From Father Steven - February 11, 2024

Father Steven Clemence • February 9, 2024

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

 

This week, we will have the blessing of participating in Ash Wednesday. Not only does it mark the beginning of Lent, but it also holds significance from a very long tradition. This week, I would like to reflect with you on the meaning of the celebration of Ash Wednesday and how it helps us during Lent.

 

The imposition of Ashes as a sign of contrition is a practice that dates back to the Old Testament. We hear that when Jonah preached repentance to the people of Nineveh, they put on sackcloth and sat on ashes. We also hear that Mordecai put on ashes when the king decided to kill all the Jews in the book of Esther. The ashes remind us of the words that are often associated with Ash Wednesday, “you are dust and unto dust you shall return.” In front of a problem or a wrong doing, we remember it can be our end. Therefore, the ashes also serve as a reminder of our mortality. The Jews would put on ashes on their heads to help them repent from their wrong doings, lest God would allow them to die as a consequence.

 

The Catholic Church, already from the very beginning, has adopted ashes as a sign of repentance. The difference is that it was reserved only for the public sinners who had committed some serious sins who were starting a time of penance. On Ash Wednesday, the community would gather and during a celebration, the penitents would put on a sackcloth and the bishop would impose ashes on their head (not on their foreheads as we do today at mass). Then they would be removed from the parish community to contemplate on their mortality and the consequence of their sins. It is similar to a “time-out” that parents give to their children to reflect on their actions. Then on Holy Thursday, at the end of Lent, the Bishop along with the community would receive these brothers back as a sign of charity and love towards them. Slowly the whole church began to embark on this journey of repentance during lent, marked by the sign of the imposition of ashes. The Lenten practices of prayer, almsgiving and abstinence (fasting) were ways to help the people to reflect on their actions, and by the help of God, confess their sins and change their ways. With this slight change of meaning of the sign of the ashes, there was another phrase added to the imposition of ashes, “Repent and believe in the Gospel.” More than to be reminded of our mortality and how sin kills our souls, the ashes added this dimension of repentance from our ways of life. Furthermore, while the ashes symbolize penance and contrition, they also remind us that God is gracious and merciful to those who call on Him with repentant hearts. His Divine mercy is of utmost importance during the season of Lent, and the Church calls on us to seek that mercy throughout the entire Lenten season with reflection, prayer, and penance.

 

This Lent, we will offer different moments to help us in this journey to return to the Father's house (from the parable of the prodigal son). Every Friday, we will have Stations of the Cross at 6:00pm in English and at 7:00pm in Portuguese and Spanish. Next Sunday, we will have our 24Hr Adoration starting after the 5:00pm Mass through 6:00 pm on Monday (President's Day). Confessions will continue on Tuesdays from 5:00-6:00pm and Saturdays from 1:00-3:00 pm. In case those times don’t work for you, please call the office to schedule a different time. In March, we will have a 3-Day Parish Lenten Mission, starting on Tuesday, March 12th through Thursday, March 15th at 7:00pm. There are other initiatives that we are working on to help us receive the graces that God wants to give us. As we will be fasting and abstaining from meat on Fridays, on Friday, February 23rd and March 15th, we will have our Fish Fry (tickets will be sold at the end of Masses and at the office). We invite you to purchase ahead of time to help us calculate how much fish to get. The options of dine-in and take-out will still be available.

 

Remember that on Ash Wednesday, we mourn and do penance for our sins. We again convert our hearts to the Lord, who suffered, died, and rose for our salvation. We renew the promises made at our baptism, when we died to an old life and rose to a new life with Christ. Finally, be mindful that the kingdom of this world passes away, we strive to live the kingdom of God now and look forward to its fulfillment in heaven.

 

I wish you all a Holy Lent. God Bless.

