Nativity of Our Lord

About Nativity of Our Lord Parish

The Church of the Nativity of Our Lord, at 240 Fell Street in downtown San Francisco, is a Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of San Francisco that has served Croatian, Slovenian, Polish, and other Slavic Catholics for more than a century. It is one of the Archdiocese's active ethnic parishes, with Mass celebrated in English alongside Croatian, Slovenian, and Polish devotions. The parish office and rectory are located at 245 Linden Street, San Francisco, CA 94102.

History of the Parish

Nativity traces its origins to the Croatian and Slovenian gold-rush immigrants of the 1850s and the first Polish arrivals of the late 1840s, whose descendants petitioned Archbishop Riordan for a church of their own. The parish was formally established when the archbishop purchased the Fell Street lot on January 6, 1903; the first church was dedicated June 5, 1904. Nativity has survived the 1906 earthquake, two World Wars, the Great Depression, the Cold War, and a 1994 diocesan closure, and was reopened in December 1996 under Archbishop William Levada.

• Lot purchased: January 6, 1903
• First church dedicated: June 5, 1904
• Destroyed in 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire
• Rebuilt church dedicated: January 21, 1912
• Reopened after 1994 closure: December 1996
• 100th Anniversary celebrated in 2003–2004

Clergy and Pastoral Leadership

Nativity has been shepherded by both diocesan and religious-order clergy. Early on, Father Bontempo, S.J. — a Croatian-speaking Jesuit — established the mission that served the Slavic and Polish faithful. Father Turk led the rebuilding after the 1906 earthquake. In modern times, the parish has been served by members of the Society of Christ (S.Ch.), including Fr. Czeslaw Rybacki (1996–2003), Fr. Jerzy Frydrych (from 2003), and the current pastor, Fr. Eugeniusz Bolda, S.Ch.

• Father Bontempo, S.J. (early 1900s)
• Father Turk (rebuilder after 1906)
• Fr. Czeslaw Rybacki, S.Ch. (1996–2003)
• Fr. Jerzy Frydrych, S.Ch. (2003–)
• Fr. Eugeniusz Bolda, S.Ch. (current Pastor)

Sacraments

The parish prepares parishioners for the sacraments of Baptism, Matrimony, Reconciliation, and the Anointing of the Sick. Couples intending to marry are asked to announce their intentions at least six months in advance, and parents seeking Baptism should contact the priest one month in advance. Confession is offered before Mass and at any time on request.

• Baptism: contact priest one month in advance
• Matrimony: intentions announced 6 months in advance
• Reconciliation: before Mass, or anytime upon request
• Anointing of the Sick: with Polish-language Mass

Becoming a Parishioner

Nativity welcomes new members. Visitors and neighbors who wish to register with the parish or be included in the parish directory for mailings are invited to register online or to fill out and print a registration form, then drop it in the collection basket or send it to the parish office at 245 Linden Street, San Francisco, CA 94102.

• Online registration available
• Printable registration form sent to parish office or placed in collection basket

Visit, Phone, and Email

Visitors are asked to call the parish office to make an appointment with the pastor. The parish can be reached by telephone and fax at (415) 252-5799, or by email at [email protected]. The church stands at 240 Fell Street; the rectory mailing address is 245 Linden Street, San Francisco, CA 94102.

• Pastor: Father Eugeniusz Bolda, SCh.
• Telephone & Fax: (415) 252-5799
• Email: [email protected]
• Church: 240 Fell Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
• Rectory/Mailing: 245 Linden Street, San Francisco, CA 94102