Dear Brothers & Sisters,
 
We are currently looking to expand our ministries here in the parish. Besides the ministries we have had for years (St. Vincent De Paul, Bible Study, Knights of Columbus, Cenacle, Adult Choir, Neocatechumenal Way), we are working to add a few more to the list. We are in the process of creating a Task Force to respond to the needs of the community, Hospitality ministry, youth group, talks for parents, series of lectures, and expanding our adult faith formation, among other things. However, this cannot be done without prayer. It is important to pray both for God to guide us, but also to ask God what our place in the parish should be.
 
Throughout the Bible we see stories of the characters who place their desires before God. Even Jesus at the Garden of Gethsemane tells God, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will.” (Mt. 26:39). In the prayer of Our Father we always pray for the will of God to be done on earth as it is in heaven. The Virgin Mary replies to Gabriel the Archangel, “May it be done to me according to your word.” (Lk 1:38). Therefore, our first step is to place these desires we have in the hands of God. Lord, if it is your will, please open the door and help us to develop these ministries so that your love and mercy reach out to other people. It is important to understand that everything has its time according to God’s plan, not ours. How many times can we get frustrated that things just don’t work, regardless of our dedication and time? Then, all of the sudden, it just happens? Surely things won’t fall from the sky, but in everything we do, it is imperative to ask God if what we are about to do is His will. Then, I urge all of you to please add these intentions in your daily prayer. It will be like starting a campaign with God, so that the whole parish prays for the same intention. If it is the will of God, and all of us intercede together, then the ideas will come out of the paper and God will make them fruitful in due time.
 
Now, there is a second element to the whole project. The first step is to find out if it is the will of God for us to do all these things. The second is what will be our personal role in all of it. What we are doing is not Fr. Steven’s project or something alienated from our lives. God has led you to this parish to be part of everything that is happening. For some people their role will be praying in front of the Blessed Sacrament for the youth every day. However, this is not up for us to decide. Maybe God has planned that you will help with the hospitality ministry or something else. As the two quotes above say, let it NOT be what we want. The Virgin Mary in the sentence before the quote says, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord.” This is a way of saying, “Lord, I’m your servant command me to do something and I will do it.” In this process of discernment, we will start praying and you will feel an inclination to join one group or another, whether something new or already existing. Sometimes it can get tricky to discern between our desire and the will of God. That is why I’m encouraging you today to ask the Lord what He invites us to do. “Be done to me according to your will.” We can all try to start a campaign to PRAY THE ROSARY DAILY for this intention. If you already pray one, maybe pray a second one asking the Lord specifically for this. Only when we open our hearts is when the Lord can enter and speak to us. Remember the story of Samuel, who woke up when he heard his name called and he thought that it was Eli? (1 Samuel 3). Scripture says that Samuel didn’t recognize the LORD, because “the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.” (3:7). Then Eli, recognizing this, instructs the young man to reply to the Lord when He calls by saying, “SPEAK, LORD, FOR YOUR SERVANT IS LISTENING.” (3:9). LET US ALL PRAY THESE WORDS, IN ADDITION TO THE ROSARY, FOR THE NEXT MONTH UNTIL THE FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION. Let’s ask that the Lord may speak to our hearts and guide us in this time of discernment. Please pray also for us priests that we may follow the will of God faithfully and steadfast.
 
God Bless,
Fr. Steven
 

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Dear Brothers & Sisters,
 
These upcoming days we will have some awesome celebrations. Starting this weekend, the Lord will invite all of us to love Him and our neighbor with all heart, soul and mind. Then on Wednesday we have the celebration of All Saints Day, and then the following day we honor all the faithful departed. I would like to reflect on these three celebrations with you this week.
 
