From Father Steven - January 14, 2024

Father Steven Clemence • January 12, 2024

 

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

 

Next week we will have the annual National March for Life in Washington DC. It is important to understand that it is not a protest, but rather a manifestation of life. This particular event is focused on the right to life of the unborn babies. However, the Pro-Life movement goes beyond an “anti-abortion” ambition. It is a matter of defending all sorts of life, from conception to natural death, including the support of those who are destitute and in need of help.

 

The March for Life began 51 years ago when the US Supreme Court ruled a constitutional right to terminate any pregnancy. Then it was up to each state to legislate this right according to their constituents’ representatives. Some states were very broad in their approval terminating pregnancies almost to the last weeks of gestation, while others were stricter allowing the procedure up to 14 weeks. The March is an opportunity to voice the right to life of the unborn. The very beginning of the Declaration of Independence states that “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain UNALIENABLE RIGHTS, that among these are LIFE, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Therefore, everyone has the right to live, whether they are in the wombs, in jail, or at the end of their lives. When a person is in a tremendous hardship, whatever it may be, many times their judgment gets clouded and they desperately seek a solution for their problem. In this case, the greatest help they could receive is not to accomplish their desire, but rather to enlighten them in the best course of action in the long run. Therefore, the March raises the question if ending a pregnancy is the best course of action for both the mother and the baby. It is NEVER a matter of passing judgment on anyone. It is a matter to support those in need.

 

Usually the right to life in the womb draws more attention than the rest of the pro-life issues. However, the other issues such as assisting those in distress are also very important. Here in the parish our task force is still accessing the needs of the refugees who are being hosted in the hotels in the city. Last week we were able to purchase $1,000 in supermarket gift cards to help the families to buy food. (Their resources are quite limited). They still have more needs. As soon as we identify and have a strategy, we will ask the parish for help as well. We also provided help for the Marlboro Community Cupboard (food pantry) and Our Father’s Table in the past. These are all material needs that we can help them with. There are other needs that people have such as emotional support and more mental health needs that are more difficult to provide. Nonetheless, they are also very much needed. Another issue that is also important is the elderly. Many live in isolation, forgotten by their families, or even put aside in a nursing home. They also deserve our care and support. The week after Christmas, a group of about 30 parishioners visited a couple of elderly homes to sing to them and bring them the joy from Christmas. They were very much touched by the love that children, teenagers, and adults brought them. It took only a couple of hours of our lives, but the impact of it goes beyond any quantifiable number.

 

In front of these challenges, I would like to ask for your help in adding a small contribution to the above-mentioned problems. Surely there are many more issues than the ones we spoke about, and even these issues are much bigger than the space allows us. However, as Mother Teresa of Calcutta often said, “we cannot do great things, but small things with great love.” On Thursday, January 18th starting at 6pm, I would to INVITE YOU TO THE 24 HOUR ADORATION FOR LIFE until Friday 6pm. You can decide to whom you would like to pray. Everyone needs prayers, including the 53 pilgrims (mostly from High-School students) who will be on their way to the March for Life. Another way to support pregnant women in need will be next week when First Concern Pregnancy Resource Center from Marlboro will be doing a fundraising drive at the end of all the Masses. EVERY LIFE MATTERS! This is not a political statement, but an absolute truth. God created every person and endowed them with the sacred gift of life. Let us pray for all the brothers and sisters who are struggling in life. Let us do our part in this mission to love our neighbor.

 

God Bless,

Fr. Steven

 

