St. Gertrude Chicago

All are Welcome

1420 W. Granville, Chicago, IL 60660

773.764.3621

stgertrude1420@stgertrudechicago.org

www.stgertrudechicago.org

Bulletin for Sunday, May 7, 2023

Fifth Sunday of Easter

Parish Town Hall Planned for This Sunday, May 7

On Sunday, May 7th in the Gym after the 10:30 am Masses in the Gym, the Parish Pastoral Council invites you to a town hall discussion on the parish’s strategic plan. 

To view a copy of the Strategic Plan, scan the QR code (pictured right) or visit https://bit.ly/StGertsStrategicPlan. Hard copies are available in church. 

Your attendance is crucial for the future of our parish!

Book Club: Next Meeting is Monday, May 8

All are welcome to attend the next book club gathering on Monday, May 8! We will meet in the Ministry Center that evening at 7:00 pm and will discuss The World That We Knew: A Novel by Alice Hoffman. We would love new voices and opinions.

Contact Lea Cloninger at 773.973.2465 or Sue Benjamin at 773.551.8401 with questions. The gathering may be virtual if the weather is stormy.

First Communion Information

Please keep children of our parish who are making their First Communion next Saturday in your prayers! 

Families of students making their First Communion at St. Gertrude should note that there is a rehearsal for the Sacrament of Communion on Friday, May 12 at 6:30 pm in church. The First Communion Mass is Saturday, May 13 at 10:00 am. 

Families should arrive early so their children can line up and walk into church together.

If you have questions, please contact Eloy Escamilla at eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org.

Letter from Cardinal Cupich: Catholic Charities Mother's Day Second Collection

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Mother's Day is a time dedicated to remembering all of the mothers and mother figures in our lives-the women who have fed, nurtured, taught, and sustained us. Mothers are essential in every generation, in every moment of each day, to the fullness of God's plan for human life and community.

Helping mothers in need is core to our faith, and helping mothers is a central calling for Catholic Charities. As Christ reminds us, we must care for women and children in need, especially mothers raising children alone.

Your generous donation to the Mother's Day Collection for Catholic Charities enables the Church's work on behalf of mothers. Catholic Charities helps tens of thousands of mothers each year with counseling services; food, housing, and utility assistance; adoption support; home-visit parenting support; domestic violence safe-shelter; and so much more.

Your donations are critical to this work of faith. They enable us to be Christ's hands throughout Cook and Lake counties. As the largest provider of human services in our region, the Catholic Church touches thousands of lives daily through the work of Catholic Charities. Catholic Charities relies on the contributions of Catholics who recognize and embrace the call to witness and unite in service, as one Church.

I reach out to our parishes once each year for support of Charities' work. Mother's Day is your chance to make a gift to this central, mighty mission of our Church. Please considering donating either:

• In-person during the second collection on Mother's Day, May 14
• Online at www.catholiccharities.net/donate
• By mail at Catholic Charities, P.O. Box 8275, Carol Stream, IL 60197-8275

Please accept my sincere gratitude for your past support. | encourage you to be as generous as you can again this year, so that together we might witness a message of mercy and hope a world in need-starting with mothers.

Sincerely yours in Christ,



Cardinal Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago

Combined 10:30 am May Crowning Planned for May 14/No Gym Mass

Our annual May Crowning is Sunday, May 14 at 10:30 am Mass! We will celebrate with a Combined Mass in Church. (No Gym Mass.)



Students who made their First Communion on Saturday, May 6 are invited to attend the 10:30 am Mass in church wearing their First Communion finery.

All are welcome to bring flowers to place before our statue of Mary!

Registration for 2023 Wildcat Summer Camp is NOW OPEN!

Wildcat Camp strives to provide a safe, engaging experience with a variety of recreational, educational, athletic, and fine arts programs at an affordable price!



Join us for:

• Arts & Crafts
• Snacks
• Sports
• Field Trips
• and MUCH MORE!

Prices:

• $250/week for campers who registers/attends 4 or more weeks; $200/week for each sibling.
• $290/week for campers who registers for less than 4 weeks; $240/week for each sibling.

For more information, visit www.northsidecatholic.org or call 773.743.6277. The 2023 Wildcat Summer Camp Flyer is be seen here.

We look forward to seeing you this summer!

This Summer: St. Gertrude’s Youth Group Mission Experience

Attention teens in sixth grade through high school! This summer, from July 10-14, the parish youth group will volunteer with a different Chicagoland organization each day. This is an excellent opportunity to have fun and earn volunteer hours!



There is a $100 fee for the week. A $50 deposit is required at the time of registration. Please note that there are scholarships available!

All participants will receive a t-shirt, water bottle, and a sports drawstring backpack.

To reserve a spot or to get more information, contact Eloy Escamilla at 

eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org. Please register before Saturday, May 28. 

Growing in Faith

Today's Gospel (John 14:1-12) has one of the most quoted, perhaps most misinterpreted statements made by Jesus to his disciples: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Isolated on its own, this statement could be read as an exclusionary clause in God's contract with us -- There is one way, and one way only, to come into God's kingdom. 