The readings this Sunday are not new to us. We all know it by heart. But if we were to look a little deeper on its meaning, would it still be familiar to us? What does “love of God” entail in our daily lives? Imagine that we love another person. I suppose that we would go to their house, talk to them, and have memories about them, right? Well, the same can be said of God. We are called to come to his house (come to Church), talk to him (pray), and have memories (contemplate what God has done in our lives). There is a saint who would stop at every church when he was a kid he would go out with his mother. After the third stop, she asked him, my son, why do you need to go into every single church? He replied saying that he had to stop by to say hi to his friend Jesus. I suppose we would do the same if we were walking down the street and passing in front of the house of our best friend. This love of God means to love with Him with word and deed. It does not mean only to say more prayers. It means to have a deeper relationship with Him that, as a consequence, will impact our lives. The moment we realize that God is on our side to help us go to heaven, then our actions will follow that desire. Now, love of neighbors is the same thing, but directed towards the people around us (both inside and outside our household). To love the other is to do the same that we do with God. We are invited to go to their house, talk to them, and have memories of them. On the flip side of the coin, we are also called to open our house to receive people, to allow people to talk to us, and to do things to create memories in people’s lives. The call to love our neighbor is a universal call. The same way we are called to love our spouses and children, so we are called to love the homeless, the widow, and the stranger to be biblically precise. In light of this, I urge you to pray to God and talk to him if He calls you to minister to those in need. We have Saint Vincent de Paul who does exceptional work with the people in need. In addition, we would like to start 2 new ministries in the parish. Our first one is the Hospitality Ministry which will be directed towards the people that come to church and those who are homebound (please see the announcement page for more info). Due to the recent arrival of the Haitian refugees in town, we are starting a TASK FORCE TO THE NEEDY. That group will respond to whatever humanitarian need we have around us and the globe. This way they would be coordinating the efforts of our parish in helping the needy! Whoever is interested in this ministry please reach out to their email taskforce@icmarlboro.org. Remember that we are called to love our neighbors by word (prayer) and deed!
 
On Wednesday as we celebrate All Saints, it is important to understand who the saints are. They are not extra-special people or who had special powers. They were normal people like us. Some were from noble families while others were poor. Some were famous and had accomplished lives, while others were “no-ones.” There are some sayings that I believe reveal their essence. “Saints were not people who were perfect, but they tried; the saints were not people that didn’t fall, but got up after every time they fell.” Some of these sayings were said by people who were saints themselves. I like reading their little biographies because it shows that if they were saints, we can all be saints as well. Therefore, let us come on Wednesday to Mass, not because it’s a day of obligation, but rather to come to see our heavenly friends who are willing to help us with more than finding our keys. Our Holy Day Schedule is 7:30am, 12:10pm, 6:00pm, and 7:30pm Spanish and 7:30pm Portuguese.
 
On Thursday, the day after our heavenly brothers intercede for us, we are called in turn to intercede for all the faithful departed. This is the day in which the whole Church prays for their brothers and sisters who need our prayers to assist their passage to heaven. I know that we honor our loved ones on Memorial day here in the US, but as Christians this is the day we are called to pray for those who are deceased. Indeed, there is a special blessing (plenary indulgence) that is given to anyone who visits a cemetery in the week following Nov. 2nd (while praying for the Pope, receiving communion, and going to confession). Lastly, here in the Parish we will have our book out for every mass where we can write the names of our beloved deceased. On the next page we have the names of all those who were buried in our parish in this past year. We will have additional masses for the deceased on Nov. 2nd at 7:30am, 6:00pm (English), 7:30pm (in Portuguese and Spanish).
 
God Bless,
Fr. Steven
 

 
Dear Brothers & Sisters,
 
I wanted to have written a follow up letter from last week. However, we have another pressing issue that requires our attention. The Archdiocese, on behalf of the Massachusetts Catholic Conference, has asked us to share with you this important message. Especially now in October that we promote Life, it is very fitting that we take action. I do ask you to make your voices heard in protection for those who don’t have a voice and even for ourselves in the near future. People who are experiencing pain and fear do not need a medication to terminate their lives, but rather, they need people who walk those difficult times with them. They need compassion, not euthanasia. Please read the message below. Both our State Senator and Representative are sponsoring this bill. Therefore, it is of utmost urgency to contact them, since they should be representing our values. It is a slippery slope once such a bill is approved. The terminology of the bill could be left for different interpretations, which could lead to an abuse of the law, that gives room for other people to ask to end their lives. This is what happened in some countries in Europe which today allows people with severe depression to have access to medication to end their lives.
 
God Bless,
Fr. Steven
                                          Say NO to Physician Assisted Suicide in Massachusetts  
                                                   LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD NOW!  
The Massachusetts State Legislature is again considering passing into law two deeply troubling bills this session which would legalize Physician Assisted Suicide. The bills, House 2246 and Senate 1331, are identical in text and titled “An Act relative to end of life options”.  

“The Catholic Bishops of Massachusetts stand united in our strong opposition to Physician Assisted Suicide. It is an affront to life and a dangerous precedent for determining end of life issues. Physicians are trained to care for the ill, not to hasten death.”1  

Here are some troubling facts to consider before you act:  

1. The bills would allow a physician to provide a deadly drug mixture to an individual diagnosed with less than 6 months to live that, when consumed, would cause death.  
NOTE- The diagnosis could be wrong. Countless individuals have outlived that 6-month diagnosis and enjoyed many more precious months and years with family and friends.  
2. No Real Safeguards - A vulnerable individual who is physically disabled, depressed, or fears being a “burden” may be subject to undue influence by others to take the drug mixture, especially if there is a financial benefit as an incentive. 
3. The primary focus of elected officials should be dedicated to legislation providing quality health care, mental health care and palliative care to the sick and dying – particularly in the underserved, poor and minority communities that suffer the most at the time of need.  
 
