A church in Dedham has drawn response from prime brass at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after inserting an indication in its Nativity scene that reads “ICE was here” the place Mary, Joseph and child Jesus are presupposed to be.
The signal on the show exterior St. Susanna Parish and was the concept of Reverend Stephen Josoma. Beneath the “ICE was here” message, the signal goes on to learn “The Holy Family is safe in our Church… If you see ICE please call LUCE at 617-370-5023.”
Appearing ICE Director Todd Lyons responded to the show in an interview with the Boston Herald, calling it “sad political rhetoric” that solely provides gasoline to the hearth of political division.
“It’s very sad, especially during the holiday season. ICE agents and officers are human beings, too. We don’t want to be referred to in things like that. The brave men and women of ICE are out there doing a dangerous job every day. And, I hate to say it, but people are taking corny things like this decoration to make a point on the backs of our men and women and the job they’re doing every day. All that is doing is adding fuel to the fire,” Lyons advised the Herald.
“We aren’t snatching babies, we aren’t snatching families. Now, if you’re here in the country illegally and came here as a family unit, that’s a different story. But, we’re not out there separating children and we’re not out there separating families. Felon after felon after felon is being arrested by ICE Boston every day and all over New England, yet nobody is focusing on that. All they’re focusing on is this political rhetoric and I don’t know what point they’re trying to make,” he stated.
The parish has a historical past of political activism within the type of demonstrations and indicators, like one on the Nativity scene. On its web site, the parish even posted an image selling the signal on the Nativity scene.
The parish additionally has an official Fb web page, the place they posted photographs of the altered creche. A consumer labeled as a web page administrator, Phil Mandeville, posted an image of the signal to Fb, commenting that he’s “extremely thankful to be a member of this parish” and defending Rev. Josoma.
“Father Steve is an inspiration to us all. I have to say, I don’t recognize a lot of names that have made posts here. I wonder why that is? This parish follows the words of Jesus: ‘Welcome the stranger’ and ‘Feed the poor’. Christ set an example for us to follow: Call out injustice wherever and whenever you see it. He was never afraid to call out the politicians of the time for being hippocrates [sic],” Mandeville stated. “The sin is remaining silent in the face of injustice. Christ ALWAYS ‘mixed religion and politics.’”
On the parish’s web site, Phil Mandeville is listed as a member of the St. Susanna Parish Council.
The Herald has reached out to Mandeville and Rev. Josoma for remark however didn’t obtain a response by 4 p.m. Thursday.
