FIRST ON FOX: The head of a global pro-life organization praised the Nativity scene installed by that shone a light on over 25,000 infants spared from abortion this year due to the group’s outreach efforts.
In a conversation with Digital, Shawn Carney—CEO and founder of 40 Days for Life—stated that the Vatican reached out to his group about creating a Nativity scene symbolizing the babies he claims were saved through the organization’s pro-life activism, including prayer and vigils outside abortion clinics.
“This is truly lovely,” Carney commented.
“The artist crafted the straw in the manger holding Baby Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,” he continued. “The straw is made up of 25,000 ribbons—each one representing a baby boy or girl saved from abortion during a 40 Days for Life campaign.”
Designed by Costa Rican artist Paula Sáenz Soto and donated by the Central American nation, the scene features a pregnant Virgin Mary, Joseph, and thousands of colored ribbons dedicated to the babies who avoided abortion.
remarked at a recent gathering with donors of the Vatican’s Christmas decorations that the Nativity scene in the Vatican’s audience hall reflected a sign of life, which he described as a symbol of “faith and hope.”
Each ribbon adorning the scene “stands for a life saved from abortion thanks to the prayer and support Catholic organizations provided to many mothers in need,” said the pontiff, who personally blessed the display.
Leo also thanked the artist for the message affirming that “life is protected from conception.”
Carney called the Nativity “inspiring” and “beautiful news,” particularly amid recent waves of bad news in the U.S. and around the world.
“This is so inspiring—frankly, we’ve had a lot of bad news lately in America and globally, and this display represents good news,” he told Digital.
“It symbolizes babies saved from abortion, and the Costa Rican artist—who participates in 40 Days for Life—did an amazing job. Her beautiful creation truly highlights the dedication of countless pro-life volunteers worldwide who take time out to hope for saving a baby. Now those saved babies are represented in the most important scene in the world: the Nativity, which is the foundation of our hope—Jesus came through the womb, via a family, to save us from our sins,” he continued.
“So this is beautiful, good news, and I think it’s being well-received given all the bad news we’ve had over the past few weeks,” Carney added.
Carney further explained that the Nativity is “at the and all Christians, and certainly at the heart of the pro-life movement.”
“This is why we do what we do,” he said. “Our Lord could have appeared out of an acorn to save us from our sins, but He didn’t. God chose a family—a holy family, a 14-year-old virgin—to bring His son into the world through the womb, which statistically is now the most dangerous place on Earth. He chose the womb, He chose the family, and the family is under attack. This beautiful Nativity display speaks to the heart of every Christian seeking hope in the world—hope to overcome our own sins, and hope to end the tragedy and barbaric nature of abortion globally. America is leading the way in this effort.” “We just had a historic year for the pro-life movement in 2025, and I think 2026 will be even better,” he added. “This display certainly inspires great hope and confidence that if we pray, fast, stay faithful, and take action, we can end abortion anywhere.”
Carney also stressed that the Nativity scene featuring a pregnant Mary with an unborn Jesus “speaks to the scientific reality of the unborn child and the biblical truth that Our Lord came through the womb.”
“The Nativity is one of the most depicted scenes in history, representing that great meeting of Heaven and Earth—Christ coming into the world through a child nine months after the Annunciation,” he said. “It’s absolutely beautiful. It draws attention to how we treat our unborn children, with 72 million abortions worldwide each year. This is by far the greatest moral crisis of our time, and we must respond. We have to respond with great hope, and there’s no greater hope than Jesus coming into the world and being with us on Christmas Day.”
The pro-life leader also stated that the pope “is going to be a stronger voice than most people think” on the .
“I think he’s righting the ship,” Carney said. “He’s speaking with a bit more clarity than Pope Francis did. Pope Leo has been very supportive of the pro-life movement—certainly of 40 Days for Life with this beautiful Nativity at the Vatican—so I’m very encouraged.”