From Father Steven - February 18, 2024

Father Steven Clemence • February 16, 2024

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

 

In the year of the Eucharist we began this initiative of 24Hr Adoration to help us to get closer to Jesus present in the Eucharist. Now, we try to have it once a month in our parish, besides the first Friday all day and our early morning daily adoration (6:30am-7:30am) before daily mass. There are some people who have approached me lately asking questions on what to do during adoration, or how to pray in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Here are a few tips for you.

 

First, there is never a “wrong way” to pray. The holy monks (fathers of the desert) always said that we pray by praying. Every sort of prayer counts. Whether they are recited or from our hearts, whether on the beach, driving, or at church, whether by yourself or with other people, whether using the correct words or from your hearts. Prayer is every sort of communication with God. Even when someone cuts you on the road and you exclaim, “Holy Jesus, Mary and Joseph, have mercy on me.” Indeed, I tell people that have problems by saying the name of the Lord in vain to add a petition after saying OMG, and it turns a sin into a prayer.


Second, before we pray we need some quiet time to gather our thoughts in order and to let the worries out of our head. That is why it is always good to arrive 10 minutes before mass to prepare our hearts for what we are about to do. The same with adoration. Allow some minutes when you arrive to settle down your mind and heart. Don’t worry about the rest of the world. You are in the presence of the Lord himself. Let him worry about it for a second. Then (or as a way to calm your heart) you may thank God for the graces received that day or that week or that month. Realizing the awesomeness of God, it helps us to open our hearts to receive the graces that he has in store for us. If you get distracted in prayer, just get back from your thoughts and get going again. Don’t be discouraged…it happened to the saints as well!

 

Third, invite the Holy Spirit into your heart. You can recite, “Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love…” prayer or you can make your own. Repeat it a few times pausing between one and the other. Have the intention to receive the Holy Spirit, the sweet guest of our soul. Then you can follow with the prayer of Samuel, “Lord, speak for your servant is listening.” By now you will be allowing the graces of God to enter your heart. You will experience peace and tranquility in your heart.

 

Fourth, you can choose whatever you want to meditate about. You can pray the Rosary meditating upon each of the mysteries (how God’s power of the resurrection can help you in your struggles, how Christ ascending to the Father is a sign that He is waiting for us, etc…). You can also read a passage from the Scriptures, I would recommend the Gospels. You can read that paragraph or two, and wonder in your heart, how that relates to what you are going through. Read it a second time, and then a third. You will see how there are some words that will pop out. Meditate, reflect on what they mean to you in front of your struggles, difficulties, whatever weighs upon you. Then do a moment of silence and let the Lord speak to you. Not always will the Lord speak to us, but most often He does, or at least guides us in your decisions and feelings.

 

Lastly, you can present before the Lord who is there listening to your petitions. Following the example of Jesus, we can say, “Lord, if it is your will, please _____ and there you add whatever petition you have. Whether something that the Lord enlightened you in prayer, your personal intentions, the intentions that you would like to pray regarding people around you, etc. It is always good to pray for the Pope, our Bishops, our priests, our parish community, those who have left the Church and those who never entered the church. It is also good to pray for the souls in purgatory and those who don’t have anyone to pray for them. After you conclude your prayers, just thank the Lord for that wonderful time with Him and whatever He may have revealed to you. Don’t forget to thank the Father and the Holy Spirit and Mary, who always works behind the scenes. 

 

This is only a suggestion. There are thousands of ways of praying. What is important is to pray. The way we pray is secondary. Blessed Carlo Acutis says “If we get in front of the sun, we get sun tans…but when we get in front of Jesus in the Eucharist, we become saints.” Let us take the opportunity this weekend to pray in our 24Hr Adoration, from 6pm on Sunday to 6pm on Monday. Bring your children, although if they are little, I would not have them sit for 1hour…but incrementally you can get there! Be assured of my daily prayers to you and your loved us! Together we can all be saints! 

 

God Bless, 

Fr. Steven

 