How can your voice be heard?  

Call or email your legislators, let them know you are a Massachusetts voter, and say NO to Physician  Assisted   Suicide! Log     on to www.macatholic.org and follow the links to find contact information for:  

     *  Members of the legislative Joint Committee on Public Health who will be considering these bills.
     *  Your individual State Senator and Representative via address and zip code link.  
     *  Representative: Danielle W. Gregoire: 617-722-2140.
     *  Senator:  James B. Eldridge: 617-722-1120.
 
For individuals without internet access, please call the Massachusetts Catholic Conference at 617746-5630 for legislative contact information.  
 
1 Boston Pilot - Statement of the four Roman Catholic Bishops of Boston, Fall River, Springfield, and Worcester (December 8, 2017) 
      10/2023

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Dear Brothers & Sisters,
 
For a long time I have desired to write this letter and I have been waiting for a good occasion for it. However, it has been very difficult to find. In this month of October we dedicate to “Respect Life Month,” we are called to pray for all the babies (born and unborn), the sick and the dying. Surely I pray for all of you every day, and now I hope this is the right time to address you in this letter. 
 
Often when we think of “Respect Life,” abortion seems to be one of the first things that comes to mind. We all know that respect Life covers all parts of life, from conception to natural death. Certainly, we do need to speak more on each of the stages of life. Our first reflection should be what are we doing about “life” as individuals, as children of God, and above all, as a Parish? I hope that individually we were able to contribute to the baby shower for First Concern, the Tootsie Roll drive we had last week, Saint Vincent de Paul, and other charitable initiatives. But individually we can do very little. The saying goes that “it takes a VILLAGE”, doesn’t it? Maybe it’s time for us to get the village together. 
 
I have been here at IC for just over 5 years now. There were a lot of things that happened and they needed to be addressed. It took a lot of time and effort what had to be done. But there is still much more that is necessary to do. For many nights I have stared at the Blessed Sacrament wondering and discerning what I should do. One of the things that I found out is that there is very little that I can do on my own. Whatever the Lord has put in front of me I did with the best of my abilities. I know that it was not great, and far from what is ideal. There is very little that can be done regarding the past, but we have the whole future ahead of us. My heart has been burning to start a parent’s group, a hospitality ministry, a youth and young adults ministry and hold important talks to people of all ages, such as funeral arrangements, mental health and etc… As I said before, there is very little that I can do and I do poorly (this is not false humility, it’s reality). We have great people sitting in the pews of this parish that are being called by God to work in His vineyard. The youth are struggling tremendously and we as the Church and a parish, have just began helping them this semester. Couples are struggling in their marriages and parents don’t know how to help their kids anymore. People who are lonely or maybe even feel disconnected are seated next to us, and we don’t even say good morning, or extend our hands. We know that we have a group of refugees that have landed here in Marlborough and we have not visited them (yet).  As Jesus would say, “the harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few.” (Mt 9:37) 
 
I urge all of you to start a time of discernment to know what God calls you to do. We need leaders, people to come up with a plan and execute ideas, and hands, lots of hands, to work in the Lord’s Vineyard. Yes, I know, we are all busy and don’t have much availability to help…I think the same. However, first, if we all do a little bit, we can go a long way. Second, we do spend a lot of time doing things that are not essential and at times they are a waste of time. Third, and maybe most importantly, THERE IS AN URGENCY IN RESPONDING TO GOD’S CALL. People are by the second getting lost, suffering, losing hope, distancing themselves from God. And again, what are we doing? If it would not be by the intervention of some people in our lives, we would also be lost by now. Maybe some of us would be divorced, others might have had fewer kids, maybe even having a vice or two…Christ encourages us not by a utopian effort, but by what we have received. “Love one another, as I have loved you”. He simply asks us to give what we have received. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel, but simply pass onto others what He has already given us.  
 
I hope this letter is only the beginning of a special time in our parish. We are already starting a youth ministry for Middle schoolers this month (we invite you to bring your kids to our retreat) and High schoolers next month. The hospitality ministry is starting to take shape. But we need your help to do the rest. People need your help to be reached out. Christ needs your help to make His kingdom present here. I should add that the other ministries also need help, such as Saint Vincent de Paul, Knights of Columbus, the Monday Cenacle, Bible Study, Religious Education Program. It is certainly a lot for so few of us, but not much if we all pitch in. Imagine what people did when they built our church almost 150 years ago. As it took a village then, it takes a village now. 
 
God Bless,
Fr. Steven