St. Susanna Church's "politically divisive display" goes against the Catholic Church's canonical norms on the use of sacred objects, according to a spokesperson from the archdiocese.,St. Susanna Church's "politically divisive display" goes against the Catholic Church's canonical norms on the use of sacred objects, according to a spokesperson from the archdiocese.
2 days ago
St. Susanna Church in Dedham, Massachusetts, erected an outdoor Nativity scene on November 29, 2025, featuring signs reading "ICE Was Here."1 2 3 The display depicts an empty manger, implying Jesus, Mary, and Joseph fled inside the church to safety from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).2 4 A hotline number for LUCE, an immigrant justice network, was included to report ICE sightings.4
On December 6, 2025, the Archdiocese of Boston demanded removal of the signs, calling them "politically divisive" and inappropriate for sacred objects.1 2 4 Spokesman Terrence Donilon stated parishioners expect prayer, not political messaging, and no permission was granted.2 3 The archdiocese cited Church norms prohibiting non-devotional use of Nativity images.2 4
Father Stephen Josoma announced on December 8 that the display remains pending a meeting with Archbishop Richard Henning.2 3 4 He rejects claims of scandal, attributing division to U.S. immigration policies under the current administration.2 5 Josoma consulted his parish council and Pax Christi group before deciding.2
Previous pastors at St. Susanna used Nativity scenes for social issues like gun violence (2017), detention centers (2018), and climate change (2019).2 3 Cardinal Sean O'Malley, prior archbishop, tolerated these without intervention.2 The reaction from Archbishop Henning, installed in October 2024, surprised Josoma.2 5
Josoma links the display to a November 12 USCCB message decrying fear from immigration enforcement and immigrant vilification.2 3 He compares it to Vatican Nativity themes addressing social issues.4
Canon law expert David Long affirms the archbishop's authority to prevent scandal and override the pastor.2 3 Parish councils lack decision-making power here, offering only consultation.2 C.J. Doyle of Catholic Action League accused Josoma of politicizing Christmas and exploiting the Holy Family.4
The display responds to recent ICE actions in Massachusetts, apprehending over 1,400 unauthorized migrants tied to crime.4 It emerged amid national debates on enforcement, with bishops expressing concern over profiling.2
Assess Catholic norms on politicizing sacred art in public worship
Catholic teaching firmly establishes that sacred art in public worship must serve the glory of God and the sanctification of the faithful, directing the soul toward divine truth and beauty rather than temporal political agendas. Politicizing such art—infusing it with partisan ideologies, social campaigns, or civil controversies—contradicts its ordained purpose, as it subordinates the worship of God to human divisions. Drawing from key Church documents, this analysis reveals norms that prioritize art's role in revealing God's image, while reserving political engagement for the laity in the secular sphere.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church articulates that art, as a distinctly human expression, arises from the Creator's gifts and man's effort to manifest truth through beauty. "Created 'in the image of God,' man also expresses the truth of his relationship with God the Creator by the beauty of his artistic works. Indeed, art is a distinctively human form of expression... art is a freely given superabundance of the human being's inner riches." This elevates sacred art beyond mere utility, positioning it as "a form of practical wisdom, uniting knowledge and skill, to give form to the truth of reality in a language accessible to sight or hearing."
Crucially, sacred art "bears a certain likeness to God's activity in what he has created" only "to the extent that it is inspired by truth and love of beings." It is "not an absolute end in itself, but is ordered to and ennobled by the ultimate end of man." In public worship, this means icons, statues, frescoes, and liturgical visuals must orient participants toward the divine, fostering contemplation of eternal realities rather than stirring political passions. Introducing partisan symbols—such as flags, protest imagery, or ideological slogans—would profane this order, transforming altars into forums for earthly strife. Pius XII's references in the Catechism underscore this by linking sacred music (and by extension, visual arts) to worship's reverence, not activism.
Church norms rigorously separate the sanctuary of public worship from the arena of politics, a principle echoed across magisterial teachings. The Catechism states: "It is not the role of the Pastors of the Church to intervene directly in the political structuring and organization of social life. This task is part of the vocation of the lay faithful, acting on their own initiative with their fellow citizens." Social action, including political expression, "should always have the common good in view and be in conformity with the message of the Gospel," but it belongs to the laity as "witnesses and agents of peace and justice."
This delineation protects liturgy's purity. Pope Leo XIII in Longinqua instructs clergy to teach citizens "the duties of citizens" like "conscientiousness, self restraint, and integrity," drawing from Gospel precepts and prior encyclicals on civil government. Yet, he limits this to moral formation, urging observance of "just laws and institutions of the Republic" without clerical partisan involvement. Similarly, Pope Pius X in Singulari quadam mandates Catholics to "obey and firmly adhere to... the principles of Christian truth" in public life, referencing Rerum Novarum, but frames this as a lay duty under episcopal guidance.
Pope Pius XI's Firmissimam Constantiam further clarifies that civic actions, even just ones, are "means, or of relative end, not of ultimate and absolute end," and must not be "intrinsically evil" or cause greater communal harm. Clergy and Catholic Action prepare the faithful for "just use of their rights," but their mission is "peace and love," fostering union rather than division. Politicized art in worship risks this harm, alienating souls and diluting the Gospel's universal call.
In the context of faithful citizenship, U.S. bishops emphasize that political engagement weighs "issues with significant moral dimensions," like life and dignity, but Catholics must not "dismiss the Church’s guidance or policy directions that flow from these principles." Yet, preeminent threats like abortion demand opposition through laws protecting life, not liturgical disruption. Pope John Paul II in Sollicitudo Rei Socialis calls laity to "animate temporal realities with Christian commitment," serving as "witnesses and agents of peace and justice" in the world, not the nave.
The Catechism reinforces that societies must respect "the true religion and the one Church of Christ," infusing laws with "Christian spirit" while Christians act as "the light of the world." Political authorities are invited to align with "inspired truth about God and man," but worship itself manifests Christ's kingship over creation, not partisan platforms. Thus, norms prohibit politicizing sacred art: it must evoke the "indestructible image of God" in every person, uniting in prayer rather than dividing by ideology.
Catholic norms unequivocally reject politicizing sacred art in public worship, mandating its dedication to truth, beauty, and divine worship. Clergy form consciences on civic duties; laity apply principles in politics. This preserves liturgy's sanctity amid worldly battles, ensuring art lifts hearts to God. For deeper guidance, consult full texts like the Catechism and papal encyclicals, always prioritizing the Church's unchanging deposit of faith.