered, died, and rose again to forgive our sins and offer us new life.

 

Yet, many do not ask for His mercy. Many live outside the grace God wants so eagerly to pour out. Jesus told Sister Faustina to record His messages in a diary, so the world would know how much He desires to give us His mercy. I once read that what saddens Jesus most is that so many reject His mercy here on earth, and so He cannot give it to them in eternity. Through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, if we choose to ask God for forgiveness, He will forgive us—completely and freely—because He is Mercy itself. But if we reject that mercy, God respects our freedom and allows us to keep our sins, which leads us to be judged by our own choices. Knowing this, Jesus asked that the Second Sunday of Easter be set aside as a day to honor His Divine Mercy, giving souls a special opportunity to return to Him. Scripture reminds us again and again that God’s mercy endures forever, and that He does not desire the death of a sinner, but that they be converted and live. This Sunday is a powerful reminder: Yes, we fall. Yes, we sin. But with God, there is always a second chance—a third, a hundredth, a millionth—if we only ask. God forgives as much as we are willing to ask for forgiveness. That’s why He gave us the Sacrament of Reconciliation as a concrete way to receive His mercy.

 

In the Gospel this weekend, we hear Jesus say to Peter: “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” With these words, Jesus entrusts the power to forgive sins to Peter and, through him, to the Church. Our bishops are the successors of the Apostles, and priests receive this sacred ministry at ordination. Confession, then, is not just a ritual—it is the ordinary way Christ offers us forgiveness.

 

Now, a few words about the death of Pope Francis. Like every pope before him, he served the Church to the best of his ability. Some may have admired him deeply, others may have struggled with certain decisions he made. But if God entrusted him with the care of the Church, then we, as the faithful, are called to support and pray for our shepherd. I believe his papacy was necessary—especially for those who felt forgotten or left on the margins. Pope Francis was known as the “People’s Pope” he made people feel welcome and loved. As we await the election of a new pope, let us pray earnestly. A conclave will soon gather the cardinals under the age of 80 in the Sistine Chapel, where they will vote for the next successor of Peter. This is a sacred and serious responsibility. Let us all unite in prayer for this process, and for the one whom God is calling to lead His Church. Pope Francis began his pontificate by humbly asking us to pray for him. That request remains just as vital now—for his soul, for his successor, and for all those in Church leadership. Bishops and priests face many challenges in shepherding God's people, including their own human weaknesses and the demands of the world we live in. So I ask you: pray for us, but especially pray for the man who will become our next pope. He will not be perfect, and he may not always make the decisions we expect. But as our shepherd, he deserves our prayers, our support, and our attentive hearts.

 

God Bless,

Fr. Steven

 

 

