tree half in darkness have in light

St. Gertrude Chicago

All are Welcome

1420 W. Granville, Chicago, IL 60660

773.764.3621

stgertrude1420@stgertrudechicago.org

www.stgertrudechicago.org

Click here for a print version of the bulletin

Bulletin for Sunday, September 18, 2022

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Mass Times: Sunday: 8:00 & 10:30 am Mass in Church; 10:30 am Gym Mass; Monday-Friday: 7:30 am (Thursday is a Communion service);

Saturday: 7:30 am & 5:00 pm

Reconciliation: 4:15-4:45 pm on Saturday or by appointment.

The Rectory office is open  Monday-Friday from 8:30 am-4:30 pm and Saturday from 9:00 am-2:00 pm.

From Fr. Rich

Sometimes out of the worst possible situations there comes uplifting and positive news. Because of covid-19 and the various measures the federal government took to safeguard the economy and making sure everyone had enough funds to stay afloat, that same program made sure that children who were used to getting most of their main meals in schools found new opportunities for having healthy and sufficient meals. 

This was such a success that the level of hunger in the United States among children is the lowest it has been since they started keeping statistics.


Poverty and hunger are two of the worst crises that plague all parts of the world -- even here in the wealthiest country in the history of the world. But through enormous efforts and programs to address those two destructive dynamics in our society, there is good news not only here in the United States, but throughout the world. Across the board, the percentage of hungry and poor has continued to decline. To be sure, it doesn’t mean these human issues have been alleviated! But never in the history of the world have so many been lifted from poverty and out of hunger than in the world we live in today.


Today’s Gospel reading reminds us that we cannot serve two masters -- in this case, we “cannot serve both God and mammon.” Which reminds us of the temptation to let down our guard and turn to self-satisfaction in light of the good news about poverty and hunger. But that would be foolish for everyone, and it would be selfish for those of us who head down that path. Instead, we should rejoice in the good news and then redouble efforts to make poverty and hunger an even smaller problem for the human community.


This is not only good Christian “activity”, but also the only reasonable and logical course for intelligent and humane people. Serving God means we cannot take a break from reaching out to the poor and the homeless and the unemployed and under-employed. Loving God always means caring for our sisters and brothers.  

This week, what new activity (or activities) might we participate in to lessen hunger and poverty in the world? 

flooding in streets edgewater

It Wasn’t the Rain, It was the Water!

Last Sunday, we had to cancel the Parish Potluck Picnic after the deluge during and after the 8:00 am Mass. The rain knocked out the parking lot as a venue. But it was really because all our buildings were flooded from the deluge, and we had no place to move to that we ended up cancelling. 


We had over two feet of water in the church and rectory basement, and lesser amounts in the Lower Hall, Ministry Center, and school cafeteria. Although the force of that huge amount of water blew out the manhole covers on the street and created a temporary fountain, after about an hour, the water receded. As so many of you already know, and once the water is gone, the cleanup begins!


I want to thank all the Parish Pastoral Council members who were ready for the picnic and did all the organizing. A mini picnic with dishes people had brought with them and shared took place immediately after the 10:30 am Mass in the church vestibule. Thanks!

Fr Rich and Fr Mike standing on St Gertrude altar

Transitions (This article appeared in last week’s bulletin and is being rerun for those who were unable to get to church last weekend.)

Some months ago, preparing for the retirements of Kevin Chears and Jane Callahan-Moore, I realized that in a period of a little over two years, everyone on the parish staff would have changed positions, except Fr. Mike Gabriel. This wasn’t by design, but simply due to planned retirements and some job opportunities that opened up for some people. As that reality dawned, I also realized we had a responsibility of preparing the parish for this extended time of transition.


