A sacrament is an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace.
The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is a sign of Christ’s healing presence in the world. Anyone, regardless of age, whose health is seriously impaired or threatened, may be anointed. Contrary to the experience of many older Catholics, this sacrament is not only for those in immediate danger of death, but for anyone whose illness is more than mild or passing, or whose physical, spiritual or emotional health causes them serious worry or anxiety.
Every other month Anointing of the Sick is offered after weekend Masses. Please watch the bulletin for the announcement.
Or if you, or your loved one would like to receive the sacrament at home, hospital or nursing facility, please call Father Joe directly at 585-747-3649.
The Sacrament of Baptism is the first sacrament that a person celebrates and the first of three sacraments referred to as “the sacraments of initiation.” Through baptism, a person begins a new life with Christ, becoming a child of God and a Christian. It is the first step in a life in which one strives to become more and more like Christ. Baptism symbolizes and brings about a union with Christ’s death and resurrection. Baptism also creates a bond of unity that links all those who have been baptized.
The ordinary minister of baptism is a priest or deacon. Baptism requires the pouring of water and the pronouncement of the words “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
Please call Father Joe at the Parish Office to set up a time when he can come visit you & your family and talk about the sacrament. In the meantime, please click HERE and print out the Baptism Information Form.
If you have been asked to be a godparent or sponsor, please click HERE and print out the Sponsor Form. Please:
1) Fill everything out completely, then sign and date it.
2) Scan and email it to: [email protected] INCLUDING the church and city of Baptism.
When we receive it, Father Joe will sign it and we will put the church seal on it, then snail mail it to the church. Please allow TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE BAPTISM!
The Sacrament of Confirmation is the second of the three sacraments of initiation through which a person becomes a full member of the Catholic Church (the other two are Baptism and Eucharist/Communion.) Confirmation completes the sacramental grace of baptism. It is a celebration of the presence of the Holy Spirit with us, and a confirming of the spiritual gifts given to us at baptism by the Holy Spirit that will help us to live the way that Jesus has taught us to live.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel (right judgment), fortitude (courage), piety (reverence), and fear of the Lord (wonder and awe).
Confirmation is usually celebrated sometime after the age of seven years old and is usually conferred by a Bishop within a celebration of Mass.
Please contact Father Joe at the Parish Office to arrange to meet with him.
f you have been asked to be a sponsor, please click HERE and print out the Sponsor Form. Please:
1) Fill everything out completely, then sign and date it.
2) Scan and email it to: [email protected] INCLUDING the church and city of Baptism.
When we receive it, Father Joe will sign it and we will put the church seal on it, then snail mail it to the church. Please allow TWO MONTHS before the actual Confirmation!
The Sacrament of Eucharist (the Mass and Holy Communion) is the third of the three sacraments of initiation that make a person a full member of the Catholic Church. (The other two are Baptism and Confirmation.) We Catholics believe that, in Eucharist, bread and wine are changed by God into the Body and Blood of Christ. We receive the real Body of Christ in Holy Communion so that, together, we may become the Body of Christ in the world.
Following Jesus’ instruction at the Last Supper to “do this in memory of Me,” Catholics gather together, weekly, around the altar to be nourished and strengthened with God’s Word and with the Body and Blood of Christ. We believe that this holy sacrifice and meal is the source of the faith that enables us to live as Jesus taught us to live, and the summit – our most important act of Catholic worship which celebrates and creates Christian unity.
The word “eucharist” comes from the Greek word for “thanksgiving.” We give God thanks for the gift of Jesus. The word “Mass” comes from the Latin word that means “sent.” Strengthened by the Eucharist, we are sent into the world to do Christ’s work.
Church of Nativity provides preparation for children and adults who would like to share Holy Communion for the first time.
If your child is 7 years old and younger, please contact the Religious Education Coordinator.
If you are an adult, please contact Father Joe directly.
The Sacrament of Holy Orders is known as a "Sacrament of Service to the Community." It is directed primarily to service to the larger Faith Community. By Baptism, all the members of the Church share in the priesthood of Christ. The Sacrament of Holy Orders, which includes diaconate, priesthood and episcopacy establishes individuals who serve the community of all Christ's faithful by teaching, worship, and pastoral governance.
If you are hearing the call from God to enter the priesthood, please call Father Joe to talk to him. You may also go to ROCpriest.org on-line for more information from the Diocese of Rochester. Both can help you decide which order to join.
There are several communities of women in the Diocesan area to contact: Discalced Carmelites, Franciscian Sisters of Allegany, Dominican Nuns/Order of Preachers, Sisters of the Cenacle, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, Sisters of St. Joseph of Rochester, School Sisters of Notre Dame and the Mission Helpers of the Sacred Heart.
The Sacrament of Matrimony (or Christian Marriage,) like all of the sacraments, is a visible expression of God’s ongoing presence in the world and an example of the kind of love God has for each of us. In Christian Marriage, a husband and wife form a covenant of committed, unconditional and caring love and they invite Christ to be a partner with them in that covenant.
The unconditional nature of a covenant is different from that of a contract which requires that certain conditions be met by each partner in order for the contract to be valid. The Church teaches that the Sacrament of Matrimony mirrors God’s covenant of love with his people.” God’s love for us is unconditional, eternal, exclusive, and faithful, in good times and bad, in sickness and health.
Christian Marriage is considered uniquely life giving. A husband and wife share the privilege of procreating new life. And the surprises and trials of marriage provide countless opportunities to grow in holiness.
Please contact Deacon Paul Virgilio to set up a time, you and your fiancé can meet with him.
The Sacrament of Penance is one of two sacraments in which the Lord continues his healing ministry. It is a celebration of God’s forgiving love as witnessed by Christ in the Gospels. As Christians, we are called to live a life of ongoing renewal, constantly striving to grow in our ability to love both God and our neighbor in the way that Jesus has taught us to love. When our human selfishness gets the better of us (sin), we need to turn to God with sorrow for our failure to love, and we need to hear God’s words of forgiveness, to know that God always forgives us. That is what happens in the Sacrament of Penance. We are given a fresh start; we become signs of reconciliation and healing for others.
"It is not those that are well who need the doctor, but the sick. I have come to call not the upright but sinners to repentance." Luke 5:31-32
At times, this sacrament is referred to as the Sacrament of Penance, or the Sacrament of Reconciliation, or as Confession. All three titles refer to the same sacrament and each emphasizes a different aspect of what occurs in the sacrament.
The Sacrament of Penance is celebrated at Nativity Saturday BEFORE Mass from 4-4:45 pm OR by appointment. For an appointment, call Father Joe directly at 585-747-3649.
Any Catholic wishing to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance for the first time may call the Parish Office to inquire about instruction.