St. Gertrude Chicago

All are Welcome

1420 W. Granville, Chicago, IL 60660

773.764.3621

stgertrude1420@stgertrudechicago.org

www.stgertrudechicago.org

Click here for the print  bulletin

Bulletin for Palm Sunday, April 2, 2023

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.

  • This Sunday, there is a combined 10:30 am Mass in Church.
  • There is no 7:30 am Mass on Holy Thursday, Good Friday, or Holy Saturday.
  • See below for the full Holy Week and Easter schedule.

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

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

  • Please note, the Rectory office is closed on Good Friday and Easter Monday.

From Fr. Mike Gabriel

This Sunday is Palm Sunday, marking the beginning of Holy Week.


How will you make this week holy? As we celebrate this Triduum - Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday - will you join your fellow Christians and parishioners in the celebration of the very core of our faith? 


The “elect” and candidates are preparing for baptism and reception into the church at the Easter Vigil. Will you pray for them, and join them at the font on Holy Saturday?

You are all cordially invited to:


Holy Thursday, April 6th

Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 7:00 pm. Following Mass, Adoration will continue until 10:00 pm.

After the fasting of Lent, Holy Thursday recalls the Last Supper and the Washing of the Feet, and that all are welcomed at the table.


Good Friday, April 7th

Stations of the Cross at 3:00 pm, Commemoration of the Lord’s Passion and Veneration of the Cross at 7:00 pm

The sacrifice of Good Friday is filled with prayer, from Jesus in the Garden to his final words on the Cross. Good Friday is a day of fast and abstinence for people age 18—59. This means limiting to one full meal and two smaller meals, with no snacking between meals. Those who are younger or older may freely embrace these disciplines. Lenten disciplines should never endanger your health.


Holy Saturday, April 8th

Easter Vigil at 7:00 pm: Service of Light, Liturgy of the Word Remembrance of Baptism and Celebration of the Eucharist

Holy Saturday is the day of the hidden mystery of divine action. The disciples were

convinced that all their hopes had ended in disaster. Holy Saturday reminds us that our

best guess about the future is only that; God has plans and powers beyond anything we

can imagine.


Easter Sunday, April 9th

Masses at 8:00 am, 10:30 in Church, and 10:30 am in the Gym

Easter morning reveals the emptiness of the Tomb.


All are welcome! Please come!

Other Parish News: Thank You to Participants in our Parish Play & Those who Helped with our Almoners Ministry


Hip Hip Hooray! Hip Hip Hooray! Hip Hip Hooray! for the “Three Cheers” production presented by the St Gertrude Players last weekend. Special thanks to Therese Schreiner and the cast members, musicians, set designers, the sound, lights, and concession helpers, and everyone else who made this a great evening.


As this weekend Almoner’s Program ends, thank you to all you participated in the Almoners, whether donating or going out and distributing the gift cards. Over $7,000 dollars was collected and distributed to those in need.

Holy Week & Easter Schedule

*The parish event schedule is listed after the Holy Week/Easter events.

Palm Sunday, April 2

  • 5:00 pm (Saturday, April 1 - Sunday Vigil)
  • 8:00 am
  • 10:30 am Procession (Combined Mass in Church - no Gym Mass) (live-streamed)


Holy Thursday, April 6

  • No morning Mass
  • 7:00 pm - Mass of the Lord's Supper (live-streamed)
  • Church will remain open until 10:00 pm for private adoration. 

 

Good Friday, April 7

  • No morning Mass
  • The Rectory office is closed.
  • 3:00 pm - Living Stations of the Cross performed by the parish youth group
  • 7:00 pm - Commemoration of the Lord’s Passion and Veneration of the Cross (live-streamed)
  • Second collection for the Pontifical Good Friday Collection for the Holy Land 

Holy Saturday, April 8

  • No morning Mass
  • 11:00 am - Blessing of Easter baskets
  • 7:00 pm - Easter Vigil Mass (live-streamed)


Easter Sunday, April 9


Easter Monday, April 10

  • The Rectory office is closed.


