Sacraments

Baptism

Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit (vitae spiritualis ianua), and the

door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as children of

God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: “Baptism is the

sacrament of regeneration through water and in the word.” (CCC 1213)


Baptismal Symbols

Water – The waters of baptism recall Jesus’ own baptism by John the Baptist in the river Jordan. Water is a symbol of cleansing and renewal as we begin a new life in Christ. We are washed clean of sin.

Oil – At baptism we are anointed into the life of Christ as “priest, prophet and king.” A cross is traced on the candidate’s forehead as a reminder that we are inheritors of the Kingdom of God.

Light – The baptismal candle is lit from the Paschal or Easter candle that stands in the church as a sign of Christ’s light in the world. At baptism, we receive the light of Christ and are called forth to share this light with the world.

White garment – The white garment that is placed upon us at baptism is a symbol of Christ’s victory over death and his glorious resurrection. Likewise, the white garment or pall that is placed over the coffin at the time of death recalls our baptismal promises and reminds us that we are destined for eternal life.


Baptisms are scheduled  ONLY on the fourth Sunday of the Month at 12:00 PM.


Please Note:

  • The child must be less than the age of seven (7) at the time of the baptism.
  • Parents must provide a copy of child’s Birth Certificate or adoption papers.
  • Parents are to be registered members of Church of the Nativity.
  • If parents are registered members of a parish other than Church of the Nativity, they must provide a permission letter from their pastor to have the baptism at Church of the Nativity stating that they are registered and active members in their parish.
  • Pre-Baptismal Class is required for both parents and godparents.
  • Godparents must be baptized and confirmed Catholics.
  • A baptized non-Catholic may not be a godparent but may serve as a witness along with a Catholic godparent.
  • There is a donation of $350 per baptism.

 

Please download the Baptism Information Form here then fill it out and return it to the Church Office 


or scan it back to Tula Pinella:

tpinnella@nativitycatholic.org

Eucharist

The liturgical life of the Church revolves around the sacraments, with the Eucharist at the center (National Directory for Catechesis, #35). At Mass, we are fed by the Word and nourished by the Body and Blood of Christ. We believe that the Risen Jesus is truly and substantially present in the Eucharist. The Eucharist is not a sign or symbol of Jesus; rather we receive Jesus himself in and through the Eucharistic species. The priest, through the power of his ordination and the action of the Holy Spirit, transforms the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus. This is call transubstantiation.


By the consecration the transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ is brought about. Under the consecrated species of bread and wine Christ himself, living and glorious, is present in a true, real, and substantial manner: his Body and his Blood, with his soul and his divinity. (CCC 1413)


Eucharist may be received at all Masses by Catholics who have received their First Communion. Call the Parish Office to make arrangements for those who are sick at home. For those at UCSD Hospital, contact Stephanie Kourie, skourie@nativitycatholic.org. For those at Scripps Green Hospital, contact Pat James, pjames@nativitycatholic.org. 


Click here for Sacramental Prep Policy

Confirmation

At confirmation we receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit and confirm our baptismal promises. Greater awareness of the grace of the Holy Spirit is conferred through the anointing of chrism oil and the laying on of hands by the Bishop. Through the Sacrament of Confirmation we renew our baptismal promises and commit to living a life of maturity in the Christian faith.


The Sacrament of Confirmation, along with Baptism and Eucharist, is one of the three sacraments of initiation. At Confirmation, the Holy Spirit strengthens the baptized Christian and endows her or him with gifts to enable us to carry out our mission to be Christ in the world and to continue building God’s kingdom. To be fully a member of the Catholic Church, one needs to be baptized, receive First Communion (Eucharist), and confirmed.


"Confirmation perfects Baptismal grace; it is the sacrament which gives the Holy Spirit in order to root us more deeply in the divine filiation, incorporate us more firmly into Christ, strengthen our bond with the Church, associate us more closely with her mission, and help us bear witness to the Christian faith in words accompanied by deeds." (CCC 1316)


For the Church of the Nativity Confirmation Policy, requirements, and registration forms, please click here.

Reconciliation

Sin hurts our relationship with God, ourselves and others. As the Catechism states:

The sinner wounds God’s honor and love, his own human dignity…and the spiritual well-being of the Church, of which each Christian ought to be a living stone. To the eyes of faith no evil is graver than sin and nothing has worse consequences for the sinners themselves, for the Church, and for the whole world. (CCC 1487, 1488)


Contrition and conversion lead us to seek a forgiveness for our sins so as to repair damaged relationships with God, self, and others. We believe that only ordained priests have the faculty of absolving sins from the authority of the Church in the name of Jesus Christ (CCC 1495). Our sins are forgiven by God, through the priest.


Saturday, 3:30-4:30 PM in the parish office.


Individual Reconciliation is also available by appointment.


Examination of Conscience

Anointing of the Sick

The special grace of the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick has as its effects:

  • the uniting of the sick person to the passion of Christ, for his own good and that of the whole Church;
  • the strengthening, peace, and courage to endure in a Christian manner the sufferings of illness or old age;
  • the forgiveness of sins, if the sick person was not able to obtain it through the sacrament of Penance; 
  • the restoration of health, if it is conducive to the salvation of his soul; 
  • the preparation for passing over to eternal life. (CCC 1532)

There is a chaplain assigned to each hospital;

families of loved ones or they themselves

can ask for a priest during their hospitalization.


For more information:

Call the Parish Office at 858 756-1911

Marriage

The sacrament of Matrimony signifies the union of Christ and the Church. It gives spouses the grace to love each other with the love with which Christ has loved his Church; the grace of the sacrament thus perfects the human love of the spouses, strengthens their indissoluble unity, and sanctifies them on the way to eternal life. (CCC 1661)


They are celebrated on Saturdays, 11:00 AM or 2:00 PM (no later), on other days by arrangement, but never on Sunday.


Please contact Lourdes Barton in the Parish Office at 858-756-1911 or lbarton@nativitycatholic.org for more information.


Please note: At least one family member must be a registered, supporting member of the Parish for one year prior to securing the date.


For more information click here

Holy Orders

"Holy Orders is the sacrament through which the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles continues to be exercised in the Church until the end of time…It includes three degrees of order: episcopate, presbyterate, and diaconate" (CCC 1536). 


Deacons, priest and bishops are essential to the Catholic Church because we believe that they continue the work begun by the apostles. Since the beginning, the ordained ministry has been conferred and exercised in three degrees: that of bishops, that of presbyters, and that of deacons. The ministries conferred by ordination are irreplaceable for the organic structure of the Church: without the bishop, presbyters, and deacons, one cannot speak of the Church. (CCC 1593)


Ordination is the rite at which the Sacrament of Holy Orders is bestowed. The bishop confers the Sacrament of Holy Orders by the laying on of hands which confers on a man the grace and spiritual power to celebrate the Church’s sacraments.


The Church confers the sacrament of Holy Orders only on baptized men (viri), whose suitability for the exercise of the ministry has been duly recognized. Church authority alone has the responsibility and right to call someone to receive the sacrament of Holy Orders. (CCC 1598)


In the Latin Church the sacrament of Holy Orders for the presbyterate is normally conferred only on candidates who are ready to embrace celibacy freely and who publicly manifest their intention of staying celibate for the love of God's kingdom and the service of men. (CCC 1599)


For more information, contact Fr. Gus at  858-756-1911