From Father Steven - July 13, 2025

Father Steven Clemence • July 11, 2025

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

 

This weekend we will hear the story of the Good Samaritan. We all know the story—but do we act as the Good Samaritan?

There are some stories in the Bible that we are so familiar with that we could almost recite them backwards. The danger of becoming too familiar with a story is that it no longer impacts us. We can become numb to the message of Jesus. I would like to offer three thoughts to help us meditate on this Gospel passage.


First, the geography is very important. The story takes place on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. Therefore, all the characters had just been in the presence of God in the Temple in the Holy City. To bring this into our daily context, it would be as if people had just left Mass. After praying to the Lord, they encounter a victim. Can you imagine—after listening to the commandment of love, they are given the opportunity to put it into practice, but they bypass it?


Second, the characters in the story are not horrible people. According to Jewish precepts, if someone touched a corpse, they would become ritually impure. Perhaps they didn’t want to defile themselves. Maybe they didn’t have time to return to Jerusalem to go through the rite of purification. Or perhaps they thought the victim was already dead, or they were simply in a rush. In other words, there could have been a “reasonable” or “justifiable” excuse not to help the needy person.


Third, the Samaritans were not on good terms with the Jews. Due to a historical event long ago when the Israelites were taken into exile, their rivalry had deep roots. It would be like the Red Sox and the Yankees, or Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland—they really didn’t like each other. That is why the Samaritan is called “good.” Since Samaritans were generally viewed negatively, this one stood out as “good.” However, this hostility did not stop our Samaritan friend from helping his neighbor. Though they all believed in the same God, not all acted like God. Jesus tells us that all the Law is summed up in love of God and neighbor. We can all know what is right and wrong, like the characters in the Bible. The real question is: do we excuse ourselves like the priest and the Levite, or do we act like the Samaritan?


As we approach the Lord at Mass this weekend, let us not be mere consumers. Quite the opposite—let us be re-energized and do what the Lord has done for us. As we witness Christ giving His life for us in His Body and Blood, let us do the same. “Love one another as I have loved you” (Jn 13:34). This command “is something very near to you, already in your mouths and in your hearts; you have only to carry it out,” as we hear in the first reading.


Finally, I would like to highlight a couple of things. This Sunday, 7/13, some parishioners will be holding a fundraiser for a group of 50 pilgrims who will attend the Youth Jubilee in Rome this summer. They will host a ticketed Spanish Rock Concert at 3 p.m., either in Meehan Hall or in the parking lot (donations can also be sent to the parish office).


We are also promoting the Catholic Fest event next weekend. There will be food and games in the parking lot. We’ll also have Sean Forrest, a singer and missionary, sharing his amazing witness from 2–3:30 p.m. (in the church). I hope you can stop by on Saturday, July 19th, from 11 a.m. to

6 p.m.



Let us not miss these opportunities to support our parish—and to love one another!

 

God Bless,

Fr. Steven

 

From Father Steven - May 31, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • May 29, 2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters, This year our nation celebrates the 250th anniversary of its independence. Many celebrations have been taking place throughout these past months and will continue in the months ahead. The Catholic Church is also organizing events to mark this important milestone. A National Eucharistic Pilgrimage began in St. Augustine, Florida, and will travel through several cities significant to the history of the United States. Boston will host three days of the National Pilgrimage. On Friday, June 26, there will be celebrations in Plymouth. On the following day, there will be a Eucharistic Procession along the Freedom Trail, beginning at Boston Common at 10:00 a.m., followed by Mass at 4:30 p.m. at the Cathedral. On the final day, there will be Mass, Adoration, and a procession in Lexington. We would like to organize a group from the parish to participate in some of these events. We will publish more information at a later date, but you may also find details online. Another important event will take place on Friday, June 12 . All the bishops of the United States have decided to dedicate our country to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Following their call and the encouragement of our Archbishop, we will also consecrate our parish and ourselves to the Sacred Heart. To prepare ourselves for this consecration, we will pray the Novena to the Sacred Heart in all three languages. We will pray the first day together on Wednesday, June 3 , after Benediction at 7:00 p.m. (The novena prayers will be available at the entrances of the church beginning this weekend.) We will conclude the novena and make the Act of Consecration on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Friday, June 12 , also at 7:00 p.m. It will be similar to the consecration to Mary that we made last December. Although many people have seen the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus—such as the statue to the left of the main altar—some may not be familiar with the devotion itself. In 1673, during a time when the world had grown cold and had forgotten the tenderness and mercy of Christ’s love, Jesus appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque on the feast of St. John in Paray-le-Monial, France. He revealed to her His Heart burning with love for humanity. In these visions, Jesus asked her to spread devotion to His Sacred Heart and instructed her on how the devotion should be practiced. The devotion as we know it today is largely based on these revelations to St. Margaret Mary. Jesus’ profound love for us is demonstrated through His willingness to sacrifice His life for our sake. The love flowing from His Heart motivated all His actions—His inner life manifested in His virtues, compassion, and sacrifice. Yet this great love is often met with indifference and ingratitude, even among the faithful. The purpose of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is to focus our hearts on receiving and returning His love with gratitude—with all our heart, soul, and strength—so that He may be glorified. From a theological perspective, consecration is not considered magic, protection from all hardship, or a guarantee of prosperity. Rather, its purpose is surrender, transformation, and the alignment of our lives with Christ’s love by becoming more patient, forgiving, compassionate, and self-giving toward others. On a different note, NEXT SUNDAY we will celebrate our annual trilingual Corpus Christi Mass at 11:00 a.m. There will be no 9:00 a.m. or 1:00 p.m. Mass that day. We will gather outdoors in the parking lot—rain or shine—to celebrate the greatest gift: the true Body and Blood of Christ. After Mass, we will process with the Blessed Sacrament through downtown Marlborough, singing and praising God. This year the procession will coincide with the car show, so please plan ahead and arrive early to find parking. Hopefully, as in past years, we will have a large crowd. If there are volunteers who would like to help with the sawdust carpet, please arrive around sunrise. God Bless you all, Fr. Steven

