From Father Steven - June 22, 2025

Father Steven Clemence • June 20, 2025

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

 

This week we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, commonly known as Corpus Christi. This feast is a longstanding tradition of the Church, which began in the 13th century in Italy following the Eucharistic Miracle of Orvieto. On this special occasion, I would like to reflect on the Real Presence of Christ in the consecrated host.


Fr. Peter of Prague, a German priest, was on a pilgrimage to Rome. While celebrating Mass in a small chapel in Bolsena, he began to doubt whether Christ was truly present in the consecrated Bread. As he pronounced the words of consecration—“Take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my Body, which will be given up for you”—the host began to bleed. Unsure of what to do and aware that Pope Urban IV was nearby in Orvieto, Fr. Peter brought the matter to his attention. The Pope listened to the priest’s account, granted him absolution, and sent emissaries to investigate. Once the facts were confirmed, the Pope ordered the Bishop of the diocese to bring the consecrated Host and the linen cloth, now stained with blood, to Orvieto. In a solemn procession attended by archbishops, cardinals, and other Church dignitaries, the Pope received the relics and placed them in the cathedral. The linen corporal, still bearing the bloodstains, is reverently enshrined and exhibited in the Cathedral of Orvieto to this day. Interestingly, Pope Urban IV had been involved in the Eucharistic Revival in Liège, Belgium, twenty years earlier—where the first celebration of Corpus Christi was ever observed. One year after the miracle of Bolsena, the Pope commissioned St. Thomas Aquinas to compose special prayers and a Mass for the feast and instituted the Solemnity of Corpus Christi for the entire Church. Inside our church over the next few weeks, we are displaying information—in all three languages—about other Eucharistic miracles from around the world. These accounts can deepen our faith and help us to better appreciate the mystery of the Eucharist.


 “A Christian is not obliged to believe in Eucharistic miracles,” As Monsignor Raffaello Martinelli explains. “However, Eucharistic miracles can encourage us to understand, appreciate, and love the Eucharist… They can help a person discover the mystery, the beauty, and the richness of the Eucharist. We must never forget nor fail to mention that the Eucharist is the true, great, inexhaustible daily miracle. It is indeed true that the most important and astounding miracle is the one that takes place whenever the Eucharist is celebrated, during which Jesus Christ is present in the Eucharist in a unique and incomparable way. He is present in a true, real, and substantial way—with His Body and Blood, with His Soul and Divinity. In the Eucharist, therefore, Christ is present sacramentally, under the appearances of bread and wine, whole and entire: God and Man (Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 282). In making His Sacrifice on the Cross present and actual, He becomes our food and drink—uniting us with Himself and with one another, and becoming our viaticum on our earthly pilgrimage toward our eternal homeland.”


As we celebrate Mass this weekend, I invite you to reflect on the importance of what happens at Mass—and on the Mass itself. If what we believe is indeed true, then we are called to approach the Eucharist with deeper reverence and preparation. Let us consider arriving a bit earlier, taking time to meditate and prepare spiritually, dressing appropriately, and maintaining a posture of reverence during the liturgy. One essential way to prepare is through the Sacrament of Confession. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church §1385 teaches, anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must receive sacramental absolution in Confession before receiving Holy Communion, because receiving the Eucharist in a state of mortal sin is a sacrilege. May this celebration be a true Eucharistic Revival—for our parish and for each of us personally.

 

God Bless,

Fr. Steven

 

From Father Steven - July 5, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • July 2, 2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters, As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the independence of the United States, I would like to reflect with you on the words, “One Nation under God.” I am not sure how much these words have meant in your life. They can be one of those expressions that we hear all the time but never stop to reflect on their meaning. I confess that I did not have time to research their historical origins as I usually do. However, these words have always impressed me because they are proclaimed publicly as part of the foundation of this country. To be ONE nation requires a unity that does not come from men alone. Unfortunately, because of original sin, there is always mistrust among people. There is also the temptation to take advantage of one another for personal gain. God inspired the Founding Fathers to live the apostolic life, that is, in communion with one another. Only Christ is capable of changing the human heart so that we may truly love one another. Therefore, whenever suspicion arises, only love can overcome it. It is the love of Jesus, who, though He is God, made Himself the Lamb in order to give us His life. He taught us that the true way is not to reign through power. Rather, true victory comes through the humility and love manifested on the Cross. While hatred and jealousy condemned Christ to the Cross, His love forgave and redeemed us. Finally, if we are to be ONE nation, love must reign in our hearts. At this moment, when politics and ideologies have polarized and divided our people, we are called to be signs of Christ's love, like the Lamb who is capable of uniting one person with another.  The second part of the sentence is also very important. To be “under God,” we must submit ourselves, our plans, and our expectations to Him. The moment we surrender everything we have to God, He can transform it according to His design of mercy. As much as we may desire holy things, God says through the prophet Isaiah: “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Is 55:8–9). Yet, there are times when we hold on to our own plans for dear life. We believe that we know what is best for ourselves and for those around us. How many discussions have we heard in which people passionately defend what should or should not be done? And how many conversations have we heard about people sincerely discerning God's will and asking Him for wisdom to understand and accept His plans? I do not mean any disrespect, but even Jesus, in His humanity, struggled to accept the plan of God in the Garden of Gethsemane. Yet, in the end, He desired not His own will but the will of the Father. The Lord invites us to love Him with ALL our heart, strength, and life. In other words, He invites us to live under God with everything we are and everything we have. As Americans, we are also called to entrust our country and everything that is happening to God. Only He knows what is best for us in the long run. Only He sees the whole picture of what lies ahead. Therefore, He alone can prepare us for what is to come, so that His love may reign forever and His will may be done on earth as it is in heaven, beginning with us. As the Gospel tells us this weekend, we are also called to be grateful and thankful that God has revealed His mysteries to us, the little ones. If today you feel burdened and tired by everything that is happening in the United States—and throughout the world—then listen to His voice: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” Finally, let us learn from Him, who is meek and humble of heart. If anything is ever going to change, let it begin with us! God Bless, Fr. Steven

