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 - March 15, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • March 13, 2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Last week we heard the terrible news from the Diocese of Providence regarding the abuse of minors by clergy. Any form of abuse of minors is always despicable. In this particular case, not only is there the problem of the priests themselves, which would be unacceptable, but it seems that there were also problems in the hierarchy/administration as well. Once I heard an expression that portrays well this issue: one is way too many. Every victim counts. It is very unfortunate that so many cases of abuse happened in the past, and even worse when they happened in the Church, where it should be a safe place for every person. For many years, anything related to abuse was always a big taboo that no one ever spoke about, much less reported. In 2002, the Boston Globe reported the systematic abuse that happened in the Archdiocese of Boston for decades. The Church has failed its people. Even if there were only one single case, one is too many. With the arrival of Cardinal Sean O’Malley, many rules and procedures were adopted to guarantee the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops also changed their protocols to never allow any sort of omission of abuse. Mandatory training for all volunteers who have contact with children and yearly background checks for all volunteers are some examples of what was adopted. There was also some support offered to victims. However, there are more out there who have never reached out. The problem is far from its resolution. Although many changes have taken place in the Church, we must remain vigilant. Abuse remains a terrible reality in many parts of society—from schools to sports and other institutions—and the Church must always strive to be a place where children and vulnerable people are protected and safe. Nowadays, there is also a call to protect vulnerable people, such as the elderly and anyone with special needs. Although there is a policy that requires certain people to report any form of abuse to the authorities (mandated reporters), it is the duty of every person to protect their neighbor. I would like to plan a day or evening to offer training from the Archdiocese to everyone who would like to participate. There we can also explain all the efforts that are being made in the Church to promote a safe environment for anyone who comes to the parishes in the Archdiocese of Boston. On a related topic, for anyone who has suffered any sort of abuse, we also want to offer help. There can be a stigma that pushes victims away because of shame. A person can even feel guilty for having allowed such a thing. God is there to help us take things off our chest and from our souls. This can be expanded to other kinds of traumas that we keep only to ourselves. How many times have we heard in the past that people bring such things to their tombs? God is here to help us carry our burdens. We priests are also available to listen and offer whatever resources may assist anyone who is suffering. There is help that can be offered, whether through professional counselors, victim assistance, or independent resources. On the spiritual side, we do know that God heals our wounds, accompanies us in our journeys, and helps us carry our crosses. In moments like this, when human failures are so evident, we are reminded that our hope ultimately rests in Christ. Only He can help us live by His grace. Only He can console us when we are tired and burdened. Only He can bring us to green pastures to refresh our soul. Only He is the way, the truth, and the life. Let us then follow Him up to the Cross, because if we die with Him, we shall also live with Him. And if people need our help, let us not neglect their needs. Let us be there for them, to listen, or even hold their hands in their journey. No one should be left behind…no one.  God Bless, Fr. Steven

From Father Steven - March 8, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • March 6, 2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters, This week I would like to share with you a reflection of Pope Saint John Paul II from 2002. It is a beautiful reflection that allows us to dive deeper in the mystery of this weekend’s liturgy. "Lord ... give me this water, that I may not thirst " (Jn 4,15 ; cf. Gospel Acclamation). The request of the Samaritan woman marks a crucial turning-point in her long and intense conversation with Jesus that takes place at Jacob's well, near the city of Sychar. St John recounts it in today's Gospel. Christ asks the woman " Give me a drink " (v. 7). His material thirst symbolizes a far deeper reality: it expresses his ardent desire that his dialogue partner and her fellow-citizens will open themselves to faith. The Samaritan woman, when she asks Christ for water, is basically revealing the need for salvation present in every heart. And the Lord is revealed as the one who offers the living water of the Spirit, that satisfies forever the infinite thirst of every human being. The liturgy for this Third Sunday of Lent presents a splendid commentary on the Johannine episode when it says in the preface that Jesus " so deeply thirsted" for the salvation of the Samaritan woman that " he set on fire in her the flame of God's love ". The episode of the Samaritan woman charts the journey of faith that we are all called to pursue. Even today Jesus continues " to thirst ", namely, to desire humanity's faith and love. From our personal encounter with him, if we recognize and receive him as the Messiah, come our attachment to his message of salvation and the desire to spread it in the world. This is what happens in the rest of the Gospel passage. The bond with Jesus totally transforms the life of the woman who hurries without delay to proclaim the good news to the people in the nearby village: "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ? " (Jn 4,29). Revelation received with faith asks to become a word proclaimed to others, witnessed in the concrete choices of life. This is the mission of believers, coming from and growing in their personal meeting with the Lord. "Hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us " (Rom 5,5). The words of the Apostle Paul in the second reading refer to the gift of the Spirit, symbolized by the living water, that Jesus promises to the Samaritan woman. The Spirit is the "pledge" of the definitive salvation that God has promised to us. Man cannot live without hope. Many hopes go down when they crash against the rocks of life. However Christian hope "does not disappoint" because it is based on the solid foundation of faith in the love of God revealed in Christ. To Mary, Mother of hope, I entrust your parish and the Lenten journey towards Easter. May Mary, who followed her Son Jesus to the Cross, help us all to be faithful disciples of the one who makes well up in our hearts the water for eternal life (cf. Jn 4,14). God Bless, Fr. Steven