From Father Steven - May 24, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • May 22, 2026
A Call to Pray for Priests Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, This weekend, as we celebrate Pentecost, we are all called to be with the Virgin Mary and the apostles praying in the Cenacle for the revelation of God through the Holy Spirit. A long-time parishioner has asked me to share with you a letter she wrote about a special ministry that she is promoting here in the parish. Please read her letter below. God Bless, Fr. Steven =============================== How privileged we are as a parish to have celebrated recently the ordination of Father Javier. What a joy and gift a priest is to God’s people! Priests accompany us at some of the most intimate, joyful and difficult moments of our lives. These self-sacrificing shepherds, our brothers, carry not only the full weight of our burdens but their own as well….please pray for them. We parishioners have a great privilege and duty, out of love, to pray for priests, especially those who serve us so tirelessly and unselfishly here at Immaculate Conception Parish. We all need prayer. It is the start of holiness. No one can become a saint without praying. Our priests need prayer too! They are our brothers along with us on this path to holiness, all as members of The Body of Christ with Jesus as the Head. On Friday, June 12th, the Church will celebrate the World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests on the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. How grateful I am for this day to remind us to pray for our priests. Recently I was introduced to a beautiful apostolate dedicated to praying for priests: The Seven Sisters Apostolate. The Seven Sisters Apostolate is a call to strengthen the Church by ensuring that a Holy Hour is prayed each day of the week for the sole intention of a specific priest or bishop, a “holy wasting” (cf. Mt. 26:10) or lavishing of prayer for his deeper conformity to Christ. Seven women each commit to one holy hour a week on a specific day, praying exclusively for a particular priest and his priesthood for one year: A Seven Sister, One Holy Hour, One Day, One Priest, Each week, One Heart of Prayer. Since its founding in 2011, Seven Sisters has established sisterhoods praying for bishops and priests worldwide. The ultimate goal is for every priest and bishop in every diocese to have a sisterhood covering them in prayer. Each group is started by an Anchoress who recruits members, passes on needed information, and communicates the existence and intentions of the group to the particular priest. There are also opportunities for men to support this apostolic work by substituting for Sisters to make a holy hour and also by fasting on one given day a week for the priest. I have always prayed for priests but not in this particular way. I think my attraction to the Seven Sisters Apostolate is the fruit of my prayers and nudges from the Holy Spirit during the many hours of Adoration and opportunities for confession I have enjoyed here in our parish. Everyone can pray for priests. You do not need to belong to any kind of group or apostolate, although that is an encouragement for keeping one’s commitment to pray. Keep on with your prayers without ceasing. Pray every day for God’s priests who suffer the same struggles, temptations, discouragements and sorrows that we all do. Wrap them in your prayers, fasting, and sacrifices. Beg the Blessed Virgin Mary to keep them pure and holy for her son, Jesus Christ. You only need to do it.  There will be a Q&A meeting for those interested on Wednesday, May 27th at 7:00pm in the Upper Church. If you would like to find out more about The Seven Sisters Apostolate visit their website: www.sevensistersapostolate.org or email Christine Lehane: cmolehane@gmail.com .