Lead
In Dedham, Massachusetts, St. Susanna Parish erected a nativity with the figures of Mary, Joseph and Jesus absent and a sign reading “ICE was here.” On Monday, Pastor Rev. Stephen Josoma said the display will remain in place for now as the parish awaits a conversation with Archbishop Richard Henning; the Archdiocese had publicly asked for its removal, calling it politically divisive. The display includes a notice directing people to immigrant support group LUCE (617-370-5023) and has drawn national attention and strong reactions from church leaders, immigration officials and parishioners. Josoma also said the parish may remove the scene if controversy continues, emphasizing the intent was to prompt dialogue on immigration policy.
Key Takeaways
- The nativity at St. Susanna Parish in Dedham features an empty Holy Family and a placard that reads “ICE was here,” and will stay up pending talks with Archbishop Richard Henning.
- The Archdiocese of Boston issued a statement Friday calling for removal, describing the display as a departure from canonical norms and politically divisive.
- Pastor Rev. Stephen Josoma framed the scene as a call to conscience on immigration policy and cited Vatican examples of socially themed nativities.
- The display includes a referral to LUCE, an immigrant resource group, with phone number 617-370-5023 for people to call if they encounter ICE enforcement.
- Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons publicly condemned the display as “abhorrent,” while several parishioners reported increased attendance and vocal support over the weekend.
- This is not the parish’s first politically themed nativity; in 2018 the church staged a scene with a caged baby Jesus to protest family separations at the U.S.-Mexico border.
- Josoma said the parish seeks dialogue with Archbishop Henning before making final decisions but signaled willingness to take the display down if the controversy becomes disruptive.
Background
Religious displays in public and parish spaces have sometimes been used to comment on current events; St. Susanna has a recent history of assemblies that reference political and humanitarian issues. In 2018 the parish staged a nativity with the infant Jesus placed inside a cage to draw attention to the Trump administration’s family-separation policy, a move that generated both local and national debate. The Vatican and other Catholic communities occasionally present themed nativities—such as a 2016 display highlighting refugees—to spur reflection on social issues, a precedent Pastor Josoma cited in defending the Dedham installation.
The Archdiocese of Boston, responsible for oversight of parishes in the area, issued a call for the nativity’s removal on Friday, saying the display departed from canonical norms and risked creating political division among the faithful. Archbishop Richard Henning and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) have recently addressed immigration policy in public statements, opposing mass, indiscriminate deportations and expressing pastoral concern about enforcement practices. The wider national conversation over immigration enforcement, detention conditions and community fear frames responses to the Dedham display.
Main Event
St. Susanna Parish erected the display for the holiday season with the Holy Family figures intentionally absent and a sign stating “ICE was here.” Beneath that notice the parish added a line directing people to LUCE (an immigrant resource organization) with the contact number 617-370-5023. Parish pastor Rev. Stephen Josoma said the installation was intended to provoke dialogue around immigration policy and to show solidarity with immigrant members of the congregation.
Within days the nativity attracted scrutiny from the Archdiocese of Boston, which issued a statement calling for its removal and characterizing the scene as politically divisive and out of step with canonical norms. Josoma responded that the parish has not yet had a direct conversation with Archbishop Henning but is “waiting for an opportunity of dialogue and clarity” before deciding on a final course of action. He also emphasized that opposition to the message does not make the display sacrilegious.
Public reaction was mixed and intense. Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons criticized the display, calling it “abhorrent,” while many parishioners spoke in support of the parish and reported a surge of visitors and messages of encouragement. Josoma signaled the parish’s limited tolerance for prolonged controversy, saying the display may be removed if the situation escalates into disruptive spectacle.
Analysis & Implications
The Dedham nativity sits at the intersection of pastoral ministry and political advocacy, raising questions about the proper role of parish public messaging. Church leaders responsible for diocesan oversight argued the display crossed a boundary into partisan expression, citing norms that separate liturgical symbolism from explicit political statements. Supporters counter that the scene uses religious imagery to highlight human suffering and the pastoral duty to defend vulnerable populations—an argument rooted in longstanding Catholic social teaching on migration and hospitality.
For the Archdiocese and Bishop/Archbishop-level leadership, the case also presents an internal governance issue: when local parish initiatives attract national attention, diocesan authorities must decide whether to discipline, instruct, or permit. That balance implicates canonical norms, the bishop’s teaching office, and the practical pastor–bishop relationship. How Archbishop Henning responds could set a precedent for other parishes that have used seasonal displays to comment on contemporary issues.
Politically, the episode has broader resonance in a polarized climate where immigration enforcement is a flashpoint. Federal officials—exemplified by Acting ICE Director Lyons’s remarks—may perceive local religious protest as hostile, while immigrant advocates see faith-based actions as moral witness. The incident could influence local immigrant communities’ sense of security and their willingness to use parish resources for assistance, and it may affect parish attendance and donor relations depending on how the dispute is managed.
Comparison & Data
| Year | Parish/Context | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Vatican (example) | Refugee plight highlighted in nativity |
| 2018 | St. Susanna, Dedham | Baby Jesus in a cage — protest of family separations |
| 2025 | St. Susanna, Dedham | Empty Holy Family with “ICE was here” sign |
St. Susanna’s 2018 and 2025 displays show a pattern of using the nativity as a platform for social commentary rather than solely a liturgical tableau. The Vatican example is frequently cited by parish leaders as ecclesial precedent for themed nativity scenes that address refugees and migration. These comparisons place the Dedham installation in a longer practice of religious communities connecting seasonal symbolism to contemporary social concerns.
Reactions & Quotes
Archdiocesan and federal reactions framed the dispute differently, illustrating the polarized public response.
“That some do not agree with our message does not render our display sacrilegious or is the cause of any ‘scandal’ to the faithful.”
Rev. Stephen Josoma, Pastor, St. Susanna Parish
Josoma’s comment accompanied the parish’s explanation that the scene was intended to prompt conversation about immigration and to provide practical referral information to LUCE for those in need.
“The decision is abhorrent.”
Todd Lyons, Acting ICE Director
Lyons’s brief public denouncement came amid wider federal criticism and reflects how enforcement agencies view protests that target immigration operations or policy.
“This parish works an awful lot with immigrants… It’s innocent people being persecuted, and it’s people that can’t speak for themselves.”
Phil Mandeville, Parishioner
Mandeville and other parishioners described increased attendance and vocal support over the weekend, saying the display affirmed the community’s welcoming identity.
Unconfirmed
- Whether a private conversation between Rev. Josoma and Archbishop Henning will be scheduled this week remains unconfirmed.
- Any plan for a definitive removal date for the display has not been publicly set and was not confirmed by the Archdiocese as of Monday.
- Claims that ICE enforcement patterns in Dedham have changed as a direct result of the display are unconfirmed and lack supporting public data.
Bottom Line
The Dedham nativity has become a focal point for a broader national debate over immigration enforcement, parish autonomy and episcopal oversight. Pastor Rev. Stephen Josoma frames the display as pastoral advocacy and a call to protect immigrants, while the Archdiocese contends it crosses into political provocation. How Archbishop Richard Henning responds will shape expectations for parish-level public witness and could influence similar actions in other dioceses.
For now the scene remains in place as both sides signal willingness to discuss next steps; parish leaders say they will remove it if the dispute turns into a disruptive spectacle. The episode underscores how seasonal religious symbolism can quickly move from local pastoral initiative to national controversy when it engages contentious public policy issues.
Sources
- The Seattle Times — news report (original linked report)
- Archdiocese of Boston — official diocesan website (for archdiocesan statements and communications)
- U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) — official organization (statements on immigration policy)