From Father Steven - September 14, 2025

By Father Steven Clemence • September 12, 2025
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Saint Augustine defines sacraments as visible signs of an invisible reality. We have all heard about the sacraments and we know them, but we do not always fully understand what they mean. This week, I would like to reflect with you a bit more on the sacraments. God has chosen specific ways to share His divine nature with us. There are concrete actions which, when carried out with the right intention and proper form, bring about special graces for the recipient. The Catechism of the Catholic Church summarizes the definition of a sacrament as “efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each sacrament. They bear fruit in those who receive them with the required dispositions” (1131). That is a lot to take in, but each term is important. Let us begin with “efficacious.” It means that each sacrament has an effect on the recipient. We may not feel the effects immediately, but they are always there. Perhaps you have heard someone say they walked out of Mass the same way they came in. That is impossible! Even if we do not see or feel them, special graces are at work in our souls. Each sacrament imparts different graces. The seven sacraments were instituted by Jesus and entrusted to the care of the Church. No one has the power to change or modify them, not even the Pope; they are Christ’s gift to us. The sacraments are regulated by the Church in terms of who may minister them, how, and where they are celebrated. Their effectiveness does not depend on the personal holiness of the minister, but on the action itself and the openness of the recipient. As the Church teaches: the grace of the sacrament works by the action performed, not by the performer. This means our openness to sacramental grace is essential for the sacrament to bear fruit. If we close ourselves off, God respects our freedom. That is our greatest danger—that we can reject God’s grace. For example, when a couple chooses not to marry in the Church, they ultimately refuse the graces God desires to give them. Similarly, when someone sins and refuses to go to confession, God cannot forgive them, because they have chosen to remain apart from the sacrament of reconciliation. I do not intend to enter deeply into sacramental theology here, but I want to share these key ideas with you. This is also the time when our parish begins sacramental preparation. Whether a person is a child, a youth, or an adult, everyone can receive the sacraments with the proper preparation and instruction. Recently, our Archdiocese made a change regarding the Sacrament of Confirmation for teenagers: it is now offered in 7th grade. For younger children, we provide a two-year program for sacramental preparation. Our goal is not simply to “sacramentalize,” but to truly catechize—to form them in faith. The sacraments are the way to salvation. They make present here on earth the invisible reality of heaven that God longs to share with us. Therefore, if you or someone you know has not yet received one or more of the sacraments—Baptism, Eucharist (Communion), Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Orders, Reconciliation (Confession), or, for those in danger of death, Anointing of the Sick—this is the time to consider it. If someone is not Catholic but wishes to receive the sacraments—that is, to become Catholic—we also form a group each year for the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (formerly known as RCIA). Please see the religious education section of the bulletin for more information. Catechetical instruction is a volunteer based initiative. We are always in need of volunteers to help us. If you feel called to help in this important ministry, please call the office and let us know. Finally, we are resuming our Jubilee Talks after the summer break. They are offered every Wednesday at 7:00 p.m., following Adoration. Let us take advantage of the opportunities God places before us, and let us not refuse the graces that prepare us for heaven. God Bless, Fr. Steven

From Father Steven - September 7, 2025

By Father Steven Clemence • September 5, 2025
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Next Monday, 9/15, the Church will celebrate the memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows. In this jubilee year, we are called to console the sorrowing. The intention of our 7:30 a.m. daily Mass that day will be for all who are in need of consolation. Loss is never easy. If a dollar slips from our pocket, we feel upset—more so if it is $20 or $100. When what we lose carries emotional value, the pain is even deeper, because it cannot be replaced. Those are only objects, yet they can cause sadness. How much more difficult it is to lose a loved one. Even when illness makes death seem inevitable, it remains painful. Sudden loss is harder still. Moments of grief can weigh heavily, like a storm cloud blocking the sun. Mary, the Mother of Jesus, shared a profound bond between her Immaculate Heart and the Sacred Heart of her Son. She shared His joys, but also His deepest sorrows as she witnessed His suffering. I once read an exhortation on the EWTN website that said: “If you are enduring intense sorrow, flee to our Blessed Mother. Take refuge in her Immaculate Heart, and implore her maternal consolation and guidance. For she who endured unspeakable grief will never fail you as your spiritual mother. As St. Louis de Montfort said: If you put all the love of all the mothers into one heart, it would not equal the love of Mary’s Heart for her children.” Here in our parish, we will begin a bereavement ministry on October 14. Meetings will take place Tuesday evenings (time to be announced) in the lower church. Using a Scripture-based program, we will encounter the healing power of God’s Word. We invite you—or someone you know who is grieving—to come and be consoled by the Lord. Humanity has reached the moon, explored the depths of the sea, and advanced technology beyond imagination. Yet we still have no human answer to death. Only Christ holds that answer. We must listen to Him, encounter the Risen Lord, and discover that death is not the end. I also recommend My Son Carlo by Antonia Salzano Acutis, the mother of Saint Carlo Acutis. She testifies to the power of Christ and how He sustained her through the sudden loss of her son. I have only read the first chapter, and it is already inspiring. Whatever pain of loss you carry, God desires to console your heart and strengthen you to endure the storm. We never fully “get over” a loss, but we learn to live with it. Yes, it is hard, but not impossible. Please join us for the special Mass on Monday, 9/15, for all who need consolation. And remember, you are welcome to speak with one of the priests if you would like to share more about your loss. God Bless, Fr. Steven