St. Gertrude Chicago

All are Welcome

1420 W. Granville, Chicago, IL 60660

773.764.3621

stgertrude1420@stgertrudechicago.org

www.stgertrudechicago.org

Combined Bulletin for Christmas 2022

& the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

December 25, 2022 & January 1, 2023

And Happy New Year to everyone! The entrance into the new year invites us to consider our many blessings this past year, and to consider how we can best use each day of this new year which is always a blessing.

This article is my final message as I move into retirement. My thanks to all the parishioners of St. Gertrude, and to the parish staff who have been so wonderful to work with these years we spent together.

My special thanks to Fr. Mike Gabriel who now becomes administrator of St. Gertrude Parish on January 1st, and then will become pastor on July 1st. Fr. Mike has been a blessing to me as we have worked together in a number of assignments. And I am so happy he will be taking the reins at St. Gertrude.

May God continue to bless us in all our worthwhile endeavors, especially as we care for each other. I hope to see you again in the near future, whether it is at a service in church, bumping into each other on the street, or in a store.

Please keep me in your prayers as I will keep you in mine. God bless you all.

P.S. Special thanks to Joe McMahon for coordinating the Giving Tree this year! And to all of you who donated gifts cards to the Giving Tree for Care for Real, for the Refugee Committee, and for feeding the homeless with an immediate need of a hot meal. The gift cards make it possible for us to meet so many of these needs throughout the year!

Growing in Faith: Christmas Reflection

In his book, Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim, Edward Hayes writes of Christmas, “Gift my all-too-calculating heart with the excitement of anticipation to truly receive the gifts of life, the capacity to feast and rejoice. Give birth within me to a spaciousness of heart that can celebrate this feast of the birth of Christ, the Child, as a child.” 

We are drawn to the notion of the divine present and active in a spacious heart. How is your heart on this Christmas day? Perhaps heavily burdened, in darkness and gloom from grief, depression, betrayal, abuse or poverty, and, hearing of and seeing the joy of others, you want to run, turn inward or simply isolate. May the light, peace, hope and compassion of Christ touch, soothe, and fill your heart, may the angels of mercy come to your aid, and may our precious Mother Earth pulsing beneath your feet sustain you. 

Maybe your heart is full of gratitude, joy and love for all the goodness in your life and you want to share that with whomever you are and see.  May the light, peace, hope and compassion of Christ radiate through your eyes, your hands, your smile, your words and your acts of kindness to all you encounter, especially those most in need of new life, courage, acceptance and love. 

May we each be ready and open to receive the grace waiting and wanting to come to us, through each person and living being we meet. 



~ Jim and Matilde Manzardo

Holiday Schedule at St. Gertrude Parish

Live-streams can be viewed at https://www.facebook.com/stgertrudechicago.

Friday, December 23

• Rectory office closed.

Christmas Eve

Saturday, December 24th

• 5:00 pm - For families with children (live-streamed here)
• 8:00 pm - Vigil Mass - Adult choir & instruments (choral music from 7:30 pm - 8:00 pm)
• There is no 7:30 am Mass.

Christmas Day

Sunday, December 25th

• 8:00 am & 10:30 am (live-streamed here); No Gym Mass

Monday, December 26

• Rectory office closed

Friday, December 30

• Rectory office closed

Feast of the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

New Year’s Eve, Saturday December 31st

• 5:00 pm (There is a 7:30 am Mass.)

New Year's Day, Sunday, January 1st

• 8:00 am & 10:30 am (live-streamed here); No Gym Mass

Monday, January 2

• Rectory office closed

Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord

Saturday, January 7th

• 5:00 pm

Sunday, January 8th

8:00 am & 10:30 am in church (live-streamed here); 10:30 am Gym Mass

There are no Religious Ed classes on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

PreCana Class at St. Gertrude on January 21, 2023

Are you an engaged couple planning on getting married at St. Gertrude? Couples that have established a connection with Fr. Rich (or another priest) are invited to attend St. Gertrude’s PreCana course on January 21, 2023.

This full day, in-person gathering is dedicated to considering your life together as a married couple. Led by a facilitator couple from St. Gertrude, the session begins at 9:00 am and features presentations, prayers, and discussions with your partner and 5-10 other couples. Lunch and snacks are provided.

Couples can register for the January session by calling the Rectory office at 773.764.3621or by filling out an online form at https://stgertrudechicago.org/marriage.

The cost of PreCana is covered by the church fee couples planning a wedding at St. Gertrude are charged. 

Additional PreCana classes at St. Gertrude will be offered on April 15, 2023 and September 9, 2023.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from Staff/Christmas Blessing

Thank you for choosing to be a part of St. Gertrude parish and helping to making 2022 such a wonderful year!

Great churches don’t just happen, they are created and nurtured by active, generous parishioners. We are so grateful for each and every person in our community of faith. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your loved ones and may 2023 be filled with blessings and joy! 

~ Father Rich, Fr. Mike, and the staff of St. Gertrude parish

A Christmas Blessing

God grant you the light of Christmas, which is faith;

the warmth of Christmas, which is purity;

the righteousness of Christmas, which is justice;

the belief in Christmas, which is truth;

the all of Christmas, which is Christ.

