Michigan man builds up the Catholic Church, one Lego at a time, for 25 years

CNA Staff, Nov 4, 2024 / 06:00 am

John Kraemer knows that what he does is unusual. In fact, he relishes the improbable path that God has set him on for the past quarter-century.

Every year, Kraemer assembles some 30,000 Lego bricks into a painstakingly intricate model of a Catholic church. Though often inspired by the designs of real churches he has visited, each one is a unique creation.

Kaemer’s Lego Church Project, now in its 25th year, blends creativity, his Catholic faith, and disability advocacy — a subject near and dear to Kraemer’s heart as a disabled person himself.

“I am thankful to God that I have a purpose in my life that goes beyond myself. Without God in my life, without the Church, I would not have anything to do,” Kraemer, who lives in east-central Michigan, told CNA.

“And yet, God has given me this unique mission to share the faith creatively, to talk about issues related to disability, to show people what it means to live the faith and have a disability or challenges. I know that there are a lot of people out there who have their own struggles. So if I can bring some insight into how I deal with it, it may give them some wisdom on how to navigate their own issues that they may be facing.”

Every year, Kraemer builds his Lego church, displays it at a number of parishes in the Saginaw, Michigan, area around the holiday season, and then tears it down and starts again. 

Kraemer’s first display, in 2000, was at Mount Zion Parish in Flushing, Michigan. St. Helen’s Parish in Saginaw, which has since been renamed Christ the Good Shepherd, is his longest-running location — in addition to singing in the choir, Kraemer has displayed his creations there every year since 2004.

He has also toured numerous other parishes and assisted-living facilities with his creations, always garnering a warm reception and enthusiasm, especially from children, who are particularly drawn to the bright colors and interactive elements, such as the bells in the towers. 

A foundation of faith

As he previously told CNA, Kraemer enjoyed playing with Legos as a kid, but the spaceships his peers were building didn’t appeal to him. Looking for inspiration for what to build, the obvious solution soon presented itself — churches. 

“At that time period for me, church was the core of who we were … so there was a strong emphasis on that, and as I grew up it kind of developed from there,” Kraemer said.

What started as a hobby blossomed into something much more, as Kraemer realized he had a knack for large builds. 

The dimensions of his Lego churches, which can weigh as much as 80 pounds, are somewhat limited by the necessity that they must be transported by car, but they’re still a lot bigger than anything you’ll find at a toy store. Each one is constructed on a plywood base, and his latest effort measured nearly 4 feet long and 2 feet high.

When not in use, Kraemer stores the tens of thousands of Lego bricks required for each church in his one-bedroom apartment. During the annual construction stage, Kraemer said he spends anywhere from two to five hours each day laying bricks — or, as he calls it, “praying at the bricks.”

“As I am building, I’m laying out all of my own personal fears, all my own personal anxieties, any challenges that I’m personally facing … I’m praying with my hands as I am building because I’m trying to build the faith in a very creative way,” he explained.

An expression of faith

Like a real church architect, Kraemer is very intentional about his designs. Each element has significance and meaning as part of the larger whole, and also sends a message about the things Kraemer values. For one thing, he explains that his models are “filled to the brim with people,” representing “a prayer for a future” where Mass attendance is revitalized. 

In light of the ongoing National Eucharistic Revival, Kraemer said he takes care to make the tabernacle a prominent feature in each of his churches, a design preference that fits with his own ideas of what a Catholic church should look like. Alongside the tabernacle, he also for this anniversary season undertook a “complete brand-new build” of the pipe organ model he uses. 

“When I go into a build, I’m always praying about what I’m about to do, and to [find out] what story the Lord wants me to tell. Where’s my focus going to be overall in terms of the design?” he said. 

Kraemer said he enjoys the “display” period each year because it allows him to answer questions about his Lego creations and to enjoy people’s reactions upon seeing his work, especially the reactions of kids.

But he said it also allows him to explain his deeper motivations for such a labor-intensive project.

“I’m showing that no matter what challenge, whether it be medical or emotional or whatnot, no matter what challenge or disability you face, God can still use your talents,” Kraemer explained.

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Catching a ride

Kraemer’s passion surrounding disability advocacy is personal — he has a mild form of cerebral palsy, which affects his learning, his balance, his hearing, and his fine motor control. 

His own identity as a disabled person manifests itself in his models, where he takes care to include depictions of parishioners with special needs, using items such as wheelchairs, adult strollers, and guide dogs. 

Transportation is a significant issue for Kraemer, who is unable to drive and has, at least for car rides, had to rely on the kindness of others for decades — though he enthusiastically recounts how helpful it has been to get more adept at riding his trusty adult tricycle. Through his online platform, Kraemer passionately advocates for better transportation solutions for the disabled and hopes to inspire others to address this often-overlooked need in their own parishes.

“We don’t have a consistent pathway across the entire Church on how to get people to Mass who may not have a way to get there on their own. And I think that that is something that we definitely do need to look at,” he said. 

“It is a topic that comes up quite frequently with me because I’ve been there. I’ve been in those shoes. I’ve been in times where I wanted to attend a holy day of obligation, but I had no way to get out there.”

Kraemer said he feels a sense of responsibility to advocate for others in the Church who are struggling with their own disabilities and said he wants people to know that God can utilize everyone’s talents, regardless of their challenges.

“God has blessed me abundantly with this ministry, which means even if some of my own needs are mostly met, like with getting [to] Mass on Sunday, I know there are others out there who are struggling. So if I can use my voice and my platform in the service of Christ, then I know that I’m doing something right,” he said.

Filled with gratitude

Kraemer’s first display of the 2024 “season” was at Resurrection of the Lord Parish in Standish, Michigan. He plans to bring the model to St. Helen’s around the Advent season.

Kraemer said he is filled with immense gratitude for the support he has received throughout the 25 years of the Lego Church Project. He said he sees his work as a testament to the power of God’s grace and a reflection of his desire to share his faith and advocate for the needs of others. 

As he embarks on the next chapter of his Lego ministry, Kraemer said he remains committed to using his unique talent to inspire and uplift others.

“I am thankful to the people that [have supported] me over the last 25 years. I cannot say thank you enough. Without the support of those around me, this would not be possible,” he said.