20th century The parish was founded in 1960 due to
overcrowding at
St. Mary of the Assumption Church in Dedham. Rev. Stephen Josoma, the pastor, said the sign was his idea and highlighted the need for the message, saying that "any divisiveness is a reflection of our polarized society" and criticizing the "changing, unjust policies and laws" on
immigration of the
second Trump administration; on the other hand, critics of the initiative called it a "crackpot publicity stunt". C.J. Doyle, executive director of the Catholic Action League of Massachusetts, described the display as "offensive" and said he had received a complaint about it from a parishioner. The parish has a history of making similar displays; in 2017, they showed some of scene partially submerged in water to draw attention to
climate change. Josoma says the parish "tries to hold a mirror up to the world around us and reflect the celebration of Christmas (the mystery of the Incarnation) with the reality of the world around us." ==Notes==