Bishop supports priest canceling Christmas and anything to do with the great Feast of the Incarnation.

In the Oise region, Christmas Mass is canceled to avoid a political battle

In Avrechy, a small village in the Oise region, the Christmas liturgy has disappeared from the calendar due to a municipal conflict. When an electoral battle is enough to silence Christmas Mass, the entire place of the sacred in our society is called into question.

The affair erupted this past weekend in November in Avrechy, in the Oise region. The village priest decided to cancel the nativity scene, the festivities, and especially the Christmas Mass, stating that he wanted to prevent a religious celebration from becoming the subject of a purely political battle between two candidates in the municipal elections. Le Parisien specifies that the long-time organizer of the parish festivities is now the main opponent of the incumbent mayor and that both are engaged in a particularly tense local campaign. To distance himself from this confrontation, the priest has chosen to cancel all Christmas-related events. This decision is all the more surprising given that the previous year, Saint-Lucien Church had experienced an unexpected resurgence. A Nativity scene, a Christmas tree, a children's snack, and a well-attended Advent Mass on December 20, 2024, had brought together residents and families, some crossing the church threshold for the first time in a long time. This contrast with the current cancellation makes the situation even more painful for many parishioners.

By forgoing Christmas Mass, the priest says he wants to prevent any political exploitation. But this stance raises serious questions. Mass is not a parish activity that can be canceled when the political climate becomes tense.

It is the sacramental act that celebrates the Incarnation, the very heart of the Christian faith. Suspending it to defuse an electoral conflict amounts to placing human concerns above grace, as if worship depended on the moods and tensions of a village. This gesture risks perpetuating a regrettable confusion. By constantly fearing external hostility, some end up restricting the pastoral mission, as if the Christian presence should vanish at the slightest civic unrest. Yet, political neutrality does not mean liturgical disappearance.

The Church does not have to withdraw from municipal rivalries. Its vocation is to proclaim Christ, even when circumstances seem unfavorable.

Beyond the case of Avrechy, this episode reveals the spiritual fragility of our rural areas and, indeed, our cities. Where Masses are already rare, where Christian traditions are weakening, canceling Christmas Mass is tantamount to depriving Catholics of an essential marker in the liturgical year. This sends an unfortunate signal, a sign of weakness: that the liturgy can yield to the pressures of a personal conflict, and that the sacred is negotiable in times of tension. The Diocese has been notified and will have to examine this decision. Many hope that a more peaceful discernment will allow for the restoration of a Christmas celebration in this village. A Christmas Mass is worth more than a political battle. It transcends quarrels, rivalries, and strategies. It belongs to God and to the people who seek light and consolation. In the Oise region, it would be regrettable if the Nativity were sacrificed to the turmoil of a municipal battle.

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The Diocese responds.

Christmas Mass and Living Nativity Scene in Avrechy

Published on December 1, 2025

Several press articles have reported on the comments of Mr. Jean-Charles Lefevre (a Christian resident of the town and local elected official) regarding his request for a Christmas Mass with a living nativity scene in the church of Avrechy on December 24, 2025, and the response he received.

For many years, no Mass has been celebrated in Avrechy on December 24. Exceptionally, in 2023—presided over by the Bishop of Beauvais—and then in 2024, a celebration was able to be organized. Mr. Lefevre was informed of this.

In accordance with Church law, the parish priest appointed by the bishop is responsible for organizing worship in his parish. In a parish church, the Christmas liturgy is celebrated only on the evening of December 24 and on the day of December 25.

In this instance, the parish priest sought to reconcile with Mr. Lefèvre the desire for a Christmas celebration with a living Nativity scene in Avrechy on December 24th, either in the evening or on Christmas Day, with the other celebrations planned for this major Christian holiday. The discussions were unsuccessful. Mr. Lefèvre requested a celebration (living Nativity scene and Mass) on December 24th at 6:00 PM, a time at which other celebrations were already scheduled. The parish priest proposed a celebration at 8:30 PM or a Mass on the morning of the 25th. Mr. Lefèvre wished to maintain his plan for the 6:00 PM celebration in the church, arguing that he and his preparation team were unavailable for the 8:30 PM celebration, even though the priest and a team of organizers could have been available.

The schedule of celebrations set by the parish priest and his pastoral team is as follows: on December 24, celebrations at 6:00 p.m. in Saint-Just-en-Chaussée, Clermont, and Liancourt; at 8:00 p.m. in Clermont, then at 8:30 p.m. in Cauffry. On December 25, Masses will be celebrated in Clermont (8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.), in Cambronne-lès-Clermont, and in Le Plessier-sur-Saint-Just, at 10:30 a.m.

It is therefore inaccurate to say that the Mass requested by Mr. Lefèvre has been canceled, since it could not be scheduled, nor that Christmas Mass will not be celebrated, given the announced celebrations.

Furthermore, it should be noted that Mr. Lefèvre has no mandate to represent the Christian community of Avrechy in parish bodies. While his proposal was acceptable, it was not binding on the priest and his pastoral team, who are concerned for the entire parish.

Finally, Mr. Lefevre recently announced his candidacy for the Avrechy municipal elections. This is his right. One can be a Christian and an elected official! However, in such a context, the Church (in this case, the one serving the Oise region) wishes to maintain its independence. It does not want to take sides with any individual or list. Logically and legitimately, it wishes to remain "apart" from political parties; it therefore does not want a celebration organized by a candidate close to an election period to risk being exploited. It prefers to respect the candidate's freedom and maintain its own.

Ultimately, it should be noted that Christmas will indeed be celebrated at the Divine Mercy Parish in Clermontois.

For my part, I sincerely hope that the Catholic Christians of the Oise region, and indeed all our fellow citizens, may experience and celebrate Christmas, the Nativity of Jesus, in peace and shared joy.

+ Jacques Benoit-Gonnin

Bishop of Beauvais, Noyon, and Senlis

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