ENGLEWOOD -- A goat in a live nativity at St. Raphael Church gave birth to twins just as a Christmas Eve service began.

Worshipers lingered around the corral after the Mass to watch the mother with her babies, said Bob Scott, head of maintenance at the church.

St. Raphael Church borrows livestock from a Venice farm whose owner tries to pick out pregnant animals who might give birth close to Christmas.

"A few years ago, we had lambs give birth to twins on Christmas Eve and it was quite an event for us then," Scott said.

A religious tradition for many Christian churches, living nativities re-enact the birth of Jesus in the form of a play. Some living nativities use live animals, rather than props.

"Being born in a manger with animals, that's the tie-in," Scott said.

When Scott took charge of the live nativity 25 years ago at St. Raphael Catholic Church, he worked out an arrangement to borrow animals each year from Ballard's Farm Supply of Venice.

Farm owner Larry Ballard makes a point of donating pregnant animals, said Nancy Kelly, a worker at the farm.

"He does try to pick out an animal that will give birth sometime around Christmas," Kelly said.

Two donkeys, including one still pregnant Tuesday, participated in the nativity play in December, as did a second goat who gave birth to twins Tuesday morning.

The animals -- and their young -- will remain at the church until Jan. 2.

Scott said the church keeps the animals around until after the new year so children can enjoy them during the holiday week between Christmas and New Year's Eve.

INTERESTED?

Baby goats will be bouncing around the corral at St. Raphael Catholic Church until Jan. 2.

The public is welcome to stop by for a peek at them.

The church is located at 770 Kilbourne Ave. in Englewood.

To get there, travel west on Dearborn Avenue and turn right on Old Englewood Road. The church is at the corner of Old Englewood Road and Kilbourne Avenue.

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