Jesus, preparing for his final days on earth, sees his disciples' confusion and terror. "Do not let your hearts be troubled," he comforts them, reminding them that he'd shown them a map for the journey ahead, for the way. Jesus lived the way every day of his public ministry! Jesus' radical acceptance of the people no one pays attention to, the people without earthly power, the people society rejects and vilifies, is the way. Jesus' insistence that sharing with those in need secures abundance for all, is the way. Jesus' total rejection of violence as a way to realize the kingdom, is the way. 

In a morning meditation Pope Francis entitled "Never exclude" (2015), he said: 

"It is by our deeds that Jesus asks us to include everyone, because as Christians we do not have the right to exclude others, nor to judge or close the doors on them. This attitude of exclusion is at the root of all wars, large and small."

We could hardly ask for a Gospel -- or a bit of papal wisdom -- more relevant to our troubling times. 

~ Laurie Hasbrook

Heart to Heart Information

Our Heart to Heart Ministry has around 30 members and 11 active volunteers, covering Edgewater/Rogers Park areas. Our volunteers provide companionship to our elderly, many of whom live alone and have a limited support network. 

There are six dedicated drivers taking members to doctor appointments, grocery shopping and other errands. Three ministry of care volunteers visit people at home or in their care facility. A volunteer does weekly phone visits with many of our members and another sends thank you letters for monetary and medical equipment donations. 

In addition, there continues to be a solid group of volunteers working independently 

making sandwiches for the needy.

Our Heart to Heart/Lending Closet phone number is 773-973-5464. Pat Sullivan is available on Monday and Thursday for Heart to Heart inquiries. Her email is psullivan@stgertrudechicago.org. Laurie Hasbrook is available on Tuesday and Thursday for Lending Closet inquiries. She can be emailed at lhasbrook@stgertrudechicago.org.

Easter Flower Offering Envelopes

We are offering an opportunity to celebrate someone in your life, living or deceased, during the Easter season. Please consider making an Easter Flower offering in their name.

Envelopes are available in the back of the Church and may be placed in the collection basket or sent to Rectory. The names of those honored will be published in the bulletin during the Easter season.

Flower Offering Remembrances

In Memory of/Individual who Honored Them

• Kathy Schneider Runstrom from Mary T. Scheider
• Jon Anderson from Pamela Sherrod Anderson
• Lilder & Albert Sherrod from Pamela Sherrod Anderson
• Randy, Lydia & Manuel Cruz from Monica T. Cruz
•  Ma’Araceli Frias from Nona T. Frias
• Gonzalo & Sulecia Frias from Nona T. Frias
• Theresa McMahon from Joe McMahon
• Mary Pat Ross from Steve & Anne Hasselbeck
• Deceased member of Slane family from Millie Slane
• Mother and Father from Efrain Cortes
• Mary Ellen Mellon from Jo Anne Joyce
• Deceased of the Laczkowski & Glotkowski families from Jean L. Laczkowski

Ministers of the Word

• Saturday, May 6 at 5:00 pm - Joseph McMahon, Roman Reyes
• Sunday, May 7 at 8:00 am - David Sullivan, Kathryn Stimac
• Sunday, May 7 at 10:30 am - Stephen Modde, Rose Karasti

Eucharistic Ministers

• Saturday, May 6 at 5:00 pm - Tim Harrington
• Sunday, May 7 at 8:00 am - Barb Daly
• Sunday, May 7 at 10:30 am - Bob Backis, Annie Hasselbeck, Stephen Hasselbeck

Cantors and Musicians

• Saturday, May 6 at 5:00 pm - Jim 
• Manzardo 
• Sunday, May 7 at 8:00 am - Denise 
• Goodman 
• Sunday, May 7 at 10:30 am - Kate Hibbs Davis 

Altar Servers

• Sunday, May 7 at 10:30 am - cross bearer - Henry Villareal ; acolytes - Grace Cashman, Henry Jacobson 

Upcoming Mass Intentions

• Monday, May 8: 7:30 am - Living & deceased parents of St. Gertrude
• Tuesday, May 9: 7:30 am - Sheila McGuire +
• Wednesday, May 10: 7:30 am - Laura Linke +
• Thursday, May 11: 7:30 am - Communion Service
• Friday, May 12: 7:30 am - Living & deceased Torreano family members; 8:30 am - NCA May Crowning
• Saturday, May 13: 7:30 am - Purgatorial Society; 10:00 am - First Communion; 5:00 pm - Patricia McKee +
• Sunday, May 14: 8:00 am - Living & deceased mothers of St. Gertrude parishioners; 10:30 am Combined Mass in church – Living & deceased mothers of St. Gertrude parishioners

Click HERE for the daily readings for Masses. Here is the list of readings for this week for parishioners that prefer to look them up:

• Monday, May 8: Acts 14:5-18/Jn 14:21-26
• Tuesday, May 9: Acts 14:19-28/Jn 14:27-31a
• Wednesday, May 10: Acts 15:1-6/Jn 15:1-8
• Thursday, May 11: Acts 15:7-21/Jn 15:9-11
• Friday, May 12: Acts 15:22-31/Jn 15:12-17
• Saturday, May 13: Acts 16:1-10/Jn 15:18-21 
• Sunday, May 14: Acts 8:5-8, 14-17/1 Pt 3:15-18/Jn 14:15-21

If you would like to add a name to the prayer list, please contact the Rectory at 773.764.3621 or email stgertrude1420@stgertrudechicago.org. Names will remain on the list for three weeks. After that time, please renew the name using same contact information.