From Father Steven - June 16, 2024

Father Steven Clemence • June 14, 2024

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

 

This weekend we celebrate Father’s Day! We are grateful to have Fr. Victor join our parish. Please see the letter below from Fr. Victor. Happy Father’s Day!

 

God Bless,

Fr. Steven

 

My Dear Parishioners,

 

I am your new priest in town. I flew in last week early morning at 12:40 AM from St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. My name is Fr. Victor Vitug. I was born and raised in the Philippines. My parents are Juanito Vitug & Leonila Luna, both are deceased. I still have 7 living siblings.

 

I entered the seminary when I was 57. It was a late vocation, actually “very late.” I was the one found by the Lord standing ‘idle’ almost at the closing hour. Basically, I see my life in the gospel of St. Matthew where the owner started calling for workers for his vineyard. He began at nine in the morning, then recruited some more at noon time and at 3:00 in the afternoon. And not wanting to miss anybody, he came back at the last hour, where he saw me standing and waiting.

 

For all my life, I was such a fool, having all the things I wanted but my life was empty. All I desired was to be happy, but I found myself in search of happiness in the wrong places and things. I was looking for money, fame, success and enjoying whatever life can give me. Going out for fun and doing basically what I want to do.

 

So immediately after graduating from college in 1973, wanting to gain experience, I got myself a job in the bank. I was hopping from one industry to another. From banking to Pharmaceuticals to transportation-shipping industry to the Airline, then to Hotel Industry and finally settled with the Insurance industry. It was a long and tortuous journey, but was necessary in order for me to discover the love of God. He was patiently waiting for the right moment. He never gave up on me. He never ceased loving me. And the best part, he kept pursuing me like a true lover until finally surrendered myself to him and welcomed the kind of love he has for me. I understood what St. Augustine meant when he wrote, ‘my restless heart, found rest in him, simply because we were made for him.’ At hindsight, responding at the last hour was actually the “perfect” time for me. There could be no other hour for me than that. Thanks to the community I joined 32 years ago, it was very instrumental in leading and showing me the mission the Lord has prepared for me today.

 

At 67, I was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Boston at the Holy Cross Cathedral in May 2019, together with 12 men. My first assignment was at Reading, Massachusetts at the St. Agnes and St. Athanasius for two years. Then I was a hospital chaplain briefly before I was sent to the Virgin Islands where I served as Parochial Vicar for two years. My pastor was Fr. Andrea Fillippuci who used to be one of your priests sometime ago. Still strong and walking at 72, Cardinal Sean O’Malley sent me here to Immaculate Conception to continue my mission. Together with Fr. Steven and Fr. Gabriel, our two young & energetic priests, may we continue to minister to all your spiritual needs and a witness of the love and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ in our lives.

 

Thank you for welcoming me to your “home.”

 

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Victor 

From Father Steven - May 11, 2025

By Father Steven Clemence • May 9, 2025
Dear Brothers and Sisters, This Sunday, as we hear the Gospel of the “Good Shepherd,” I invite you to reflect on another figure who cares for us with great devotion—our mothers. Mother’s Day offers a special moment to recognize their love and sacrifices. Yet, we don’t always take the time to truly appreciate them. Mothers are often like the Blessed Virgin Mary—not in the spotlight, but always present, working behind the scenes. They are attentive to the needs of others, making sure those around them are cared for. Their love goes beyond their immediate families and often extends to the broader community. As Mary “intercedes for us now and at the hour of our death,” so too do mothers, always watching, guiding, and supporting in ways seen and unseen. On this Mother’s Day, may we take time to be truly grateful. For those whose mothers are no longer with us, we carry them in our hearts. For those who are still among us, let’s show them our love, gratitude, and support. They don’t ask for much—just to be loved in return. Let’s also remember mothers who are struggling, offering our help through prayer, support, and respect. While they may not be perfect, they often give their all. We lift them up in prayer, asking our Blessed Mother to strengthen and bless them in their vocation to care for and sanctify their homes.  This week, Bishop Henning gathered all the priests of the Archdiocese of Boston for a meeting. He began by sharing his personal journey to Boston, speaking honestly about his initial hesitation and his trust in God’s call. He arrives without a fixed plan, choosing first to listen, observe, and learn. When asked about his vision for the future of the Archdiocese, he simply said: “to preach Christ crucified.” Bishop Henning aims to visit every parish within three years to better understand the local Church before making major decisions. He emphasized the vital role of priests, recognizing both their dedication and the challenges they face. His goal is to support—not replace—the pastoral work already being done. He stressed the importance of unity, fraternity, and mutual support among clergy. He also noted hopeful signs of spiritual revival, especially among young people. He encouraged improved communication, including greater engagement through social media, parish bulletins, and promotion of The Pilot . He addressed concerns about parish finances, real estate, and the burden of taxation, announcing plans to form a commission to oversee real estate matters. Recognizing the concentration of authority, he expressed his intention to delegate more responsibility moving forward. Other priorities include addressing the cost of Catholic school tuition, strengthening the seminary, forming an Archdiocesan Pastoral Council, and reviving parish-based philanthropy. He emphasized the importance of safe environments in our parishes to protect both children and adults. On political matters such as immigration and legislation that contradicts our faith, he promised to address these thoughtfully—not through direct confrontation, but in ways that can be more effective and pastoral. He concluded by inviting feedback from clergy and encouraging them to support one another in joy and unity as they serve the mission of Christ. Brothers and Sisters, we each have our own mission, and we also share in Christ’s mission to love and to save souls. Let us encourage and help one another, especially those most in need of God’s mercy. May our Blessed Mother continue to intercede for us and care for us all. Happy Mother’s Day! God Bless, Fr. Steven