From Father Steven - October 18, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • October 16, 2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters, This week, we continue our observance of Respect Life Month in October. This weekend, I would like to share with you the importance of caring for the sick and the dying. Facing an illness can be very difficult and full of fear. It does not have to be a life-threatening illness; even a simple medical exam that detects some levels that are too high or too low can already cause anxiety. That is why caring for the sick is so important, all the more so when there is a serious illness. Last week, I injured my wrist while playing soccer and found myself in the emergency room. Many things were going through my head as I contemplated the possibility of having a broken bone. I have broken many bones before, and it was never much of a big deal. However, this time, there was the possibility of surgery. Additionally, having my arm immobilized would make life very difficult. I cannot imagine what goes through the head of someone having open-heart surgery, a hip replacement, or some other more serious intervention. In light of the difficulties we can experience with our health, we are always invited to lean on the Lord. He is our strength and our consolation. For those facing a serious illness, especially when there is a risk to life, Christ has given us a special sacrament, namely, the Anointing of the Sick. It is meant to help the sick live through their illness with faith, sustained by the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, the sacrament has become known as the Last Rites or Extreme Unction. As a result, many people are afraid of receiving it, thinking that it means they are going to die. However, as its name indicates, the Anointing of the Sick is a sacrament for the sick, not only for those who are dying. It is best received when the person is still conscious and alert and can receive the sacrament with faith and devotion. Therefore, we encourage anyone who has a serious illness, or who knows someone who is seriously ill, to ask for this sacrament. Please do not wait until someone is at the point of death to call a priest. If you or a loved one is facing a serious illness or a significant decline in health, contact the parish office (or the local parish) so that we can offer the sacraments and spiritual support when they are needed. Moreover, in danger of death the Church mandates in Canon Law that the sick should be receiving Holy Communion more frequently while danger lasts. The strength of the Body of Christ can help the person remain strong in faith and trust in God. The Eucharist is also food for the journey home to the Father. Prayer for the sick is also very important. We earnestly ask that if you ever become sick or are admitted to the hospital, please call the parish office and let us know. An important part of our ministry is to pray for all of you, which we do daily before the Blessed Sacrament. However, it is especially meaningful when we can pray for a specific intention and a particular person. Although our resources are limited, the parish also has some ways to help those who are sick. Along with prayer, caring for the sick is very important, not only medically but also emotionally. We have all been sick before, and we know how frustrating and lonely it can be. It is easy to become sad when we feel weak, isolated, or dependent on others. A phone call, a flower, or some other gesture of kindness can go a long way in caring for the sick. I am always impressed by how gentle nurses can be with their patients. They understand that the way they treat and interact with a patient is one of the most important elements of care. We should do the same with those we know who are sick. Caring for the sick is not always about ending or removing their pain. Sometimes, it is about giving them the strength and love they need to carry their cross and follow in the footsteps of Christ on Calvary. By dying with Christ, they can also hope to rise with Him, as St. Paul teaches us. Finally, I would like to offer you a challenge for this week: reach out to someone who is sick, whatever the illness may be, and try to make a simple gesture of love toward that person. It does not have to be anything extraordinary. Sometimes, a small act of kindness can make a tremendous difference. Additionally, we must remember the caregivers. At times, caring for someone who is sick can be very difficult, demanding, and even overwhelming. Let us pray for them as well, reassure them that what they do is important, and let them know that they are not alone. As for my wrist, it should take six to eight weeks to heal. Hopefully, I will not need surgery! Your prayers are always welcome, as it is very difficult to keep up with the rhythm of parish life with only one hand. God Bless, Fr. Steven

From Father Steven - October 11, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • October 9, 2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Please see the letter below from our new Deacon Rich Kearns. Our parish is blessed to have Deacon Rich assigned to us. Please keep him and his family in your prayers. God Bless, Fr. Steven --------------------- Dear Brothers and sisters, my name is Deacon Richard (Rich) Kearns and just four weeks ago, on September 12, I had the great blessing of being ordained a permanent deacon by Archbishop Richard Henning at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston. I am deeply grateful that my first assignment is here at Immaculate Conception Parish. My wife Valerie and I have been part of this parish community since St. Ann’s closed in 2004. Over the years, we have been blessed to serve in many ways, including bringing Holy Communion to the homebound, sick, and those in assisted living and rehabilitation facilities. I grew up on Long Island, New York, and later moved to Arizona, where I met Valerie while we were both engineering students at Arizona State University. We have been married for 31 years and have three adult daughters. I spent more than 30 years working in the high-tech industry, primarily with Intel and later The MathWorks, before retiring in 2025. My journey toward the diaconate has been a long one. I first felt called to the diaconate while we were living in Arizona, but at that time our children were young and we were preparing to move to Massachusetts. I came to understand that the timing was not right. Many years later, during COVID, Valerie and I began bringing the Eucharist to people who could not come to Mass. Visiting them, listening to their stories, praying with them, and bringing them Communion renewed that call. The last five years of formation have been a tremendous blessing, and a tremendous challenge. I am grateful to the Lord for guiding me through the academics and discernment. But I have come to realize that formation is not primarily about gaining academic knowledge. It is about the formation of the heart. Through this journey, God has changed me in ways I could not have accomplished on my own. As part of my pastoral formation, I also spent three months ministering at Old Colony Correctional Center. I was deeply moved by seeing some of the men take steps toward Christ and grow in their faith. Those who came to the chapel were each at a different point in their journey. Some were just beginning to seek God, while others were growing deeper in their faith. It reminded me that we are not so different from one another. We all come to Mass from different places in our own journey toward Christ. Since my ordination, I have felt a new responsibility to bring the needs, concerns, and prayers of this community to God, to intercede for you. Not because I am anything special, but because I now hold the people I serve differently in my heart. I have already had the joy of serving at several Masses and preaching, and over the coming weeks I will be rotating through our different daily and Sunday Masses so that I can meet more of you. One of the ministries closest to my heart is visiting those who cannot come to church and bringing them Christ in the Eucharist. Valerie shares that passion with me, and we look forward to continuing that ministry together. I am truly grateful to be here. Please pray for me as I begin this new chapter of service, and know that I will be praying for you. Your brother in Christ, Deacon Rich