From Father Steven - June 9, 2024

Father Steven Clemence • June 7, 2024

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

 

Please see the letter below from Fr. Gabriel.

 

God Bless,

Fr. Steven

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

 

Leading up to my ordination, I was thinking back to my earliest memory of me ever considering the priesthood. I was probably no older than five or six and my father was asking my brothers and I what we wanted to be when we grew up. When it was my turn to respond, among wanting to be an astronaut, an artist and a pilot, I said I wanted to be a priest and to also get married. My Father then explained to me that I couldn’t become a priest and get married, but that if I did become a priest I would have many spiritual children in the Church. And now here I am some twenty years later, a newly ordained priest.

 

This memory and the last months in the seminary led me to reflect on the fatherhood of St. Joseph and his parallels with that of the priest. He was called to be a father who lived in continence and his child would not be of his own flesh and blood, but his fatherhood was nonetheless very real. And it doesn’t stop there, but as Saint Bernadine of Siena says, “he was chosen by the eternal Father as the trustworthy guardian and protector of His greatest treasures, namely, His divine Son and Mary, Joseph’s wife.” And so too the priest is entrusted with God’s greatest treasures, Christ in the Eucharist and the Church as a spouse, of whom Mary is the greatest image.

 

But thinking about this, rather than leaving me afraid of this responsibility, consoles me, because what also comes to mind is that even though he was not born without sin as were Mary and Christ, the Lord chose St. Joseph as the head of the Holy Family. Was God being irresponsible, could he not have fashioned someone faultless to do the job? But here we touch the mystery of God’s love; He entrusts us with precious gifts even when we are undeserving of them to discover that He loves us in spite of our sins. And by discovering his mercy, generosity and just how precious are the treasures He gives us, we are compelled to turn away from whatever keeps us from Him.

 

This leads me to see the priesthood as God’s way of sanctifying me. That as God led St. Joseph to holiness through his unique role as a father, the Lord desires to do the same with me by taking the Church as my spouse, with all of her children as my own through the priestly role as father. I cannot help but hear the words of the angel who spoke to St. Joseph as if they were addressed to me, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife.”

 

Although it has been only two weeks since I’ve been ordained, I have already been met with incredible warmth and gratitude. I am deeply grateful to all of you here at IC for your gifts, prayers and support. I have been moved by everyone’s excitement. But above all I am moved by what it stands for. It is evident to me that your happiness, more than simply being for my new life, comes from seeing my vocation as a testimony to the fact that God has not abandoned us. On the contrary, He continues to bring us his salvation and the forgiveness of sins. Your joy that has been expressed in heartfelt greetings, smiles and applause, I believe, really comes from knowing that Christ is still among us, shepherding his flock and leading it to heaven through the gift of the priesthood. I cannot thank you enough for your generosity and prayers. I look back with fondness at my diaconate year and look forward with eagerness to starting here as a priest.

 

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Gabriel Malachi Hanley

 

From Father Steven - April 5, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • April 2, 2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Happy Easter! The other day, Archbishop Richard Henning shared an example during the Chrism Mass that stayed with me: the image of a broken clock. While I will take the idea in a slightly different direction, it offers a helpful way to reflect on the meaning of Easter. A clock is a remarkable piece of craftsmanship. It is made up of springs, gears, dials, and wheels, all carefully designed and assembled. Once everything is in place, we call it a clock. It may come in different shapes, sizes, and styles, but its purpose is the same: to tell time. But what happens when it stops working? Do we still call it a clock? Is it only a clock when it functions properly? In a similar way, we can reflect on our own lives. Each of us has been wonderfully made, with a complexity far greater than any clock—our bodies, our minds, our souls, all working together in harmony. And we, too, have a purpose: to love. Yet there are times when we fail. There are moments when we struggle to love as we should. But do we cease to be who we are because of that? Of course not. Just as a broken clock is still a clock, we do not stop being children of God—created in His image and likeness—even when we fall short. This is precisely why Christ comes to us. Through His Resurrection, He does not simply “fix” us in a superficial way. He comes to restore us completely—to make us whole. He does not just replace a part or patch us up; He offers us new life. He gives us His Spirit, a life that can overcome sin, temptation, and despair. A clock cannot repair itself, and neither can we. We often think that if we just try harder, we can fix everything on our own. But what we truly need is the One who made us. We need God to restore in us what is missing. And He desires to do so—if only we allow Him.  The Gospel of the Resurrection tells us about Mary Magdalene going to the tomb of Jesus. She and the other women wondered who would roll away the stone. It seemed like an impossible obstacle. And yet, when they arrived, the stone had already been removed. The angel announced to them that Jesus was no longer among the dead. Later, Mary encountered the Risen Lord, though at first she mistook Him for the gardener. How often do we experience something similar in our own lives? We see obstacles that feel immovable—stones we believe we cannot roll away. But Easter proclaims to us today that the stone has already been moved. What seems impossible to us is not impossible for God. This message is like the voice of the angel speaking to each of us: do not be afraid. The Risen Christ is near. But we must be willing to seek Him. Among all those who knew Jesus, it was the women—those who went looking for Him—who first received the joy of encountering Him alive. It is not a matter of worthiness or merit, but of desire. Those who long for Christ, who seek Him, will find Him. Those who remain indifferent or closed off may miss the grace that is being offered. So today, we are invited to make a decision. Do we want to remain as we are, or do we want to be made new? Christ rose from the dead to give us a new life—life in abundance—for all who are willing to receive it. And this life is given so that we may love one another as He has loved us. Finally, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all who made these Holy Week celebrations possible: our staff, volunteers, musicians, and all who worked so generously behind the scenes. Please keep them in your prayers. And to all of you who have come today—whether you attend Mass every week or are here for the first time in a long while—know this: you belong here. This is your home. If there is anything we, as a parish, can do for you, please reach out. We may not be perfect, but we promise to give you our very best. Christ is Risen! Alleluia! He is truly Risen Alleluia, Alleluia! God Bless, Fr. Steven

