ST. JOSEPH \u2014 The Church of St. Joseph wants your help to find nativity scene figures that church officials say were stolen from a display on the church\u2019s front lawn.<\/p>\n
The Rev. Jerome Tupa, the church\u2019s pastor, says figures of Mary, Joseph and three sheep were stolen late Thursday night or early Friday morning. A week earlier, on Thanksgiving Day, a shepherd figure was stolen, Tupa says.<\/p>\n
That leaves the nativity scene, located at the intersection of Minnesota Street and College Avenue, almost bare with just a few barnyard animals remaining, Tupa said.<\/p>\n
The thefts were reported to St. Joseph police and to authorities at College of St. Benedict and St. John\u2019s University, Tupa said.<\/p>\n
The missing figures are about 3 feet tall and are made of plaster of Paris, Tupa said. Anyone with information should contact St. Joseph police at 363-8250.<\/p>\n
Tupa says the figures could be valued at more than $1,000. They have a value beyond money for many parishioners, as they\u2019ve been with the church for several decades, he said.<\/p>\n
One positive is that the baby Jesus figure remains with the parish. It isn\u2019t placed in the nativity scene until Christmas, Tupa said.<\/p>\n
For now, Tupa says he hopes the thief or thieves of the figures will have a change of heart and return them.<\/p>\n
\u201cI frankly have been praying for the person that took it, that maybe this will be a moment of change in their life,\u201d Tupa said. \u201cThere might be some good that comes out of it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m hoping for a miracle.\u201d<\/p>\n