A quick recap of the changes: the Director of Religious Education and Youth Ministry, Jim Potthast decided to be a stay-at-home dad when the pandemic hit so he could home-school his children; Art Blumberg, Business Manager, decided to take a position as Director of Evangelization at his home parish; the front office receptionist, Marge, decided the long commute was more than she wanted to continue; Fr. Mike Bradley retired and moved; Kevin Chears, Pastoral Associate, retired; Jane Callahan-Moore, Heart to Heart Director retired; and Mary Clare Barker, Music Director, will be retiring within the next year.


In the same order as above: after a year of Kevin Chears “filling in” for the Director of Religious Education and Youth Ministry, Eloy Escamilla came on board as the new Director and has also taken on responsibility for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults; Eduardo Soto has come on a parish Operations Director (a new title and job description from the Archdiocese which includes the Business Manager position); Maria Garcia came on as front office receptionist; Fr. Bradley, who had been a resident-priest helping out with sacraments and other duties, was not replaced; nor did we replace the Pastoral Associate position because of finances; Pat Sullivan came on as the new Director of Heart to Heart as a half-time position.


Which leaves me and Fr. Mike Gabriel. A not-well-kept secret is that I am retiring on January 1, 2023, after 44 years of ministry here in the Archdiocese of Chicago. I will be moving to a home I have in St. Joseph, Michigan on that date, and then do some road-tripping for about four months. And then I will figure out the rest!


But because of the number of position changes, we also wanted to do whatever we could to guarantee a sense of continuity here at St. Gertrude Parish. To that end, Fr. Mike and I spoke with Bishop Bartosic and the Priest Placement Board representative about Fr. Mike becoming pastor. They all thought that was a good idea, presented it to Cardinal Cupich and he agreed. On January 1, 2023, Fr. Mike will become the Administrator of St. Gertrude Parish. In our newly updated system, the Archdiocese only makes pastors on July 1st each year. So, Fr. Mike will be Administrator from January 1-June 30, and then become pastor on July 1, 2023. It is both of our hopes that this will go a long way towards achieving continuity.


I will celebrate a “Retirement Mass” on Sunday, December 18 at 10:30 am with some kind of reception afterwards, then be here for Christmas, and then move to Michigan. 


The parish staff has been working on this time of transition for some months now. We are well aware that the size of the staff has declined some and there will be some things that need to change. Some of the things staff members used to do will need either new volunteers, or some things may no longer be able to be done.


Please feel free to ask me or any of the parish staff any question you have or share and concerns. We are committed to continuing the excellence of St. Gertrude Parish for many more years. Your observations and suggestions are always welcome.

Season of Creation—September 1-October 4

We know how to celebrate Advent and observe Lent, rejoice at Easter. But how might we observe the non-liturgical Season of Creation from September 1 through October 4? As

individuals and families, we can create our own traditions. Plant a tree. Help preserve a

forest. Take walks in nature. Support national parks. Shrink your carbon footprint.

Prayer for use during the Season of Creation

Creator of All, from your communion of love, your Word went forth singing a symphony of life that sings your praise! By your Holy Wisdom you made Earth to bring forth a diversity of creatures who praise you in their being! You call us to keep your garden. You create us in relationship with creation so that we can listen and learn from their voices how to safeguard the conditions for life.


So often, we turn in on ourselves. We close our ears to your Word calling to us through creation and the Scriptures. We lament and grieve the loss of species, their habitats and human cultures that have perished because of our unwillingness to listen.


In this Season of Creation, call to us, as from the burning bush, with the sustaining fire of your Spirit. Teach us to contemplate your creation, and listen for the voice of each creature declaring your glory. Fill us with hope to quench the fires of injustice with your healing love. Enlighten us to follow Christ in walking lightly on this holy ground.


This we ask in the name of the One who comes proclaiming good news to all creation, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Upcoming Events

Listed in Chronological Order

NCA’s Back to School Block Party


All are welcome to attend NCA’s back-to-school block party on Saturday, September 17! The event will be held from 12:00-4:30 pm outside the school’s Primary Campus, located at 6216 N. Glenwood Ave., and in the parking lot across from school. The festivities will offer food for sale, music, activities, and more. We hope to see you there!