~ Wilda English

Thank You for Supporting our Greenery Sale

Thanks so much to those parishioners and neighbors that purchased trees, wreaths, and garland this holiday season. All proceeds went to support St. Gertrude's ministries.

Special thanks to Robert Clark and Quinn McCarthy, who generously volunteered as our delivery drivers.

~ Eduardo Soto, Business Manager

Christmas 2022 Letter From Cardinal Cupich

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

“The Word was made flesh, and he made his dwelling among us.” These momentous words from the beginning of John’s Gospel describe exactly what we celebrate at Christmas. Jesus, the eternal Son of God, has indeed come among us and become a part of our human family. He shared our joys and our sorrows. He came to know the full expanse of our human experiences, those that lift us up and those that cast us down. Through his death and resurrection, he has transformed our lives and our very world. The One born among us as Son of God and Son of Mary has given us a new birth in hope.

We know the challenges that marked his life from the very beginning. We recall how the Holy Family shared the plight of refugees, when they had to flee to Egypt to protect their newborn child from violence. These challenges find an echo in our world today. We see people flee the violence of war and oppression and crushing poverty. Their plight moves our heart to do whatever we can to alleviate their pain. Their story, framed within the story of the Holy Family, also reminds of the unfailing hand of God’s providence that leads us and saves us. And that gives us joyful confidence.

Whatever the challenges we face as individuals and communities—from war, violence, disease, injustice, natural climate disasters—we do not lose hope. We know that the Word was made flesh and made his dwelling among us. He walks with us. He sustains us. He gives us a hope that will not disappoint.

Join me in prayer this Christmas season. Let us ask God to deepen our faith in the Incarnate Word. Let us ask God to renew our hope and lift us up when we are weary. Let us ask God to keep our hearts joyful in all circumstances, because we have come to know God’s love for us.

God bless you and all your loved ones. As I celebrate the Eucharist in this Christmas season, know that I bring all of you to the altar with me.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Cardinal Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago

Year-End Giving

As you consider your year-end charitable donations, please think about making an additional contribution to St. Gertrude. Your generosity has helped support us during these past trying years. We hope that you will continue to support us now and into the coming year as we carry out our service and our ministries to our parish and our community.

Information about making a donation can be found at https://stgertrudechicago.org/donate-to-st-gertrude.



Thank you so much for all you have done and are doing!

Together, we are St. Gertrude!

Upcoming Mass Intentions

• Monday, December 26: 7:30 am - Glenn & Mary Jo Martin †
• Tuesday, December 27: 7:30 am - Living and Deceased Torreano Family Members
• Wednesday, December 28: 7:30 am - Joe McMahon
• Thursday, December 29: 7:30 am - Communion Service
• Friday, December 30: 7:30 am - Grace V. Cabrera †
• New Year's Eve, Saturday, December 31: 7:30 am - Mary McGuinness; 5:00 pm – Jenny & Austin Wyman †
• Feast of the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, Sunday, January 1: 8:00 am - Parishioners of St. Gertrude; 10:30 am - Parishioners of St. Gertrude
• Monday, January 2: 7:30 am - Living and Deceased Torreano Family Members
• Tuesday, January 3: 7:30 am - Teresa McGeary
• Wednesday, January 4: 7:30 am - Laura McGuire †
• Thursday, January 5: 7:30 am - Communion Service
• Friday, January 6: 7:30 am - Kathleen Marsh
• Saturday, January 7: 7:30 am - Living and deceased Torreano family members; 5:00 pm - Tom DiProva †
• Sunday, January 8: 8:00 am - Paul Perrin †; 10:30am – Julie Lauricella Wons †; 10:30 am Gym – Matt Bussey †

(† indicates the person is deceased) 

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, December 26: Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59/Mt 10:17-22
• Tuesday, December 27: 1 Jn 1:1-4/Jn 20:1a, 2-8
• Wednesday, December 28: 1 Jn 1:5—2:2/Mt 2:13-18
• Thursday, December 29: 1 Jn 2:3-11/Lk 2:22-35
• Friday, December 30: Sir 3:2-6, 12-14 or Col 3:12-21 or 3:12-17/Mt 2:13-15, 19-23
• Saturday, December 31: 1 Jn 2:18-21/Jn 1:1-18
• Sunday, January 1: Is 52:7-10/Heb 1:1-6/Jn 1:1-18 or 1:1-5, 9-14 
• Monday, January 2: 1 Jn 2:22-28/Jn 1:19-28
• Tuesday, January 3: 1 Jn 2:29—3:6/Jn 1:29-34
• Wednesday, January 4: 1 Jn 3:7-10/Jn 1:35-42
• Thursday, January 5: 1 Jn 3:11-21/Jn 1:43-51
• Friday, January 6: 1 Jn 5:5-13/Mk 1:7-11 or Lk 3:23-28 or 3:23, 31-34, 36, 38
• Saturday, January 7: 1 Jn 5:14-21/Jn 2:1-11
• Sunday, January 8: Is 60:1-6/Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6/Mt 2:1-12

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.