From Father Steven - August 11, 2024

Father Steven Clemence • August 9, 2024

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters, 

 

Please see the letter below from Janet Guzman. Janet is one of our parishioners who left on mission to the Caribbean last year.

 

God Bless,

Fr. Steven

 

Hello, My name is Janet Guzman. Some of you may remember me from a blurb in the bulletin from about a year ago. I was starting my journey in discerning my vocation and I was sent to the Caribbean as a missionary teacher. Looking at the large number of youth on the island, priests felt that the island was in need of a chance at a Catholic Education. Thus, in August 2006, Holy Family Academy was established with just two classes, Kindergarten and First Grade with less than ten students. Today, we serve grades Pre-K to 12th grade and with the help of St. Thomas University, we are helping the students receive a college education as well. All together we have almost 200 students. At Holy Family Academy, our model is to live in humility, simplicity, and praise where the other is Christ.


For a lot of children, school is the place where they feel most loved. Most children come from broken families, suffer abuse and poverty. As a missionary teacher it is not only my duty to provide them an education but to help strengthen their faith and to remind them that they are loved by God. Every morning, the school gathers in the courtyard to begin our day with prayer. We always say “God is love, and he loves us.” This is our daily reminder not only for the students but also for the teachers. Some days are tough and it is hard to think that God could allow such situations in our lives. With this saying, we also remember that God makes everything perfect. In all of our situations, as hard as they may be, God is with us through it all because of His love for us.


Holy Family Academy has a unique spirituality unlike anything else I have ever experienced. A school in which the students are loving and kind to one another. If problems arise they are willing to forgive and ask for forgiveness. The students take active roles in the school. They lector, sing, and they also play musical instruments during the school liturgical celebrations. All of this is done without fear or shame. To be able to witness all of these miracles day in and day out has been a huge blessing for me. Not only do they learn from me, but I learn from them as well.


As a result of a wonderful year on mission, I feel as though God is calling me to do an additional year. This upcoming school year I will be teaching Social Studies and Science to the Kindergarten class as well as taking on Special Education and Physical Education. These classes hold a special place in my heart and I am excited to see what the Lord has in store for me. For this to be possible, I am accepting donations so that my classes may have what they need for the year. Being a missionary means that I do not receive any form of payment for my work. Everything I have is all thanks to the providence of God. Blessed be to God for providing the needs of the school through many generous benefactors and friends of the mission.

If you would like to make a donation, please visit my Amazon Wishlist by scanning the QR code. Anything and everything is very much appreciated. Pray for me, as I will be praying for all of you at Immaculate Conception.

 

Peace,

Janet Guzman

 

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!