Fr. Steven



From Father Steven - November 23, 2025

By Father Steven Clemence • November 21, 2025
Dear Brothers & Sisters, This week we have the opportunity to gather around our loved ones to give thanks! Eukariston in Greek… if it sounds familiar, it is because the Eucharist—Mass—is a great thanksgiving! I’m sorry for the turkey and stuffing lovers… but the Lamb of God is the one who truly satisfies us! However, how often are we grateful to God and to our loved ones? How often do we stop to give sincere thanks for all their hard work? How often do we return their goodness to us? Unfortunately, not enough… so let’s change that script. Let’s take this opportunity to voice our inner gratitude to those around us and to Jesus! Even though there can be some tension when getting everyone together under the same roof, let’s not forget what we are doing and why we are doing it. There is nothing better than to love… even when that love is not returned! The following day is known as Black Friday—deep discounts and great sales everywhere. In the past, people lined up in front of stores in the middle of the night. Now stores begin their sales almost a week before Friday. Online retailers have also kept people from waking up in the middle of the night. Here in the parish, this Friday there will be a great opportunity to score wonderful deals… and we won’t need to wake up so early! Starting at 8:00 a.m., we will have another 24-hour adoration. We thought that these days would be perfect to give people the opportunity to come and give thanks to God as well. He has been so good to us! How could we not return His infinite love through finite means? As we come together on Thursday and acknowledge what our loved ones have done for us, let us also do the same for God. I invite all of you to come and take a moment to think and contemplate all the good things God has done for us throughout our lives. Instead of having Black Friday, we shall introduce Adoration Friday! Next week will be First Friday, and I invite you to learn more about it—how the Sacred Heart of Jesus manifests itself on the First Friday of each month. As we know Friday to be a penitential day for the Church, it is also a day full of graces for those who do not miss out! I would like to take this opportunity to give you some updates regarding upcoming events. Archbishop Richard Henning has asked all the parishes in the Archdiocese to pray a Novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe in preparation for the upcoming 500th anniversary of her apparition to St. Juan Diego. He will be visiting parishes and presiding at this very important moment for us. We will begin the novena on Thursday, December 4th, at 7:00 p.m. It will be trilingual so that the whole parish can participate. Each day, different parish groups will be responsible for leading the novena. We will conclude it with Mass on December 12th, with the presence of our shepherd, Archbishop Henning! It will be very important for him to meet part of his flock. It will also be a great moment for our parish to welcome him into our spiritual home! We are still planning it. We also decided that, in this Jubilee Year, we will have a Christmas Concert on December 21st at 3:00 p.m. All the parish choirs will come together to sing Christmas carols. We are very excited to gather everyone once again! I mentioned before, but I remind you again, that we also have our parish feast in the middle of all this. The Immaculate Conception will be celebrated on Monday, December 8th. We will have the regular holy day of obligation schedule 07:30 a.m. and 12:10 p.m. as well as our traditional trilingual Mass at 7:00 p.m. We will pray the novena before Mass, and then proceed with the celebration. There are many good things coming up… and many more that we cannot imagine! Let us give thanks, for God’s love is everlasting (Ps. 136). God Bless, Fr. Steven

From Father Steven - November 16, 2025

By Father Steven Clemence • November 14, 2025
Dear Brothers & Sisters, As we continue honoring the faithful departed during the month of November, I would like to speak about something that can sometimes feel uncomfortable or awkward—but is also very necessary: funerals. This week, I read an article in the National Catholic Register titled “Why Are Fewer Catholics Having Church Funerals?” It noted that over the past 20 years, the number of Catholic funerals in the United States has dropped by about 30%. The article went on to explain that many families now prefer holding funeral services at funeral homes rather than having a funeral Mass in church. One of the main reasons for this shift, according to the study cited, is that families of the deceased are often no longer religious. They may feel uncomfortable going to church, or they may not see the need for it. At times, the person who passed away was a faithful parishioner who attended Mass regularly. Yet when the moment of loss comes—with the grief, family tensions, and emotional exhaustion that follow—families often choose a simpler service rather than a funeral Mass. It is important, however, to understand the deep value of offering a Mass for someone who has died. From a psychological standpoint, it provides closure as we entrust the soul of our loved one to God. There is a beautiful prayer of commendation at the end of the funeral Mass, in which the priest commends the soul of the deceased into the hands of the Father. On a spiritual level, the value is even greater. The sacrifice of Christ made present on the altar has immeasurable power. To offer a Mass for the soul of a loved one has a profound effect—especially after death. In every Mass, Christ offers Himself for the salvation of souls. While a Mass cannot change the free choice of someone who rejected God, it can assist souls in purgatory on their journey to heaven. For that reason, it is vital that we not only pray for our departed loved ones but also have a Mass offered for them. Additionally, the graces of a funeral Mass extend to all who attend—especially to the family and friends who gather in faith and hope. A funeral Mass does not need to be complicated. In fact, simplicity often brings greater peace and focus. It is even recommended that each person plan his or her own funeral Mass in advance—choosing the readings and hymns, and letting loved ones know their wishes. This both expresses the person’s faith and eases the burden on the family, especially if they are no longer active in the Church. Our parish office can help you choose readings and music and answer any questions you may have. I would also like to mention that, technically, the words of remembrance is not part of the funeral liturgy. While the Archdiocese allows something brief at Mass, it is not preferable. The Mass is primarily an act of prayer and intercession for the soul of the deceased, rather than a time for praise or personal remembrance. Lastly, a quick word about cremation. Until relatively recently, the Church discouraged cremation because it could obscure the sign of our belief in the resurrection of the body. Although cremation is now permitted, the Church still requires that the cremated remains be properly buried. The same article I mentioned earlier noted the growing practice of scattering ashes or keeping them at home. While these gestures may come from love or sentiment, our faith teaches that the remains of the deceased should rest in consecrated ground—together with others who “sleep in Christ,” awaiting the resurrection. The word cemetery itself comes from the Greek koimeterion , meaning “dormitory”—a place of sleep, not of death. If you have the ashes of a loved one at home, please contact us; we will gladly assist you in arranging a proper burial. Here in our town, we are blessed to have three excellent funeral homes with compassionate and capable staff who can help you with any questions and guide you through the process. I hope this reflection helps you better understand the beauty and meaning of the funeral Mass—a sacred act of love, faith, and hope in the resurrection. God Bless, Fr. Steven