Watch our Live-Streams

  • Live-streamed services can be viewed at https://www.facebook.com/stgertrudechicago.
  • No Facebook account is needed to view live-streams.
  • Live-streams typically begin a few minutes prior to the service and can be found by scrolling down our Facebook page.

Events & Activities at St. Gertrude

listed in chronological order

Stations of the Cross Held Friday, March 31 & Good Friday


On Friday, March 31, both the 3:00 pm and the 6:30 pm Stations of the Cross will be held. At 3:00 pm, we will offer the traditional way of the Cross. At 6:30 pm, we will also have Stations of the Cross as seen through the eyes of Mary.


On Good Friday, April 7, the parish youth group will perform Living Stations of the Cross at 3:00 pm.  


This is a powerful and prayerful experience and we encourage all parishioners to consider attending and witnessing scenes of what our Lord endured before He gave His life for us on the cross. 


Pictured: Living Stations done by youth group members in 2019. 

No Religious Ed This Sunday, April 2 or on Easter


Our Religious Ed program is on spring break! There are no classes this Sunday, April 2 or next weekend, Easter Sunday, April 9.


Please consider attending our Holy Week events, especially our 3:00 pm Good Friday Living Stations of the Cross, which will be performed by our parish youth group.

Prayer Walk Around Cook County Jail on Palm Sunday, April 2


The Kolbe House Jail Ministry, part of the Archdiocese of Chicago, is inviting Chicago-area Catholics and any other interested participants to gather outside the Cook County Jail on Palm Sunday, April 2 at 3:00 pm for a 2-mile prayer walk around the Cook County Jail complex. There will be 5 stations along this route.


This event offers us an opportunity to show solidarity with people affected by incarceration. The event will begin and end at Kolbe House, located at 2434 S. California Ave. in Chicago.


The prayers at each of the 5 stations include intentions for the victims of violence, for mercy toward those who have caused grave harm, and for the families of those who are incarcerated. We will pray intentions for healing from trauma, for breaking the bonds of addiction and mental illness, eradicating racism, shining a light on and recognizing the harm caused by the legal system and for “a reimagining of our church and our community, to be one where no one is excluded or deemed unworthy.”


If you have any questions, please contact Pat Sullivan by email at psullivan@stgertrudechicago.org.

Peace and Justice Meeting - Monday, April 3


All are welcome to attend the next meeting of the Peace and Justice Ministry. The group will meet in the Ministry Center at 7:00 pm and plan events for spring and summer.


Please email Marina Parise at marinaparise@gmail.com with questions.

Please Keep our RCIA Class in Your Prayers!

At the Easter Vigil on Saturday, April 8, our parish Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) group will become full members of the Catholic Church. We ask that you keep them in your prayers as they prepare to celebrate the Easter Sacraments.


Members (pictured above in alphabetical order) include Manuel Ballester, Connor Clark, Tyler Fawbush, Mike Joyce, Sarah Kutz, and Wildaline Serin.


Please consider attending and providing an atmosphere of love and support! 

An Update from the Parish Council: Recent Activities, Town Hall Planned for May, New Members Needed


The Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) met in March with United Power to discuss their three initiatives—affordable housing, gun control and mental health—and how St. Gertrude parish can continue to support their efforts. 


The group also planned another town hall. It will take place on Sunday, May 7 immediately after the 10:30 am Mass in the Gym. 


The PPC is also looking for new members. The PPC’s goal is to be a 

collaborative group who works with the pastor in determining the matters that affect the life of the faith community. If you are interested in this type of service, please email us at stgertrudeparishcouncil@gmail.com.


The PPC’s next meeting is Wednesday, April 19. All meetings are held in the Ministry Center from 7:00 pm-8:30 pm and are open to parishioners. If you would like to discuss anything with the PPC, contact them at the above email address.

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. 

Parish News

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.

Time to Pass the Baton (Shovel): Volunteers Needed to Lead the Summer Garden and Composting Project


As you should all know by now, I am retiring at the end of June. A search committee has been formed to find a replacement for my musical duties, but the parish is currently looking for someone to step up and take over the garden/compost project after I retire. 


