DEDHAM, Mass. — An anti-ICE Nativity scene will remain outside a Dedham Catholic church for now, despite a call from the Archdiocese of Boston to remove the display.
Rev. Stephen Josoma said in a news conference Monday he and other parish leaders at St. Susannah had been “waiting for an opportunity of dialogue and clarity with [Archbishop Richard] Henning before reaching any final decisions.”
However, Terry Donilon, spokesperson for the Archdiocese, told Boston 25 News Monday he did not know of any planned conversation with the Dedham parish.
In the controversial display, a sign reading “ICE was here” replaces the figures of the Virgin Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus in the manger.
The Archdiocese released a statement last week calling for the display to “be removed, and the manger restored to its proper sacred purpose.”
“The people of God have the right to expect that, when they come to church, they will encounter genuine opportunities for prayer and Catholic worship—not divisive political messaging,” the Archdiocese said. “The Church’s norms prohibit the use of sacred objects for any purpose other than the devotion of God’s people. This includes images of the Christ Child in the manger, which are to be used solely to foster faith and devotion.”
But Rev. Josoma and other parish leaders defended the display.
“The Vatican itself displays different themed nativities each year highlighting social issues to contemporary life,” Josoma said. “Some of these have also been controversial – like the one focused on the plight of refugees in 2016 – all moving beyond status traditional figures and designed to evoke emotion and dialogue.”
Josoma, who has created Nativity scenes for years with messages about mass shootings, global warming and immigration, called out President Donald Trump Monday.
“Any divisiveness is a reflection of our polarized society, much of which originates with the changing, unjust policies and laws of the current United States administration,” he said.
Parish leaders said the vast majority of feedback from the community has been positive, and the church has even gained some new parishioners because the Nativity scene.
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