Last weekend we had our annual
Blessing of the Outdoor Nativity a St. Mary's tradition that started 13 years ago. In the Fall of 2003, Fr. Dennis O'Brien came up with the idea for the outdoor nativity and coordinated purchasing the set and building the stable. Through generous donations from several parishioners, it didn't take long for our nativity set to be complete! Each statue was purchased by individuals or families in memory of a loved one. There is a special plaque hanging in the entrance of the church that lists all of the donors and donations.
The original team of parishioners that designed and led the construction of the outdoor stable was
Joe Ellis,
Dan Deknis,
Dan Cobb,
John Zybert, Ken Hetzler, Jim Hudson,
Jay Barry, and
Joe Favulli. The materials for the stable, the stone foundation (
which is also a beautiful flower bed in the spring and summer), the electrical, glass enclosure, and the alarm system also came from parishioners who generously shared their time, talent and treasure.
Over the years, in addition to the original team, we have had several parishioners that have volunteered their time & talent to ensure the stable is set up and secure for the season.