From Father Steven - January 5, 2025

Father Steven Clemence • January 3, 2025

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

 

Please see the letter below from Fr. Gabriel.

 

God Bless You & Happy New Year!

Fr. Steven

_______________________________________

 

Dear Parishioners of Immaculate Conception,


 I pray that you’ve been able to see the Lord’s goodness during this time of Christmas. Too often is our Celebration cut off immediately after December 25th, when in fact, there are twelve days of celebration that follow. And as the feasting continues, we come now to the Solemnity of the Epiphany. 

 

Epiphany is a word that has Greek roots meaning appearance or manifestation. It’s on this day that we celebrate the arrival of the Three Magi who, according to tradition, are named Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar. These three wise men come in search of a King’s birth, heralded by a star, and to their surprise, they find him, The Christ child, laid in a manger. The three Kings bear three gifts, Gold, frankincense and Myrrh. Three costly presents for the newborn king, each pointing to his identity and his destiny. Jesus receives gold at the hands of the Magi, because it symbolizes that he is royalty; he is the true king of Israel. He also receives frankincense, because incense is always burned and offered to Divinity, and Jesus is truly God, hidden in the appearance of a child. Finally, they give him myrrh, which was used to anoint the dead; this points to Christ’s humanity, and that he is destined to die for the salvation of all men. 

 

This also points us in the direction of understanding just why this Solemnity is so important. The arrival of the Three Kings to Bethlehem, marks Jesus’ manifestation to all the nations. That the whole world comes to be united under its one, true king, Jesus Christ. It is important to also remember that these Magi were united on their journey to Jesus Christ by that great star that the Lord placed in the sky.

 

This celebration should be especially dear to us, because its spiritual significance is shown to be true in our parish. This star that shines brightly in the sky can be understood to be the Church, who guides us and leads us to the hidden presence of Jesus Christ who we come to bow before in the Eucharist, just as the Kings bowed before Jesus in Bethlehem. Moreover, we see that it is all nations that are united under this tender little King; just consider all the different languages and cultures that are brought together in our Church, encompassing so many nations and they are all being brought along this journey of faith by this star, that is the Church, to Jesus Christ who is waiting for us every Sunday at mass. 

 

It is also essential to recognize that when we heed the wisdom of the Church, and practice the forgiveness that Jesus brings to us within our homes too, we experience a greater unity, where we can set all differences aside and start anew. That is to say that even as families we are called to follow this star and bow before Christ, because he is the true source of communion among those closest to us, as well as those who we are not so familiar with.

 

The deeper we come in relationship with Christ, the more our life reflects those stories that we hear about in scripture. The Lord desires to instill in each of us that same joy the Magi received at the sight of our Lord. And so I invite all of you to see your faith life with biblical eyes, make the same journey to Bethlehem this weekend, accompanied by the three Kings, to find the hidden presence of Jesus Christ, placed under the light of the star that is the Church, that we may rejoice in the unity that he brings by coming to live among us.

 

God Bless You & Happy New Year!

Fr. Gabriel

 

