Eight hundred years ago, St. Francis of Assisi invited the people in the town of Greccio “to enact the memory of the Babe born in Bethlehem. To see as much as possible with bodily eyes, the discomfort of his infant needs, how he lay in a manger, and how, with an ox and ass standing by, he rested on hay.” From this live-changing event in the life of St. Francis came the tradition of the Christmas creche.

In this milestone anniversary year, the School Sisters of St. Francis welcome you to Make Your Heart a New Bethlehem, as we remember the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ with a live reenactment of Greccio. Join us at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, December 15, at Monocacy Manor, for a visit to our century-old convent with its majestic tree, to spend some prayerful time in our chapel, and to sip some hot chocolate with us. Bring your family, and bring your favorite Nativity figure for a special blessing.

We are pleased to share our Franciscan heritage with the people of the Lehigh Valley!