December 21, 2025, 12:00 PM
Not long ago, someone asked me, “Why can’t we put the church’s Nativity scene in front of the altar? If it were front and center, wouldn’t we see it better?”
There’s an easy answer: The Church says no. The Book of Blessings tells us, “If the manger is set up in the church, it must not be placed in the sanctuary. A place should be chosen that is suitable for prayer and devotion and be easily accessible by the faithful.”
“Must not” are strong words whenever we encounter them. And they’re strong words in the Church, which usually tries to find a way to offer options and respect local customs. But, the manger? Must not be in the sanctuary!
Rules matter not because someone has to make a decision. Rules matter because they reflect a value, a truth that we want to treasure. And the value about putting the creche somewhere away from the altar area speaks to what we actually do at Christmas. It’s Christ’s Mass, after all.
The supreme act of Catholic worship at Christmas is the Eucharist, offering in thanksgiving the sacrifice of Christ once offered on the Cross. We offer that sacrifice in the context, of course, of our remembering the birth of our Savior. But, it’s still Christ’s Death and Resurrection we proclaim as we await His coming in glory.
But, note the second part of the rule: We’re to choose a place “suitable for prayer and devotion and…easily accessible by the faithful.”
What’s the value we’re honoring there? We’re supposed to be involved in the manger scene. We should be able to visit it, pray before it, bring our children to look at the figures, and even take a piece of the stable straw. So, it can’t be a noisy or busy place like our entryways. It could be a side chapel, which many churches have. It could, particularly in smaller buildings, be at the far end of the sanctuary—the sort of place where we might have already put the tabernacle or a statue of a saint (spots created for our personal visits and prayer).
When you come to Mass this Christmas season, find the creche. Move towards it. Bring your children to look at the figures. Draw close to these images that remind us of the God who drew close—and remains close—to us.
Fr. McCreary