Since I will still be here through at least mid-June, I can get the person started and help organize/train someone on what has to be done in the spring as far as preparing the soil, buying plants, and organizing teams to do this work. Once everything is planted, most of the work involves arranging and assigning teams to do the daily watering if Mother Nature is not helping us out. During really hot spells, we often have to water twice a day. Then when veggies start to ripen, the harvest needs to go to Care for Real or St. Thomas of Canterbury soup kitchen. 


Because I think it is so important to get our young people involved, I worked with NCA 7th graders and they were a BIG help in weeding our garden after the winter months. They were happy to help because their work counted toward needed service hours for Confirmation. I also solicited the 5th graders last year and they made nametags of each plant on paint sticks. To work with kids, though, you must be VIRTUS trained and up-to-date with your training. It is not that big a deal. 



If you are interested in leading this important program or have further questions about what is involved, please contact me at mcbarker@stgertrudechicago.org and I will pass along your interest to Fr. Mike. 


I sincerely hope someone (or perhaps two people) will come forward to lead this project. Our local food pantries are so appreciative of receiving fresh produce and we are making a real difference in our community. 



~ Mary Clare Barker

Growing in Faith


We have two lives & the second begins when you realize you only have one. ~ “My Soul Has a Hat”, Mario de Andrade

 

When I was a child, my relatives seemed to anchor their faith in striving for a good death and the promise of a perfect hereafter. Although they were kind, hard-working people and as such good examples of how to live, they never discussed being alive, at least not with me. I felt they were sitting in full sun but speaking only of night.

 

Jesus, conscious that his life would be brief, doesn’t retreat and wait to die. He keeps accruing life, more love, more relationships, more thoughts, more teaching and more love and more love: showing us and telling us how to live – more. He keeps raising the stakes, creating more and more life to lose. Jesus finds new souls to love even while suffering a terrible death. Just before he closes his eyes, he opens his heart to a man hanging beside him. I imagine that man died with his soul cracked wide open full of love and wonder. Then Jesus cracks death wide open.

 

I began my second and only life last year and have had a sort of resurrection. I want to raise the stakes, to risk a broken heart more times, to love more, to live cracked open and full of wonder. I will do this imperfectly but hope I remember to keep trying and loving more.


~ KC Conway

Church Construction: Thank You for Your Patience!


Thank you for your patience when the church building was closed for repairs. And a special thanks to the Gym Mass organizers who hosted our Combined Mass last weekend!

 

Recruiting Volunteer Drivers for Heart to Heart


Volunteers are the backbone of Heart to Heart. There are opportunities for volunteering to service the homebound seniors and disabled individuals in our Edgewater/Rogers Park areas.


We need drivers to take members to the grocery store and other errands like Walgreens. In addition, drivers are needed to take members to doctor appointments and mass. Let us know your availability and we will accommodate your schedule.

 

Contact Pat Sullivan at psullivan@stgertrudechicago.org or call 773-973-5464.

Ministers of the Word, Eucharistic Ministers, Altar Servers, Cantors & Musicians for Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, and Good Friday

Ministers of the Word

  • Saturday, April 1 at 5:00 pm - Jayne Deiters, Millie Slane, Gospel readers: Jesus - celebrant priest, narrator - Patrick Reardon, voice - Millie Slane, crowd - Kathleen Dawson
  • Sunday, April 2 at 8:00 am -  Hallie Burhoe, Kathryn Stimac, Gospel readers: Jesus - celebrant priest, narrator - Marty McDermott, voice - Kathryn Stimac, crowd - Hallie Burhoe
  • Sunday, April 2 at 10:30 am -  Steven Modde, Anthony Myerse, Gospel readers: Jesus - celebrant priest, narrator - Bob Backis, voice - Troy McMillan, crowd - Tim Love
  • Holy Thursday, April 6 at 7:00 pm - Susan McKean, Art Lyons
  • Good Friday, April 7 at 7:00 pm - Hallie Burhoe, Millie Slane; Gospel readers: Jesus - celebrant priest, narrator - Rose Karasti, voice - Patrick Reardon, crowd - Roman Reyes

