From Father Steven - December 21, 2025

Father Steven Clemence • December 19, 2025

 HISTORY OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE

Dear Brothers & Sisters,

 

Trees have always had a great importance for primitive men: they signaled the presence of water, offered shadow, were used for tools, used for fire, gave fruits for nourishments... For this reason, trees became religious objects, they were worshipped not for what they are but for what they revealed: the divinity of a God.

 

It is next to oak adored by pagans that the first Christmas tree is born in the 8th Century thanks to the missionary work of St. Boniface. Saint Boniface was a bishop and Apostle in Germany and in those lands he had converted many pagan tribes. His work was not easy and even if they converted, many times they faith was weak and they would fall back into old customs. During the Christmas night of 724, Boniface went to the Oak of Thunder of Geismar, which was adored by the pagans as an image of the God Thor. They would offer human sacrifices next to the oak to gain benevolence by the God. Boniface stopped this barbaric act and took an ax and started cutting down the oak tree. At that point, a strong wind started blowing and the tree fell and broke in 4 parts. Behind the oak there was a fir tree (Christmas tree). Therefore, Boniface began a simple catechesis for these men who lived their lives at the rhythm of nature and announced to them Jesus Christ: his birth, his death, and his resurrection out of love for man. He told them that among the trees that are dead because of the loss of leaves, the evergreen fir tree was the image of Christ, the living. This tree full of light was the symbol of him who is the light of the world and with his birth leads us to God who dwells in light. In the end, he invited them to put candle lights on that tree in honor of the birth of Christ and with the wood of the fallen oak tree he made them build a chapel in honor of St. Peter.

 

Years later, this tradition crossed the border of Germany and reached the royal palaces of Austria, France, England, and even Russia. The Christmas Tree and the Nativity scene were very common in all of Europe until the protestant reformation. Lutherans forbid the use of sacred images and the nativity scene was suppressed. The Christmas tree became more and more widespread. That’s why for Catholics the tree was a protestant innovation. Only at the beginning of the 1800 Catholics began to use the Christmas tree again. 

 

In the Vatican, beginning in 1982, the Christmas tree has always been next to the Nativity scene. John Paul II on December 19 2004, during the Angelus, said: “Next to the crib, as in St Peter’s Square, we find the traditional Christmas tree. This too is an ancient tradition that exalts the value of life, for in the winter season the evergreen fir becomes a sign of undying life. Christmas gifts are usually placed on the tree or arranged at its base. The symbol thus also becomes eloquent in a typically Christian sense: it calls to mind the tree of life (cf. Gn 2: 9), a figure of Christ, God’s supreme gift to humanity. The message of the Christmas tree is consequently that life stays evergreen if we make a gift of it: not so much of material things, but of life itself: in friendship and sincere affection, in fraternal help and forgiveness, in time shared and reciprocal listening.” Address of his holiness benedict xvi to pilgrims from Walloon, Belgium who had come to bring as a gift to the holy father the Christmas tree which will decorate St. Peter’s square in the Christmas season - clementine hall Friday, 18 December 2009.

 

“In the forest the trees are close to each other and each one contributes to making the forest a shady and sometimes dark place. And here, chosen from among a multitude, the majestic fir that you are offering me today is lit up and covered with sparkling decorations like as many marvelous fruits. Having abandoned its somber dress for a scintillating splendor, it is transfigured and becomes the messenger of a light that is not its own but bears witness to the true Light that comes into this world. This tree’s destiny is comparable to that of the shepherds: while they were watching in the shadows of the night, here they are illumined by the Angels message. This tree’s destiny is also comparable to our own, for we are called to bear good fruits to show that the world has truly been visited and redeemed by the Lord. Standing beside the crib, this fir, in its own way, demonstrates the great mystery that was present in the simple, poor place of Bethlehem. To the inhabitants of Rome, to all the pilgrims and to all who will visit St Peter’s Square through the television images broadcast across the world, it proclaims the coming of the Son of God. Through this tree, the ground of your land and the faith of the Christian Communities of your Region greet the Infant God, the One who came to make all things new and to call all creatures, from the humblest to the most exalted, to enter into the mystery of Redemption and to be associated with it.”