From Father Steven - March 29, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • March 27, 2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Here we are in the most holy week of the year! I hope you had a fruitful Lent, preparing your souls for this moment. I would like to share a brief reflection with you for each day of this upcoming week.  You might have noticed last week that all the sacred images and statues were covered. The Church recommends covering them after the Fifth Sunday of Lent to help us focus more deeply on Christ and to heighten our longing for Easter Sunday. When we walk into the church and notice that things are different, we sense that something significant is about to happen. These final days of Lent are meant to be a time of preparation for the Sacred Triduum, and these veils serve as a powerful reminder to get ready. We begin Holy Week with the celebration of Palm Sunday. The technical name for this Sunday is “Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion.” As you may recall, we proclaim two Gospels: one recounting the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem at the beginning of Mass, and another, at the usual time, recounting the Passion according to one of the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, or Luke). These two passages are important, as they direct us toward Easter. They help us meditate on the events of Holy Thursday and Good Friday with hearts that long for the Resurrection of Christ. On Thursday, as we begin the Triduum, we celebrate the Lord’s Last Supper. Although it is often associated with the washing of the feet, there are two other essential elements to remember. The washing of the feet symbolizes fraternal love, as Christ loves and serves His disciples as His friends. At the Last Supper, we also celebrate the institution of the priesthood and the institution of the Eucharist. Not long ago, during the pandemic, we deeply missed receiving Communion. In this moment, we are reminded that Jesus gives us His Body and Blood as a gift to sustain us. During that time, we had to suspend the distribution of the Precious Blood, but now we are able to restore it. What better day to do so than the very day on which Jesus Himself instituted it? I encourage you to receive the Blood of Christ, not only because it is His desire, but also because the Church, especially since the Second Vatican Council, has affirmed that the faithful should have this opportunity. At the end of the celebration, we will process to the hall, where we are invited to keep vigil with Christ until midnight. On Good Friday, when Mass is not celebrated, we gather for the “Celebration of the Lord’s Passion.” In this service, we listen once again to the Passion, and we venerate the Cross of Jesus, as well as reflect on our own crosses. Jesus calls us to take up our cross and follow Him, though this is not always easy. On this day, we are invited to come forward to adore and kiss the Cross, trusting that Christ helps us carry our burdens. Finally, on Saturday evening (8:00PM) and Sunday morning (7:30AM and 11:00AM—there will be no 5:00PM Mass), we will gather to proclaim the Resurrection of Christ. As we accompany Him to the tomb and mourn His death, we will also come together to proclaim to the world that God is not dead—He is alive and desires to share His divine life with us. Last week, we heard St. Paul exhort us to live by the Spirit and not by the flesh. This is only possible if a new life is formed within us. That new life comes through the power of God, made present in the death and Resurrection of Christ. Just as God led His people from Egypt to the Promised Land, so too He desires to lead us into new life. Therefore, it is essential to approach these days with intentionality, striving to rise with Christ into a new life. God Bless, Fr. Steven