Green Bay Bishop: Satanic tree at National Railroad Museum Festival of Lights ‘is offensive and harms the unity and joy’ of Christmas

December 4, 2023

Bishop David L. Ricken of the Catholic Diocese of Green Bay, Wisconsin, criticized the National Railroad Museum for allowing a tree representing the Satanic Temple of Wisconsin to be part of their annual Festival of Trees.

“Allowing a traditional understanding of Christmas to be usurped and desecrated by an organization/cult is divisive during a time of the year that we come together in unity as a community,” said Ricken. “Displaying a Christmas tree with bright red lights, inverted crosses, pentagrams, and other satanic symbolism, with a snake wrapped around the tree where our savior belongs, is not something families and children should be exposed to aat any time, but most especially during this Christmas season.

“The tree is offensive and harms the unity and joy that the Christmas season brings,” said Ricken.

Ricken said he plans to write to the Board of Directors of The National Railroad Museum, encouraging others to join him in this protest.

Bishop Ricken’s call to action comes at the beginning of the Advent season, a time he believes is crucial for standing up for religious truth and countering evil. He emphasized the importance of this period for prayer and vigilance in the face of challenges to faith and community values.

In response to the situation, Bishop Ricken invited the community to pray for peace and harmony, particularly during the Christmas season.