One of the first people to arrive for the 125th Anniversary Legacy Mass for Nativity Parish in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 22, 2026 was Jocelyn A. Daughtry, who began attending that parish with her family in 1964.
Reflecting on her parish home for the past six decades, the retired agent for the federal government who is a fourth generation Washingtonian said, “It’s like family, a big family.”
So maybe it’s fitting that after Washington Cardinal Robert W. McElroy celebrated Nativity’s anniversary Mass, he posed for a parish family photo alongside the pastor, Father Pawel Sass and the concelebrating priests, standing in front of the hundreds of people in the congregation of different ages and backgrounds.
At the beginning of the Mass, Father Sass welcomed the cardinal as the “true pastor” of Nativity Catholic Church, and noting the diversity of the parishioners, the priest added, “You have people (here) from all over the world.”
Cardinal McElroy in turn smiled and emphasized “there’s only one pastor of Nativity,” and he joined the congregation in applauding the priest who has led the parish for the past six years, shepherded it through the pandemic and has encouraged neighborhood evangelization efforts to welcome people there.
“All these years, God has been present here,” the cardinal said of Nativity, which started as a mission in Washington’s Brightwood neighborhood along Georgia Avenue in 1899 and was established as a parish in 1900. The first Mass was celebrated at Nativity’s original church on Feb. 3, 1901.
The anniversary Mass opened with joyful music from a combined choir including members of its Gospel Choir and Filipino and Hispanic choirs. Throughout the Mass, the readings, prayers and songs were in English and Spanish. A large banner displayed on the wall behind the altar included the parish’s anniversary theme, “Celebrating the Past While Embracing the Future.”
In his homily at the Mass, which coincided with the First Sunday of Lent, Cardinal McElroy said Lent is “the great season of God’s mercy,” when people can experience God’s love and forgiveness.
“God’s love for us is without reserve and without limits,” he said.
The parish’s website notes its history, how “for generations, faithful Catholics of Irish and German descent helped establish the vibrant campus and community of Nativity Parish,” which is located near the historic site of Fort Stevens, where Union soldiers helped defend the nation’s capital during the Civil War.
The Nativity Parish history adds that “beginning in the 1960s, the Black Catholic community of Washington embraced Nativity with love and devotion, preserving its rich Catholic heritage and continuing its mission of charity, unity and faith.”
And in recent years, Nativity has had a large influx of parishioners from Central and South America, and its Spanish-language Mass at 1 p.m. on Sundays now draws about 500 people. Nativity Parish now includes about 1,000 families and households.
Noting the parish’s history and its changing demographics over the years, Cardinal McElroy said, “We change in the composition of a parish, but never in its core, because we are united in all generations who have gone before us, understanding Christ has redeemed us.”
Praising how Nativity’s parishioners have lived and shared their faith over the years, the cardinal said, “You are a beacon of God’s presence in the world,” and he added, “All of us are walking on a pilgrimage together… seeking always God’s grace and presence in our lives.”
After Communion, a proclamation from Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser was read. The mayor said Nativity Parish has been a “pillar of faith” serving its surrounding community for 125 years and changing many lives for the better.
In his closing remarks at the Mass, Cardinal McElroy noted the beauty of Nativity Catholic Church, which was built in 1942 in a Gothic architectural style inspired by churches in rural England and Ireland. The cardinal also emphasized the beauty of the faith of its parishioners throughout its history who have come from the continents of North America, Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia, “living lives for Christ.”
The cardinal encouraged Nativity’s parishioners of today to “help transform the world by living out the values of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” Concluding his remarks, he said, “Give thanks for all that has been and pray for all that will be.”
At a reception after the anniversary Mass, Father Sass noted the parish’s connection to St. Teresa of Calcutta. A historic plaque outside the church points out how Mother Teresa received 14 young women into her Missionaries of Charity at Nativity Church in 1987. The pastor then, Msgr. William Curlin, served as the chaplain of the religious order’s Gift of Peace home where the sisters cared for people with AIDS. Bishop Curlin, who died in 2017, became an auxiliary bishop of Washington in 1988 and was named the bishop of Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1994.
In an interview, Father Sass – a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington who is a native of Poland – said that after he became the pastor of Nativity during the pandemic, he worked to “restart everything slowly.” During the pandemic, Nativity Parish hosted large food distributions to help people in the community.
Noting the parish’s diversity, the priest said, “We represent all cultures.” The side altars in the church include images of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patroness of the Americas; Our Lady of Antipolo, whom Filipino Catholics venerate; and a crucifix depicting Jesus with dark skin, representing El Señor de Esquipulas, an image of Christ that is venerated by Catholics from Guatemala. The side altars also included portraits of the “Saintly Seven,” the U.S. Black Catholics being considered for sainthood.
During the year, Nativity Parish has special Masses and processions honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe and El Señor de Esquipulas. To honor Divino Salvador del Mundo, Jesus as the divine Savior of the world, Catholics from El Salvador in the parish participate in a procession and a Mass followed by a reception featuring traditional food and dances.
Nativity parishioners also walk in a Via Crucis (“Way of the Cross”) procession in the neighborhood on Good Friday. Parishioners from different backgrounds participate in the Neocatechumenal Way, a worldwide Catholic movement dedicated to adult and family faith formation. The parish’s El Shaddai Filipino choir includes members of a Catholic charismatic prayer movement that began in the Philippines.
In the springtime, Nativity parishioners participate in a neighborhood evangelization effort, talking to and praying with the people whom they meet, including at a new housing development established at the former site of the nearby Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The parish has also held Walks for Peace against gun violence and prayer services in support of local police officers.
Father Sass noted the generosity of Nativity parishioners, and how they have supported improvements like the repaving of the parish’s parking lot and new lights and painting in the church.
“We are on the same target,” he said, praising the faith and spirit of the parishioners. “…Every movement of the Spirit that the people have, I’m just happy for them to do it, to go for it, with my blessing.”
In addition to the parish’s 125th anniversary Mass with Cardinal McElroy on Feb. 22, anniversary activities in the fall of 2025 included the parish’s annual picnic on Sept. 27, a gala dinner at the Saint John Paul II National Shrine on Nov. 8, and a special Nativity Alumni, Friends and Family Mass on Nov. 9.
In his pastor’s letter in the Feb. 22 Nativity Parish bulletin, Father Sass noted how the parish reflects its name: “Our destiny and future are forever intertwined with the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We honor His birth in the very name of our church, glorifying Him daily and lifting our voices in praise.”
Link to related story:
On Nativity Parish’s 125th anniversary, longtime and new parishioners praise its legacy of faith