 

God Bless,

Fr. Steven

 

From Father Steven - May 10, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • May 8, 2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Since leaving high school, I do not think I had ever opened the Britannica Encyclopedia again. Yet while preparing for this weekend’s theme, I came across a very interesting entry: Mother’s Day. I had never really wondered how this celebration began. After doing some research, I discovered how it developed through different cultures and times, including a tradition in England when the faithful would visit the church where they had been baptized — their “mother church.” The modern observance of Mother’s Day traces back to Anna Jarvis, who honored her mother, Anna Jarvis, in 1908. After the Civil War, Anna Jarvis promoted reconciliation between Union and Confederate veterans. One day, she offered a prayer during Sunday school that her daughter never forgot: “I hope and pray that someone, sometime, will found a memorial Mother’s Day commemorating her for the matchless service she renders to humanity in every field of life.” Those words remained deeply in her daughter’s heart. After her mother’s death, Anna Jarvis began advocating for a special day dedicated to honoring mothers. In 1908, the first Mother’s Day service was held at her mother’s church in West Virginia. A few years later, every state celebrated Mother’s Day, until President Wilson declared it a national holiday. In many ways, the figure of a mother resembles Christ Himself, who “came not to be served, but to serve.” Mothers are often behind the scenes, taking the last place and putting the needs of others before their own. Much of their hard work and countless sacrifices may go unnoticed, yet God, “who sees in secret, will repay you.” Certainly, it feels good to receive recognition and praise, but our first calling is to please God. Jesus commands us to love one another as He has loved us, and He says nothing about seeking recognition. In fact, throughout the Scriptures, Jesus repeatedly avoids drawing attention to Himself. Many times, He even tells people not to speak about what He has done. In our digital age, when people often share everything publicly, Jesus reminds us of the beauty of doing good quietly and humbly. The Gospel also tells us that the Son of Man came to serve and “to give His life.” In a similar way, mothers are constantly giving their lives for others. The sacrifice of self-denial is among the greatest acts of love. Just as Christ died so that we might live, mothers often deny themselves so that others may flourish. Whether it is caring for the home, cooking, cleaning, gardening, helping the children, finding everything for everyone, or all of the above, their daily sacrifices make an enormous difference, even when they go unnoticed. Therefore, regardless of our age, let us take a moment to reflect on how often our mothers denied themselves for our sake. Let us remember all they have done in loving service to us. They may not have been perfect, but in most cases, they gave us way more than their best. Today, inspired by Anna Jarvis, let us honor mothers “for the matchless service [they render] to humanity in every field of life.” To all mothers — those here on earth and those already in heaven — THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.  God Bless, Fr. Steven

From Father Steven - May 3, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • May 1, 2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters, It is with great joy that today we celebrate our First Communion. I don’t know how much you remember from the day you received your First Communion. Unfortunately, I also remember very little. Last week, I asked one of the children who had received their First Communion how it felt, and more than the words they used, you should have seen the joy in their smile. Lucky for us, this weekend we can experience their joy as well, because each time we receive Communion it is just as amazing as the first time. When we do something so often in life, we can easily take it for granted, and it can become routine. However, we need to be careful that receiving The Body and Blood of Christ does not become routine. Each time is different. The other day, I was reading the reflections of St. Alphonsus Liguori on the Eucharist and thinking about the experiences that some of the saints had while receiving Communion. For instance, some saints had mystical experiences with Jesus after communion. St. Giuseppe of Cupertino would levitate at Communion. He also levitated at the mere thought of Jesus (even church bells would draw the saint closer to heaven). There are some people who lived being fed only by The Body of Christ. This miracle is called “inedia.” Some lived for more than 10 years solely on the Eucharist. Imagine how impressive that is. I have capitalized the “T” in “The Body of Christ” because it is The one and same Body that was born of Mary and was crucified on the Cross. When we receive Communion, we receive the very Body of Christ. It is not an image, a representation, or a symbol. There is a transformation of the substance of bread into The Body of Christ during consecration. We call it “transubstantiation.” In history, some people have failed to understand it, and this has caused great misunderstanding and error in other beliefs. For instance, Protestants do not believe that The Body of Christ is in the Eucharist. As the children have prepared themselves over the past two years, it is also important that we prepare ourselves to receive Communion. We often urge you to begin by preparing your souls by going to confession. Then, we should also dress up for such the special occasion. It would also be nice to arrive early, find good seats, and pray before the beginning of Mass. I understand that at times things happen as we come to church that delay us. However, as much as possible, it is important to arrive early, and prepare ourselves for this special moment. We hear in the Gospel that Jesus has prepared a place in heaven for us. He gives us His Body to strengthen us in that journey. Let us not miss this great opportunity. As the children receive their Communion for the first time, let us also have the same attitude and awe this Sunday! God Bless, Fr. Steven