CCFMM to Highlight Church Nativities
Blessed Trinity Catholic Church
It probably isn’t surprising that this inspiring Nativity set at Frankenmuth’s Blessed Trinity Catholic Church was imported from Italy by Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland. It was purchased and donated to Blessed Trinity by parishioners Carol and Kevin Maurer.
The Nativity is displayed in the church’s gathering area where little children often wander into the scene for a closer look. The wooden stable was hand made. Parishioner Kathie Mates painted a daytime scene that appears in the window cut into the back wall. The painting is reversible to also show a nighttime scene with the stars in the Christmas sky.
For all who see it, the display is a powerful reminder of the Christmas message — Peace on Earth.
CCFMM to Highlight Church Nativities
Holy Family Catholic Church
Displaying a Nativity scene at churches and in homes is an historic Catholic tradition that helps us meditate on the gift of Jesus’ birth in a humble stable. This Advent season, the Catholic Community Foundation of Mid-Michigan (CCFMM) is featuring some beloved church Nativities from around the Saginaw Diocese. Pictured here is the lovely Nativity from Holy Family, the beautiful church in the Grove, on Washington Avenue. The Nativity figures date to the late 1930s, while the stable is new. We invite you to visit our website to learn more about St. Francis’ first Nativity scene in 1223 and about other Nativities in the diocese as well.
CCFMM to Highlight Church Nativities
St. Mary’s Cathedral
St. Francis of Assisi said:
“I want to do something that will recall the memory of that Child who was born in Bethlehem, to see with bodily eyes the inconveniences of his infancy, how he lay in the manger, and how the ox and ass stood by.”
St. Mary’s Cathedral, 2019
St. Francis is believed to have created the first living Nativity scene on Christmas Eve in 1223. St. Francis, who lived in simplicity and gave everything to the poor, wanted to impress upon the people of his time the humbleness of our Savior’s birth.
Maybe you remember the Christmas Nativity scenes from your churches growing up? The photo above displays a few of the beautiful century-old nativity figures from Saginaw’s St. Mary’s Cathedral. Lisa Rigali, one of the owners of the Daprato Rigali Studios in Chicago, believes the Cathedral set to be Daprato figurines that date back to the mid 1920s. They were created in the studio in Chicago at Adams and LaSalle, now located on the north side of Chicago. They also did restoration work on Joseph, Mary, and two of the kings in 2018.
Displaying a Nativity scene at churches and in homes is an historic Catholic tradition that helps us meditate on the gift of Jesus’ birth in a humble stable. This Advent season, the Catholic Community Foundation of Mid-Michigan (CCFMM) will feature some beloved church Nativities from around the Saginaw Diocese.
Should you be interested in donating to help maintain and restore Nativity figures from churches around the Saginaw Catholic Diocese, please contact CCFMM (989-797-6680) or your own church directly. The CCFMM is available to you and your family to assist you with your philanthropic endeavors that support Catholic ministries throughout the Diocese of Saginaw. Also, if you have photos of your church’s Nativity figures and information about them, please contact Mary Beth via email at MaryBeth.Looby@ccfmm.org
2021 Committee Meeting Dates:
Board of Trustees
March 9 | June 8 | September 7 | December 7
Executive Committee
February 24 | April 28 | May 26 | July 28 | August 25 | October 20 | November 17
Finance Committee
May 18 | August 17 | November 16
Grants Committee
May 21 | August 13 | November 12
Investment Committee
May 13 | August 18 | November 10
Marketing Committee
April 1 | May 13 | August 5 | September 9 | October 7 | November 11
**Committee Meeting dates are subject to change