NCA back to school block party invite
school supplies on blue table with graphic saying registration open for religious ed classes

It's Not Too Late to Sign up for Religious Ed Classes!

 

Registration is still open for our 2022-2023 Religious Education program! Classes will begin this Sunday, September 18, with in-person instruction held on Sunday mornings from 9:15-10:15 am at Northside Catholic Academy.  


All Religious Ed forms can be found at https://stgertrudechicago.org/religious-education-news, including a Religious Ed registration form, the calendar of classes for the year, and this year’s handbook.  


Parents of students making their First Communion/ Reconciliation or their Confirmation this year should also fill out a sacramental registration form.


Confirmation candidates also require additional paperwork, which can be found at https://bit.ly/ConfirmationForms, along with the deadlines. Please note that students must receive two years of preparation in order to make these sacraments. 


The fees for the 2022-2023 school year are $210 for one child and an additional $30 for each student from the same family. Tuition can be paid online at https://bit.ly/RelEdTuition


An additional sacramental fee of $65 is required for children making their First Communion and First Reconciliation, or their Confirmation. That fee can be paid at https://bit.ly/SacramentalFee


Completed forms and any questions about the program should be emailed to Eloy Escamilla at eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org. Please register before the start date.

Attention Parents of Religious Ed Students Making Their First Communion or Confirmation in 2023


Students making their Confirmation in 2023 need to hand in or email their Candidate Statement of Intention to Eloy Escamilla at eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org by Monday, September 26. The form can be found at https://stgertrudechicago.org/confirmation-forms-2022.


Parents of both First Communion and Confirmation students are required to attend a formation meeting on Monday, September 26 at 6:30 pm in Church.

colored pencils lined

Kids Word for Children Ages 4-7 Begins This Sunday  


On Sundays during the 10:30 am Mass in church, children aged 4-7 years-old are invited to attend Kids Word to hear an age-appropriate Gospel message and do fun, scripture-based activities such as coloring or crafts in the Rectory.


Children will be invited by the celebrant to come to the altar before the readings and will return to church before the petitions.


Email eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org for details.

The Gym Mass is Back!


This Sunday morning, September 18, the Gym Mass returns to its regular 10:30 am time! This more casual Mass is held at 1401 West Granville Avenue.  


The Gym Mass is held weekly until Father’s Day, with a few exceptions for Combined 10:30 am Mass celebrations in Church.


For the 2022-2023 Gym Mass schedule, visit https://bit.ly/GymMass2022-2023.

sunrise with forest background gym mass returns
three seminarians walking on campus

A Letter from Cardinal Cupich: Second Collection for 

Seminarian Education is This Weekend, September 17-18

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,


The seminarians preparing to be the future priests who will serve our parishes are a great blessing to us. They have stepped forward to give their lives to minister to the children and grandchildren of this present era.


Today, more than ever, we need compassionate and knowledgeable priests who will walk with us through life, sharing in our joys and sorrows and guiding us through life’s challenges.


This is why we need to invest in their training at both the University of Saint Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary and at Saint John Vianney College Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota. At Masses throughout the archdiocese this weekend, as we ask for your encouragement and prayers for our seminarians, we also ask you to invest in their formation. Your financial support will help to cover the educational and formational costs of their preparation, including tuition and fees, room and board, and health insurance.


These young men are giving their lives for us, and I ask you to match their generosity by making a sacrificial gift as we take up this collection. You will be investing in them, but also in the future of our Church.


A remittance envelope will be placed in your pew or at the back of the church for your gift. You may also send your donation to your parish, noting that it is for “Seminarian Education,” or make a gift online at https://archchicago.org/seminarianfund.


An additional way to support vocations in the archdiocese is by encouraging young men to consider discerning the priesthood. Many current priests credit their vocation to personal

invitations and conversations with loved ones and friends who recognized the potential in them.


