Church accused of 'politicizing Christmas' with empty Nativity and ICE message

DEHAM, MASSACHUSETTS: A Catholic church is sparking controversy with a Nativity display that shows an empty manger and a sign reading “ICE was here.” 

Father Stephen Josoma, pastor of St Susanna, says the display is meant to show what Christ might face if he were born in today’s world. 

But critics, including the Catholic Action League of Massachusetts, accuse him of politicizing Christmas and using the Holy Family to promote a left-wing agenda.

Church sparks outrage for leaving out the Holy Family in its Nativity scene

CJ Doyle, executive director of the Catholic Action League of Massachusetts, said a parishioner called him upset that the Nativity scene left out the Holy Family, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, and added a political message.

Doyle said he finds the display “very offensive,” accusing Father Josoma of "politicizing Christmas, he's exploiting and trivializing the Holy Family, and he's using his Catholic parish as a platform to promote his left-winged ideology."

Josoma, however, describes the Nativity scene as “religious art” meant to "evoke emotions in people."

He said, "It's supposed to affect people deeply, it's supposed to move people, it's supposed to change people."

He continued, "So, if this evokes a strong reaction, it's maybe good to take a look at that."

Josoma said most people have reacted “overwhelmingly” supportively to the display, though one person did call him a “murderer.” He insisted the church has a right to speak out and said it should address important issues. “We’re supposed to take care of people,” he added.

CJ Doyle recalls Stephen Josoma’s long history of political stunts

Over the past decade, Josoma has drawn attention with Nativity scenes that highlight issues such as mass shootings, climate change, and immigration.

In 2018, the parish highlighted the southern border crisis by putting baby Jesus in a cage and blocking the Magi from reaching him, according to reports.

Doyle criticized the move, saying the priest has a long history of staging “crackpot” political stunts.  "This is a case of a dissident priest who has a long history of these kinds of ‘crackpot’ publicity stunts aimed at political activism."

He argued, "This has nothing to do with the birth of our Savior and everything to do with ventilating [Josoma's] own political projects." Josoma said he creates these displays because of the parish’s work with refugees, whom they have helped since 2017.

Doyle agreed that Josoma often mixes politics with religion but argued that the real problem is the Archdiocese of Boston. He said church leaders have allowed this behavior for years and should simply tell him to stop. 

He also pointed to a recent statement from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, which stated, "We pray for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, whether directed at immigrants or at law enforcement."

When asked if the display dehumanized law enforcement, Doyle said, “Of course it does.”