Admirabile Signum: 2021 Nativity Scene Challenge

-



They say that beauty will save the world. This is particularly true this Christmas when numerous nativity scenes have adorned our parishes and families.


On Christmas eve, I requested some of my brother priests and friends to send me the photos of the different Nativity Scenes from their parishes.


At the end of the day I received so many that someone challenged me…"Tell us which is the fairest of them all." That was a difficult decision because all of them were beautiful and all of them were set in different circumstances.

Nativity Scene from Nyumbani Children's Home Kitui


So I decided to post them on my facebook account and let the people be the jury. After some long wait we finally had a winner. Well, at the end of it all, it was not a competition but it is all about people sharing the joy of the Incarnation. Despite this, Many more promised to do even better next year. There is always room for improvement.


Post Francis in 2019 wrote the Apostolic Letter Admirabile Signum on the significance of the Nativity Scene to encourage us to continue with this wonderful tradition of preparing the nativity scene not only in families and parishes but also in workplaces, schools, hospitals, prisons and town squares.


“The nativity scene is like a living gospel, rising up from the pages of sacred scripture.” It is said that St. Francis of Asisi was the first person to come up with a nativity scene.


From my own experience, I remember as a child, always being drawn by Jesus in the Nativity Scene.


Here are the full results of all the Participants:



position

Parish

Diocese 

Likes

1.

St. Monica Parish Lanet

Nakuru

84

2.

Christ the King Cathedral, Nakuru

Nakuru

69

3.

Our Lady of Mercy Magumu

Homabay

56

3.

St. Daniel Comboni Hekima

Nakuru

56

3.

Our Lady of Fatima Mukurweini Parish

Nyeri

56

6.

Holy Ghost Cathedral Mombasa 

Mombasa

45

7.

Blessed Irene Stephanie Church/St. Teresa Equator Parish

Nyeri

43

8.

St. Peter’s cathedral

Erie, PA

37

8.

St. Monica Section 58

Nakuru

37

10.

St. therese Kalimoni

Nairobi

32

11

St. Francis of Asisi Kiti

Nakuru

31

12.

Mary Mother of God Kabarnet

Nakuru

30

12.

Nyumbani Village Children’s Home 

Kitui

30

14.

St. Joseph’s Novitiate FSMPC, Mlimani

Nakuru

28

15.

Sacred Heart Cathedral

Kericho

26

16.

St. Francis Xavier Naivasha

Nakuru

25

17.

Ss. Simon and Jude Longonot

Nakuru

23

18.

Holy Trinity Kileleshwa

Nairobi

22

19.

St. Magret BelAir MAryland

Rochester

18

20.

Christ the King Kamuwongo

Kitui

16

21.

Sacred Heart Shrine Lang’ata 

Nairobi

14

22.

Consolata Shrine Nairobi

Nairobi

13

23.

PUSC

Rome

12

24.

St. Abraham Endo Parish

Eldoret

10

25.

St. Joseph the Worker Race Course 

Nakuru

9

26.

Mary Immaculate Cathedral

Nyahururu

8

27.

St. Peter and Paul Kihara

Nairobi

3

28.

Our Lady of Lourdes 

Machakos Town

Machakos

3

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THE OFFERTORY PROCESSION

-
Image
THE OFFERTORY PROCESSION By Rev. Fr. Casmir Odundo In many Catholic Churches in our country, I have observed that during preparation of the offerings, the Procession of the faithful, with the gifts of bread, wine, water as well as the monetary offerings (especially on Sunday Masses) is gradually being omitted. In other places, where it is practiced, its significance is sometimes overlooked. It is fitting to note that, strictly speaking there are 4 major processions in Mass: 1.       During the Entrance, where the priest(s) going with the deacon(s) and ministers process to the altar 2.       During the Gospel Acclamation or Alleluia where the deacon carrying the Book of the Gospels processes to the ambo before the proclamation of the Gospel; 3.       Procession of the faithful presenting the gifts 4.        Procession Faithful coming forward to receive Communion. The General Instructions of the Roman Missal instructs that these four processions, “ be carr
Read more

"I WILL BE WAITING FOR YOU AT THE GATE" FR. MICHAEL MUTUKU

-
Image
"We know that we have passed from death to life because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death." (1 John 3:14).   These are the words that came to my mind when I was told about the life of Fr. Michael Musyimi Mutuku, who passed away on the 18th of August 2023 and was buried yesterday, during the feast of St. Augustine at Katoloni in Machakos. I was not privileged to know Fr. Michael during his life. However, the testimonies I heard and read after his death really moved me. Fr. Michael was the only son of his family and he decided to become a priest. At the time of his joining the seminary, he was actually the breadwinner of his family. But he left all that and joined the seminary. He actually received his vocation when he was at the University of Nairobi. Back then, unlike today, very few students would make it to the university and Michael was among them. At the University of Nairobi, and at St. Paul's chaplaincy, he was known as a talented musicia
Read more

BREAKING BARRIERS: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ARCHBISHOP STEPHEN AMEYU MARTIN MULLA'S ELEVATION TO CARDINAL

-
Image
By Fr. Casmir Odundo The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. By the  Lord  has this been done; a marvel in our eyes. (Psalm 118: 22-24) The decision of Pope Francis to name Archbishop Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla of Juba, South Sudan, as a Cardinal Last Sunday (5th July 2023), along with 20 others, could be Pope Francis' way of sending a message to the Church regarding the tribal politics that sometimes find their way into the Church. This follows the elevation of Bishop Peter Ebere Okpaleke to Cardinal, who had also undergone similar tribulations when he was appointed Bishop of Ahira diocese .  When Pope Francis appointed Bishop Ameyu as the Archbishop of Juba, there was contestation from a few individuals who wrote a letter stating , " Under no conditions will Bishop Ameyu be accepted to serve as Archbishop of Juba. " To make their case weighty, the letter also included false allegations to tarnish the Archbishop's name. However, as in the diocese
Read more