On behalf of current and future archdiocesan seminarians, thank you. May God continue to bless you abundantly. Please know that I keep you in my daily prayers and intentions, and I ask for yours in return.



Sincerely yours in Christ,


Cardinal Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago

RCIA Classes Open to All

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is a process by which adults learn more about the Catholic Church. This free program begins next Sunday, September 18 and meets until Pentecost.


Many people who begin RCIA are non-Catholics seeking to become Catholic or at least to explore whether Catholicism might be a good home. Those who complete the process and decide to become Catholic are initiated into the Church at the Easter Vigil Mass on Holy Saturday. Others who take RCIA are already Catholic but want a deeper understanding of their faith foundation.


The RCIA process does not ask those who have been baptized in another faith to give up their denominational experiences. Rather, the RCIA process seeks to add new colors and designs to their existing faith life tapestry. In addition to attending Mass, the RCIA process includes weekly gatherings of breaking open the Word of God, sharing our stories, and learning about our faith traditions.


If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about the RCIA process at St. Gertrude, contact me at eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org or call the Rectory at 773.764.3621. The RCIA meeting schedule is available at https://bit.ly/RCIACalendarUpdated.


~ Eloy Escamilla, Pastoral Associate

firepit with adults gathered around it

Discussion on the Seamless Garment This Monday, September 19


The Peace and Justice Ministry will host the final Fireside Chat this Monday, September 19 from 7:00-8:30 pm on the Rectory lawn.


The theme for this one is the Seamless Garment. When the Supreme Court reversed Roe v Wade, a lot of discussion arose on what the term pro-life meant. One side being, the protection of the unborn, the other that you have to have an ethic of life, all life. The other issue how political this issue is.


We suggest the following readings and questions to consider prior to our gathering:

 

We hope to see you there!

Save the Date—ACDVO Mass is Saturday, October 1


The Archdiocese of Chicago Domestic Violence Outreach (ACDVO) will hold their annual Mass to end domestic violence and for survivors and their family on Saturday, October 1 at 5:30 pm. The Mass will be held at Holy Name Cathedral, 735 N. State St.

couple getting married exchanging rings

PreCana Class at St. Gertrude on Saturday, October 15


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 Saturday, October 15.


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 October 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 January 21, 2023, April 15, 2023, and September 9, 2023.

Parish News

graphic of hands raised with hearts inside

Post-Covid Liturgy Changes


When we shut down completely for covid, we knew we would have to change some of the usual ways of operating. When we were able to reopen and resume our liturgical celebrations, we did so with fewer ministers assisting, Communion distributed only with hosts and only in the hand, no altar servers, both readings are now read by one person instead of two, and we pretty much look for volunteers to help in the ushering duties on an almost weekly basis.


But now we hope we are, if not exactly moving beyond covid, at least returning to some new version of normal. We would like to recruit and train a new group of altar servers, return to each of the two scripture readings at Mass proclaimed by a different lector/reader, recruit and train some new ministers of Communion to assist in distributing Communion, recruit and train some new ushers, and also seek out a captain for the ushers at each of the three Sunday Masses.


We are doing recruiting right now until the end of September. Training will take place for new Ministers in the beginning of October. New schedules will include all these minsters beginning the weekend of October 15-16.


Please consider how you might participate in our Sunday Masses as a minister in any of these capacities. Our Pastoral Associate, Eloy Escamilla, can be reached at 773.764.3621 or eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org with any questions, or simply to volunteer.


If you have done any kind of liturgical ministry before and would like to try that again, or a different ministry, please come forward. If you have never been a

liturgical minister but would now consider that level of participation, please come forward. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to speak with Eloy, Fr. Mike, or myself. Thank you for your consideration!