From Father Steven - May 4, 2025

By Father Steven Clemence • May 2, 2025
Dear Brothers and Sisters, This is a joyful weekend for our parish family! Our children will be receiving their First Holy Communion, our seminarian Javier will be ordained a deacon, and we are awaiting the election of our new Holy Father. Every time we celebrate First Communions, we are reminded of the beauty and significance of this sacrament. As we reflect on the many blessings of Pope Francis’s pontificate, I am reminded of a homily he once gave on the Feast of Corpus Christi. In it, he spoke of the “stupendous gift” of the Eucharist, warning us not to fall into the habit of receiving Christ in a passive or mechanical way. Can you imagine the joy of Japanese Catholics who received the Eucharist for the first time after more than 200 years? Or the martyrs who risked everything in places where having a priest was forbidden? We are encouraged to receive the Eucharist as if it were our first, last, and only time. This quote is often attributed to St. Thérèse of Lisieux, though surely many saints lived with this awareness in their hearts. It is truly a profound and special gift to receive Jesus Himself in the Eucharist. We rejoice with the children who will receive their First Communion this weekend— congratulations! We are also thrilled that our seminarian, Javier, will be ordained a deacon. As you may know, the diaconate is one of the final steps before priesthood. Javier will be ordained as a transitional deacon, which differs from a permanent deacon (who may be married). During this year, he will serve at the altar, visit the sick, baptize children, bury the dead, and carry out other duties as he prepares for priesthood. God willing, he will be ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Boston next year—just like Mateus. Speaking of Mateus, I encourage everyone to attend his priestly ordination . Archbishop Richard Henning will ordain him on the morning of Saturday, May 17 , at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston. Our parish will be providing buses to make it easier for everyone who wishes to attend. Please see the next page for more details. This is a rare and grace-filled opportunity to witness the miracle of a man being conformed to Christ in the priesthood. We are blessed to have walked with them on their journey. Finally, many of you are following the news of the upcoming papal conclave . The conclave will begin this Wednesday, with all cardinals under the age of 80 gathering at the Vatican. They will begin with the celebration of Mass, invoking the Holy Spirit to guide their discernment. After taking an oath of secrecy, they will begin voting. A two-thirds majority is required for election. The cardinals cast their ballots in the Sistine Chapel, beneath Michelangelo’s Last Judgment . As each one votes, he prays: “I call as my witness Christ the Lord, who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one who before God I think should be elected.” If no one is elected, the ballots are burned and black smoke appears. When a candidate receives the necessary votes and accepts the call, white smoke rises from the chimney, and he chooses a papal name. Soon after, he will appear on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to be presented to the world.  I invite you to pray for the cardinals —that they may be guided by the Holy Spirit—and for the man whom God has chosen to lead His Church. Do not be misled by media speculation, which often distorts the sacredness of this process. I strongly discourage watching films like The Conclave , which falsely portray the Church as purely political. This is not a game of power—it is a work of the Spirit. God will give us the shepherd we need in this time, even if we don’t yet know who that is. Our Archbishop has invited us to “pray fervently that the Holy Spirit might guide the Cardinal Electors in their discernment of the next Holy Father.” He also asks that we “pray each day for the man who will be elected and assume the burden of the office of Supreme Pontiff.” He is Peter in our midst, weak, poor, like all of us, but with the heart decided to love Christ as he can as we hear in this weekend’s Gospel. God Bless, Fr. Steven
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