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© St. Petersburg Times, published December 25, 2001
BEVERLY HILLS -- A secret is a secret only until you tell another person. So what does it become when you tell 1,400 families?
A major surprise for a beloved parish priest.
The Rev. Paul Mizener, pastor of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Beverly Hills, was supposed to go on vacation in October. When those plans fell through, he thought he might take some time off and "just hang around."
"(Members of the parish) told me to go away for a while," said Mizener, who has been at the parish about 18 months. "They said, "You need a vacation.' " So Mizener scheduled a week at a friend's condo in Fort Myers.
Before he left, Mizener ordered four main pieces of a nativity set. Because the set was so expensive, he told his congregation, "We'll start with these four and maybe add a couple every year."
While Mizener was on vacation, director of music Ed Putnam addressed the congregation. He suggested gifting Mizener with a few more pieces of the much-wanted set to mark the 37th anniversary of his ordination.
He cautioned the need for secrecy to maintain the element of surprise. Within two weeks enough donations had been collected to purchase the entire 16 additional pieces -- nearly life-sized -- from the Cave Co. in New York.
According to Gregory Cave, the company manufactures only six to 12 complete sets of this size per year because of the time constraints and complexities involved. The figurines are made of reinforced fiberglass, much the same as that used in cars and boats. Each figure is hand painted and detailed. On the company's Web site the complete set lists for $29,185.
Part one of the surprise was complete.
The pieces were dispersed among parishioners to be stored in their garages. A camel here, a shepherd there resulted in some odd stories in the community about camel sightings.
Upon Mizener's return, Putnam approached him with the offer to assume all responsibility for getting the holiday lighting and decorations in order, and to build a stable to house the four pieces Mizener was expecting.
"I'd say, "How's it going?' " said Mizener. "And he'd say, "Trust me.' It was his favorite line."
The morning of Dec. 2, Mizener reminded his congregation of the 6 p.m. lighting ceremony, to be followed at 7 by the blessing of the four pieces: the Virgin Mary, Joseph, an angel and the Christ Child in the manger. Mizener was planning to surprise his parish family.
"They were all draped," explained Mizener, adding that he assumed the size of the pieces would be a surprise for those in attendance, but he feared a diminished crowd because of the time and the coolness of the evening.
He needn't have worried.
Putnam rose after the Rev. Mizener spoke to make a short announcement about the caroling that evening and got a round of applause. Mizener had no idea it was a signal to the congregation that all was ready for the night's surprise.
"I didn't understand. I was totally oblivious," said Mizener. Later, to get him away from the action, he was invited out for a round of golf.
The crowd began gathering at 5 p.m., two hours before the actual blessing ceremony.
As evening fell, the doorbell at the rectory rang.
"They had sent the Knights of Columbus to escort me," Mizener said, laughing. "They were really doing it up."
Mizener's plan was to remove the covering from each image and bless it as Putnam led the appropriate carols.
A gentle breeze wrapped the assembly and a full moon lit the site.
"When the time came, they just kept singing," said Mizener. "He started with the shepherd song and I was watching him, waiting for him to finish so I could do the blessing -- but they just kept singing."
Then Mizener saw it. Over the hill came the bearers with the first piece, a shepherd.
To the applause of the audience and the astonishment of the Rev. Mizener, a color guard from the Knights of Columbus, Abbot Francis Sadlier Council 6168, escorted a procession of bearers with the remaining pieces.
"It was awesome! I was speechless," Mizener said. "I just couldn't believe my eyes as they were bringing them in and putting them in (the manger).
"I was like a little child at Christmas time. My eyes were wide open. I couldn't believe what I was seeing."
On the last page of the liturgical book Mizener used to bless the pieces, he found a note from Putnam -- his trademark "Trust me."
"The people were overjoyed. They were like little kids in anticipation of what was going to happen. I cannot believe no one slipped," said Mizener. "They kept it a secret . . . in Beverly Hills!"
Almost as an anticlimax, after the blessing of the nativity a reception was held. Nearly 700 people attended.
Mizener received a bronze plaque of appreciation from his parishioners and a congratulatory note on his 37th anniversary from Bishop Robert Lynch of the St. Petersburg Diocese.
Perhaps the answer to this magical holiday surprise lies in the relationship Mizener has with his congregation.
"Someone told me the other day, "We love you to pieces,' " he said. "I will always do my best for them. They're a present to me, and I'd like to think I'm a present to them."