Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Priest shares his collection of more than 1,000 Nativity scenes

The Rev. Tom Connolly of St. Charles Parish launches the Christmas season each year by sharing what he has with Spokane: 1,000 Nativity scenes made of tapestry, concrete, nails and ceramics that he has collected from around the globe.

It will be on display at the church’s gym today through Sunday.

The priest smiled as he recalled how the collection began.

“My brother and I bought a Nativity set for our parents when I was in ninth grade,” he said. “Some years later they bought a Nativity for me when I was in Korea.”

The set featured the Holy Family in traditional Korean garb, and Connolly was captivated by it. But he didn’t start collecting in earnest until he was studying in Rome and came across an intricately detailed Nativity made of terra cotta and cloth.

In addition to Joseph, Mary, Baby Jesus and the animals in the stable, this set featured slices of life that might have been happening in Bethlehem at the time of Christ’s birth.

“Most Europeans have the concept that Jesus came to us right where we were,” he said.

Hence the scene includes Roman soldiers patrolling the street and shopkeepers hawking their wares – the miraculous occurring in the midst of everyday life.

“All this action is happening all around them,” he said, pointing to the Holy Family.

Connolly is fascinated by the way the same story is depicted in different ways in cultures across the globe. He pointed to a Nativity made of traditional Russian nesting dolls and another he purchased in Poland made of gum wrappers. Iconic spires are topped by Polish flags while a silver-garbed angel hovers above.

A Navajo scene purchased in Colorado features chili peppers hanging to dry, shamans as the three wise kings, and figurines clad in the traditional Navajo colors of terra cotta and turquoise.

“One of the reasons I love collecting them is that they’re made of so many different things,” Connolly said. “I have one made of flower pots and one made of nails.”

A woman at his former parish, St. Mary’s in Spokane Valley, created a crèche made of two goose eggs, and in Guatemala he found a tiny Nativity nestled within a gourd.

A Nativity made from paper pulp has a unique feature: The Christ Child can be removed from the manger and cuddled by Joseph or by Mary.

He even has a crèche minus Baby Jesus.

“The store owner told me that Baby Jesus is the item most often stolen,” Connolly noted.

Not all of his Nativities are sets with figurines. Tapestries, ornaments, pillows, stockings and panels will also be displayed.

“A lot of the old churches in Europe tell the story on panels along the walls,” Connolly said. “It’s also why we have stained glass windows. They were made to tell the story, to educate the people.”

He adds to his collection when he travels, and he also browses thrift shops, Christmas stores and online retailers.

“I even bought one in Vegas when I attended a Gonzaga game,” he said.

Each of his 1,000-plus Nativities has a story. From the whimsical Fisher-Price set that takes two tables to display, to the Ethiopian processional cross he found in South Africa.

His smallest crèche is made from coffee beans, and the largest is made of concrete and features figures at least 2 feet tall.

People from the parish pitch in to help set up and take down the displays. It takes five days to get everything out and organized, but it’s a labor of love for Connolly.

“This is how I start my advent season,” he said. “On Black Friday, I invite people to pause – to take a moment to reflect on what Christmas is all about.”

For more information, call St. Charles Parish at (509) 327-9573.