Eucharistic Ministers

  • Saturday, April 1 at 5:00 pm - Mary Cook
  • Sunday, April 2 at 8:00 am - Barb Daly
  • Sunday, April 2 at 10:30 am - Carlos Barragan, Annie Hasselbeck, Steven Hasselbeck
  • Holy Thursday, April 6 at 7:00 pm - Kathy Wall, Carlos Barragan
  • Good Friday, April 7 at 7:00 pm - Maria Ugarte

Cantors and Musicians

  • Saturday, April 1 at 5:00 pm - Bernie O’ Connor
  • Sunday, April 2 at 8:00 am - Jim Manzardo
  • Sunday, April 2 at 10:30 am -  Michael Callahan
  • Holy Thursday, April 6 at 7:00 pm - TBA
  • Good Friday, April 7 at 7:00 pm - TBA

Altar Servers

  • Sunday, April 2 at 10:30 am - cross bearer - Dominic Millar; acolytes - Grace Cashman, Ethan Craft

Weekly Financial Report


The Finance Committee would like the parish to be more aware of the financial situation of St. Gertrude. To inform all of you, we will be publishing the weekly collections and what has been budgeted for the parish so we can continue our ministries.



Information from March 25-26, 2023

Sunday Collection Envelopes: $1,792.00

Loose Checks: $8,000.00

Loose Cash/Coins: $808.27

Online Donations: $4,367.05

Total Collected: $7,767.32

   

Budgeted: $10,730.00

Difference: -$2,962.68

Year-to-date Collected: $362,301.71

Year-to-date Budgeted: $558,000.00

Difference: -$195,698.29


Almoner's Collection: $1,193.00

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, April 3: 7:30 am - Living and deceased parents of St. Gertrude parishioners
  • Tuesday, April 4: 7:30 am - Living and deceased Torreano family members
  • Wednesday, April 5: 7:30 am - Purgatorial Society
  • Holy Thursday, April 6: 7:00 pm - Mass of the Lord’s Supper
  • Good Friday, April 7: 7:00 pm - Service of the Lord’s Passion
  • Holy Saturday, April 8: 7:00 pm - People of God
  • Easter Sunday, April 9: 8:00 am - People of God; 10:30 am in Church – People of God; 10:30 am Gym Mass - People of God

Daily Scripture Readings

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, April 3: Is 42:1-7/Jn 12:1-11
  • Tuesday, April 4: Is 49:1-6/Jn 13:21-33, 36-38
  • Wednesday, April 5: Is 50:4-9a/Mt 26:14-25
  • Holy Thursday, April 6: Ex 12:1-8, 11-14/1 Cor 11:23-26/Jn 13:1-15
  • Good Friday, April 7: Is 52:13—53:12/Heb 4:14-16; 5:7-9/Jn 18:1—19:42
  • Holy Saturday, April 8: Gn 1:1—2:2 or 1:1, 26-31a/Gn 22:1-18 or 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18/ Ex 14:15—15:1/Is 54:5-14/Is 55:1-11/Bar 3:9-15, 32—4:4/Ez 36:16-17a, 18-28/
  • Rom 6:3-11/Mt 28:1-10
  • Easter Sunday, April 9: Acts 10:34a, 37-43/Col 3:1-4 or 1 Cor 5:6b-8/Jn 20:1-9

Please Keep the Following People in Your Prayers

  • Zara Bradley 
  • Lilly Buie
  • Aida Calvopina 
  • KC Conway
  • Ann Collins Dole
  • Luke Fitzgerald
  • Fr. Dom Grassi
  • Gina Heidkamp
  • Maria Hertl
  • Bernice Kiedysz
  • Marilyn Klein
  • Patricia Meade
  • Janet McCulley
  • Karey Myers
  • Richard Seitz 
  • Elinora E. Tolentino
  • Manuel & Norma Viray
  • Leon Ward
  • Janice Wittenberg
  • Yyes Yoza

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.

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