From Father Steven - June 8, 2025

By Father Steven Clemence • June 6, 2025
Dear Brothers and Sisters, This weekend, we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost. We often associate this great solemnity with the coming of the Holy Spirit, the apostles gathered in the cenacle, and the tongues of fire descending upon them. While all of that is true, there is much more depth to this feast. To better understand its significance, we must first look back to the Old Testament, in the Book of Exodus, and then reflect on how this celebration speaks to each of us personally. The Feast of Shavuot—also known as the Feast of Weeks—commemorates the manifestation of God at Mount Sinai, where He gave the Law to the people of Israel. Through the Ten Commandments, God handed them a Way of Life . According to Jewish tradition, this was an expression of God’s love for His people. The Law was never meant to limit us with a list of do’s and don’ts, but rather to guide us toward true happiness and eternal life. However, due to Original Sin, we often mistrust God’s ways. We see anything that restricts our desires as a burden, leading to thoughts like, “I have to do this,” or “I should do that, but I can’t.” The reality is quite the opposite: every law of God should be interpreted as, “This is what will make me happy.” Take for example: “Love one another as I have loved you.” Only by living this way can we be truly happy and saved. The Prophet Jeremiah foretold that, when the Messiah comes, God would reveal Himself again—not by writing the Law on tablets of stone, but by writing it on our hearts (Jer 31:33). And that is precisely what happened in Christ: the Law of God is now written by the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, who speaks directly to our hearts. Jesus promised that the Spirit would remind us of all He taught (John 14:26), and the heart of His teaching is love—for God and for our neighbor. The Holy Spirit gives us God’s love . This love, revealed in Jesus Christ, is new: it does not resist evil, but forgives; it prays for those who persecute; it loves those who are hard to love. On our own, we cannot love this way. At best, we can tolerate those who hurt us. But forgiveness? That’s divine. True forgiveness is not simply “letting go,” but praying for those who wound us—just as Christ did on the Cross: “Father, forgive them.” The Holy Spirit comes to give us this love. If we want to be Christians—Christ-like—we desperately need the Holy Spirit. On our own, we cannot love like this. St. Paul, in his Letter to the Romans, recalls Psalm 44, saying that we are like sheep led to the slaughter. And in truth, this happens every day. We all face moments, big or small, that cause us suffering. In those moments, we need God’s love, because we cannot carry the cross on our own. That’s why it is so important to ask for the Holy Spirit! St. Paul also writes, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed... struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies” (2 Cor 4:8–10). In other words, this Pentecost , God wants to manifest His love for the world through us . So I invite you: ask for God’s help. Welcome the sweet Guest of our soul. Ask the Holy Spirit to renew the face of the earth through love. Ask for His fruits: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, modesty, and chastity. Only with His help can we become holy .  God Bless you all, Fr. Steven

From Father Steven - June 1, 2025

By Father Steven Clemence • May 30, 2025
Dear Brothers and Sisters, You may have seen news reports about immigration officers arresting immigrants in Martha's Vineyard. This is happening across Massachusetts, including here in Marlborough. While I do not wish for this letter to be political or to focus on what is right or wrong, I do feel compelled to share with you what is happening to some of our parishioners here at IC. Initially, immigration officers (ICE) were arresting immigrants with criminal records or those involved in criminal activity. Many people in the Metro West area, including Marlborough, were affected. When ICE arrived to arrest these individuals, anyone undocumented in the household was also detained. These additional arrests were referred to as "collaterals"—unintended, but still a reality. Then, around Easter, a troubling shift occurred: individuals with no criminal record, nor deportation orders, began to be arrested. Multiple parishioners, who have families, pay taxes, and have never even received a parking ticket, were taken into custody. This triggered a wave of fear within the immigrant community. People began fearing deportation to their home countries. Good, hardworking individuals—some of whom may have sat next to you at Mass, sang at the trilingual Masses, or volunteered to help with church repairs—started to panic. Daily videos of arrests began circulating within the community, only deepening their fear. Some lost their jobs out of fear of leaving their homes; others lost employment because their employers were detained. Many now work with the constant fear that they could be pulled over and never return home. As a consequence of the fear, the Brazilian Festival that we have every year, with 10,000 people coming last year, is uncertain. I want to emphasize again that this letter is not a critique of the current administration, nor is it about politics. My intention is to share the current state of some of our people. Numerous families have reached out to the parish seeking letters of recommendation, legal assistance, financial support, and moral encouragement. After being detained for up to three weeks, some were granted a court hearing where they were able to post bail and regain their freedom. Others remain detained. This is an incredibly difficult time for our immigrant community. Many left their countries seeking refuge from hardship, with the hope of building a better future for their families. I hope you read last week's bulletin, where Archbishop Henning spoke about the positive contributions of the Portuguese community in the United States. The same can be said about our Latino population. I ask for your prayers and support for these families. We do not know how long everything will last, and Marlborough in particular, but they are here nearly every day. I know some of the parishioners who have been detained, and I can assure you that they have done nothing wrong—other than trying to build a better life, just as many immigrants have done throughout the history of this country. As Christians, we are called to care for the poor, the orphan, and the alien. The parable of the Good Samaritan reminds us of our duty to help those in need. As a parish, we are working to provide resources to support those who come to us. Along with St. Vincent de Paul, who have always assisted those in need, we also need financial help to support these families. One case involves a person who was detained, leaving behind a wife who is 32 weeks pregnant, along with their 6-year-old son. Several parishioners have already stepped forward to help this family, but it takes a village. When you come to Adoration, whether in the morning (6:30–7:30 a.m.) or in the evening (6:00–7:00 p.m.), please pray for these families. When you pray your Rosary, remember those who are incarcerated. When you come to Mass, pray for those sitting next to you. Besides prayer, if anyone is also able to contribute to the costs of supporting these families, please contact the parish office. As Christ loved us to the end, let us also love one another. God Bless,  Fr. Steven
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