~ Fr. Rich

Relaunch of our Ministry of Altar Servers for 7th Graders & Up

This program seeks to encourage the youth of our parish to fully engage in our faith through their service to the Church as altar servers. The altar server ministry is very important, and the youth will be making a serious commitment to our parish family. This ministry is open to any boy or girl who has received his/her First Holy Communion. 

 

Altar servers should plan on spending no more than 60 minutes each time they serve.

Training Sessions for New Ministers


  • Training for altar servers will be in the church on Monday, October 3 at 6:30 pm.
  • Training session for new Ministers of the Word will be in the church on Tuesday, October 4 at 6:30 pm.
  • Training session for new Eucharistic Ministers will be in the church on Wednesday, October 5 at 6:30 pm.
  • For people interested in serving as ushers, the training will be 30 minutes before the 5:00 pm and 10:30 am Masses; and 15 minutes before the 8:00 am Mass during the first weekend of October. We are looking to have 4-6 ushers per Mass.

Join our 10:30 am Sunday Choir


New members are welcome to join our 10:30 am Sunday choir, as well as cantors interested in singing at the 10:30 am and other weekend Masses.


The group practices on Sunday mornings at 9:40 am and on Thursday nights at 7:00 pm when we have special music.


To join or for more information, contact Mary Clare Barker at 773.764.3621 or mcbarker@stgertrudechicago.org.

cantor singing on St Gertrude altar
smiling mike tobin in hoodie

Growing in Faith: The Shrewd Stewart


Today's Gospel is disturbing, complex, and challenging. There appears to be four different lessons for us.


First, when the dishonest steward, about to lose his job for cheating his master, quickly reduces what the master’s debtors owe him so they’ll be beholding to him, Jesus surprisingly says, the master praises him. It isn’t for his dishonesty--but for his ingenious and urgent efforts. Oh, if only we believers were as innovative, focused, and urgent about the things that really matter, love, holiness, and justice! Learn from this shrewd dude! 


Secondly, after that mindbender, Jesus calls for our rightful use of our riches (time and money), something we really know if we ourselves have been helped financially or otherwise. We recall Jesus’ teaching: “Whatever you do to the least, you do unto me.” Do I see you hungry, Lord? Or naked, alone or in jail? What do I do?


Third, Jesus' next lesson really scares me: How you deal with little things proves whether you can be trusted with big things. Oops. You mean this life is not just a practice round? Oh dear. How much time do I have left? 


Jesus' final lesson is famous: You can't serve both God and riches. Boom. Serving God cannot be a part time job, something to do in your spare time. Our whole life belongs to God, and He is a jealous Master. Jesus tells us we either belong to Him totally or not at all. Yikes.  


~ Mike Tobin

Rest In Peace


  • James Nolan
candle glowing in darkness

Baptism


  • Rory Thomas Stanton, son of Liam and Jackie Stanton

Thank You for Your Generosity  


Earlier this summer, we received a letter from former Rectory office manager, Sr. Judith Zonsius, currently the interim coordinator for the Retirement Fund for Religious. She thanked all parishioners who donated to the second collection for retired religious of the Archdiocese and of the United States.

 

Our parish donated $3,582.22 to provide quality care for their retired members who selflessly served the people of God through years of dedicated service. 

 

We appreciate your kindness and generosity!

pink and white floers with a note saying thank you
coins with small sprouts growing out of the

A Tax-Savvy Way to Support St. Gertrude


Please help us cover our increased operating costs by considering a direct gift of securities or mutual funds. You can reduce or eliminate federal capital gains taxes on the transfer. You may also be entitled to a federal income tax charitable deduction based on the fair market value of the securities at the time of the transfer. For more information about donating stock or securities, please contact your

financial advisor.

 

To make a stock donation to St. Gertrude, please visit https://archchicago.org/stockgiftform and complete the electronic Letter of Intention form. Once you have submitted the form, you will receive a confirmation email with detailed instructions for you to complete your gift. If you have any questions, please contact Karen Whitehead at 312.534.7461 or

kwhitehead@archchicago.org.