From Father Steven - June 28, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • June 26, 2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters, I hope you are doing well in these beautiful summer days! Please see the letter below from Fr. Victor about his experience here at Immaculate Conception. God Bless, Fr. Steven ============================== It is hard to believe that 24 months have already passed since I arrived here in Marlborough. Transitioning from a small but active parish in the Virgin Island to this huge and multi-cultural community was a “big & holy” shock for me. Life on the island moved with a gentle rhythm, but not here in IC. What impressed me right on my first day was the daily exposition of the Blessed Sacrament , an hour before the Mass. That means people start to come around 6:30 in the morning. It is not just a handful of 5-10, but an average of 30-50 people gathered every single morning is incredible. Even at the height of winter, maybe a third, but they still come. Again, astonishing are the number of couples receiving the sacrament of Matrimony . I am so happy & delighted to witness many weddings every month in our church. When I first arrived, the sacrament of confessions was 3 days a week. But last year during the Jubilee, the frequency was increased to 6. The schedule was adjusted after Easter, it is daily except Fridays & Sundays. Where are those penitents coming from? Being a multicultural community, we have Masses in English, Portuguese and Spanish. It is a great joy to be working with Stephen Hanley in OCIA [Order of Christian Initiation for Adults]. Through this ministry, I am reminded that everyone has their own unique faith experience and conversion stories to tell. I am so privileged to be a part in preparing them for the reception into the Catholic Church as well as the Sacraments of Confession, Eucharist and Matrimony. Truly, the Holy Spirit moves . I bring Holy Communion to our homebound brothers and sisters and administer the anointing of the sick when requested or necessary. Being with the sick together with their families reminds me what it means to be a shepherd with his flock through every season of life. Periodically, I also celebrate the Mass at five nursing and assisted living homes. This ensures our beloved elderly, isolated and frail residents are provided spiritual nourishment, strength and healing. I am grateful for our pastor’s vision of deep understanding of our community’s needs particularly to our seniors. Thus, the “Friends in Faith” was formed. Very grateful, as it came with 4 ladies: Margaret, Christine, Nancy and Delma equipped with their kindness, generosity, knowledge and expertise we began to “navigate” our way. We meet every 2nd Tuesday of the month. Activities vary, from getting to know the saints to topics that will enrich our faith. But most important of all is that we are able to interact with one another, build friendships, find some sense of belonging and family , and time to pray with someone and for one another. So far, we had 2 field trips, like a “mini-pilgrimage.” Last September Stephen H. organized an enriching trip aimed at tracing the early beginning of the Catholic Church in Boston. We visited many historical places and ended at the Holy Cross Cathedral. This June, we went to St. Benedict Abbey at Still River in Harvard, MA. Their collection of relics of saints is something to behold. It was like being “ in heaven while on earth,” surrounded by hundreds of saints. On both occasions, we concluded with the celebration of the Mass as our expression of praise & thanksgiving to God. I am always excited to see our diverse community gather together for a big feast as the Solemnity of Corpus Christi , the Body of Christ. The colorful sawdust carpet by our talented parishioners in front of our church, is not only a labor of love but a testimony of creativity . It was simply awesome! Our tri-lingual Mass in English, Spanish & Portuguese, followed by the Eucharistic procession ended at the foot of Immaculate Conception Church. The procession spoke beautifully, yet boldly of our core belief that Jesus Christ is truly present in that “small piece of host” - body, blood, soul & divinity. Jesus has kept his promise, “I will always be with you.” This very act reminds me of our spiritual journey towards our true home with God. For all these immense gifts, I bless God. Likewise, no word is enough to express my gratitude to all of you, truly our God is amazing! God Bless, Fr. Victor