From Father Steven - September 14, 2025

By Father Steven Clemence • September 12, 2025
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Saint Augustine defines sacraments as visible signs of an invisible reality. We have all heard about the sacraments and we know them, but we do not always fully understand what they mean. This week, I would like to reflect with you a bit more on the sacraments. God has chosen specific ways to share His divine nature with us. There are concrete actions which, when carried out with the right intention and proper form, bring about special graces for the recipient. The Catechism of the Catholic Church summarizes the definition of a sacrament as “efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each sacrament. They bear fruit in those who receive them with the required dispositions” (1131). That is a lot to take in, but each term is important. Let us begin with “efficacious.” It means that each sacrament has an effect on the recipient. We may not feel the effects immediately, but they are always there. Perhaps you have heard someone say they walked out of Mass the same way they came in. That is impossible! Even if we do not see or feel them, special graces are at work in our souls. Each sacrament imparts different graces. The seven sacraments were instituted by Jesus and entrusted to the care of the Church. No one has the power to change or modify them, not even the Pope; they are Christ’s gift to us. The sacraments are regulated by the Church in terms of who may minister them, how, and where they are celebrated. Their effectiveness does not depend on the personal holiness of the minister, but on the action itself and the openness of the recipient. As the Church teaches: the grace of the sacrament works by the action performed, not by the performer. This means our openness to sacramental grace is essential for the sacrament to bear fruit. If we close ourselves off, God respects our freedom. That is our greatest danger—that we can reject God’s grace. For example, when a couple chooses not to marry in the Church, they ultimately refuse the graces God desires to give them. Similarly, when someone sins and refuses to go to confession, God cannot forgive them, because they have chosen to remain apart from the sacrament of reconciliation. I do not intend to enter deeply into sacramental theology here, but I want to share these key ideas with you. This is also the time when our parish begins sacramental preparation. Whether a person is a child, a youth, or an adult, everyone can receive the sacraments with the proper preparation and instruction. Recently, our Archdiocese made a change regarding the Sacrament of Confirmation for teenagers: it is now offered in 7th grade. For younger children, we provide a two-year program for sacramental preparation. Our goal is not simply to “sacramentalize,” but to truly catechize—to form them in faith. The sacraments are the way to salvation. They make present here on earth the invisible reality of heaven that God longs to share with us. Therefore, if you or someone you know has not yet received one or more of the sacraments—Baptism, Eucharist (Communion), Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Orders, Reconciliation (Confession), or, for those in danger of death, Anointing of the Sick—this is the time to consider it. If someone is not Catholic but wishes to receive the sacraments—that is, to become Catholic—we also form a group each year for the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (formerly known as RCIA). Please see the religious education section of the bulletin for more information. Catechetical instruction is a volunteer based initiative. We are always in need of volunteers to help us. If you feel called to help in this important ministry, please call the office and let us know. Finally, we are resuming our Jubilee Talks after the summer break. They are offered every Wednesday at 7:00 p.m., following Adoration. Let us take advantage of the opportunities God places before us, and let us not refuse the graces that prepare us for heaven. God Bless, Fr. Steven

From Father Steven - September 7, 2025

By Father Steven Clemence • September 5, 2025
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Next Monday, 9/15, the Church will celebrate the memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows. In this jubilee year, we are called to console the sorrowing. The intention of our 7:30 a.m. daily Mass that day will be for all who are in need of consolation. Loss is never easy. If a dollar slips from our pocket, we feel upset—more so if it is $20 or $100. When what we lose carries emotional value, the pain is even deeper, because it cannot be replaced. Those are only objects, yet they can cause sadness. How much more difficult it is to lose a loved one. Even when illness makes death seem inevitable, it remains painful. Sudden loss is harder still. Moments of grief can weigh heavily, like a storm cloud blocking the sun. Mary, the Mother of Jesus, shared a profound bond between her Immaculate Heart and the Sacred Heart of her Son. She shared His joys, but also His deepest sorrows as she witnessed His suffering. I once read an exhortation on the EWTN website that said: “If you are enduring intense sorrow, flee to our Blessed Mother. Take refuge in her Immaculate Heart, and implore her maternal consolation and guidance. For she who endured unspeakable grief will never fail you as your spiritual mother. As St. Louis de Montfort said: If you put all the love of all the mothers into one heart, it would not equal the love of Mary’s Heart for her children.” Here in our parish, we will begin a bereavement ministry on October 14. Meetings will take place Tuesday evenings (time to be announced) in the lower church. Using a Scripture-based program, we will encounter the healing power of God’s Word. We invite you—or someone you know who is grieving—to come and be consoled by the Lord. Humanity has reached the moon, explored the depths of the sea, and advanced technology beyond imagination. Yet we still have no human answer to death. Only Christ holds that answer. We must listen to Him, encounter the Risen Lord, and discover that death is not the end. I also recommend My Son Carlo by Antonia Salzano Acutis, the mother of Saint Carlo Acutis. She testifies to the power of Christ and how He sustained her through the sudden loss of her son. I have only read the first chapter, and it is already inspiring. Whatever pain of loss you carry, God desires to console your heart and strengthen you to endure the storm. We never fully “get over” a loss, but we learn to live with it. Yes, it is hard, but not impossible. Please join us for the special Mass on Monday, 9/15, for all who need consolation. And remember, you are welcome to speak with one of the priests if you would like to share more about your loss. God Bless, Fr. Steven