Schedule for Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, & Cantors 

Ministers of the Word

  • Saturday, September 17 at 5:00 pm - Jennifer Kiedaish
  • Sunday, September 18 at 8:00 am - Marty McDermott
  • Sunday, September 18 at 10:30 am - Steve Modde

Eucharistic Ministers

  • Saturday, September 17 at 5:00 pm - Mary Cook
  • Sunday, September 18 at 8:00 am - Barb Daly
  • Sunday, September 18 at 10:30 am - Carlos Barragan, Steve Monti, Rafael Melendez

Cantors 

  • Saturday, September 17 at 5:00 pm - Denise Goodman
  • Sunday, September 18 at 8:00 am - Paula Dempsey 
  • Sunday, September 18 at 10:30 am - Michael Callahan, cantor; St. Gertrude choir 

Ways to Help Our Parish: Amazon Smile, Text to Give, GiveCentral, PayPal, and Amazon Smile


Visit smile.amazon.com and select St. Gertrude Parish as your charity of choice. From then on, connect to Amazon through smile.amazon.com and St. Gertrude will automatically benefit as your charity of choice.


We have set up a "Text to Give" option through GiveCentral. Parishioners are welcome to text the word Donate to 1.773.741.9505 to make a donation via phone. 


To access our PayPal link, please visit our parish website and donate from there. GiveCentral offers parishioners the option of one-time gifts or weekly contributions. 


For more information on text to give or to sign up for online giving, please email Eduardo Soto at esoto@stgertrudechicago.org.

Donate via GiveCentral
Donate via PayPal

Upcoming Mass Intentions

  • Monday, September 19: 7:30 am - Living and deceased Torreano family members
  • Tuesday, September 20: 7:30 am - Antoinette G. Linke +
  • Wednesday, September 21: 7:30 am - Peace in Ukraine
  • Thursday, September 22: 7:30 am - Communion Service
  • Friday, September 23: 7:30 am - Purgatorial Society 
  • Saturday, September 24: 7:30 am - Living and deceased parents of St. Gertrude parishioners; 5:00 pm - Ivan D’Souza (thanksgiving)
  • Sunday, September 25: 8:00 am - Parishioners of St. Gertrude; 10:30 am - Mary Lou Resch +; 10:30 am Gym Mass - World peace

 

(+ indicates the person is deceased) 

Daily Scripture Readings

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


Monday, September 19: Prv 3:27-34/Lk 8:16-18

Tuesday, September 20: Prv 21:1-6, 10-13/Lk 8:19-21

Wednesday, September 21: Eph 4:1-7, 11-13/Mt 9:9-13

Thursday, September 22: Eccl 1:2-11/Lk 9:7-9

Friday, September 23: Eccl 3:1-11/Lk 9:18-22

Saturday, September 24: Eccl 11:9—12:8/Lk 9:43b-45 

Sunday, September 25: Am 6:1a, 4-7/1 Tm 6:11-16/Lk 16:19-31

Please Pray for our Parishioners and Friends

  • Pamela Sherrod Anderson
  • Zara Bradley
  • Sharon Brown 
  • Lilly Buie
  • Maggie Callaway
  • Aida Calvopina 
  • KC Conway
  • Connie Cool
  • Caloy Desembrana
  • Ann Collins Dole
  • Christine Frisoni
  • Shirley Marie Gonzales
  • Gina Heidkamp
  • Maria Hertl
  • Daniel Hidalgo
  • Bernice Kiedysz
  • Marilyn Klein
  • Steve Laslo
  • Roy Lipscomb
  • Sheila McGuire
  • Dean Mattoni
  • Larry McCauley
  • Molly Morris
  • Karey Myers 
  • Richard Seitz 
  • Peggy Stoffel
  • The Sullivan family 
  • Elinora E. Tolentino
  • Manuel & Norma Viray
  • Leon Ward
  • Ken & Vyes Yoza
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