All Are Welcome
St. Gertrude Parish in Chicago
Our parish strives to be a community, growing in faith, that welcomes all and brings Christ’s love to others.
Here is the Latest News:
Mass Times/Rectory Hours
Sunday is the Last Day to Purchase Your Christmas Greenery from St. Gerts!
Upcoming Events & Activities
Upcoming Events & Activities
Sunday is the Last Day to Purchase Your Christmas Greenery from St. Gerts!
Upcoming Events & Activities
Sunday is the Last Day to Purchase Your Christmas Greenery from St. Gerts!
Sunday is the Last Day to Purchase Your Christmas Greenery from St. Gerts!
Sunday is the Last Day to Purchase Your Christmas Greenery from St. Gerts!
This Weekend's Bulletin
Support St. Gertrude Parish & our Ministries
Sunday is the Last Day to Purchase Your Christmas Greenery from St. Gerts!
Our Mission & Values
Support St. Gertrude Parish & our Ministries
Support St. Gertrude Parish & our Ministries
Support St. Gertrude Parish & our Ministries
Support St. Gertrude Parish & our Ministries
Support St. Gertrude Parish & our Ministries
Care for Real Collection is December 21 and December 22
Our monthly Care for Real drive is December 21 and 22. Please place nonperishable items in the bins at the back of church before and after mass times.
This month, Care for Real is urgently seeking donations of diapers in sizes 2-6, baby wipes, juice boxes, thermal layers (all sizes) gently used coats (all sizes), hand warmers, lotions and hand soap, shampoo and body wash, adult incontinence under bed pads.
Our collection drive for Care for Real is always the fourth calendar weekend every month, and our asylum seekers’ collection is the first weekend of each month.
Buy Your Trees, Garland, and Wreaths from St. Gert’s This Weekend
This weekend is the last time to purchase trees, wreaths, and garland from our greenery sale. Proceeds benefit St. Gertrude’s ministries.
Greenery will be sold at the playlot this Sunday, December 22 on the west side of the Social Hall, 1401 W. Granville Avenue, from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm. Only cash and checks will be accepted for in-person purchases.
Each 6’ Christmas tree is $55. Three different sized wreaths are available—the 18” wreath is $25, the 24” is $27, and the 36” is $35. Garland is also available for $40 per 5’ length.
Christmas Eve Pageant Rehearsal on December 21
As is our tradition during the Gospel at the Christmas Eve 5:00 pm Family Mass, the kids from St. Gertrude parish will act out the Christmas story.
We are having only one rehearsal for this play on Saturday, December 21 at 2:30 pm. It will take approximately one hour.
Email eescamilla@stgertrduechicago.org if you your children are interested in being a part of this amusing and important event.
~ Eloy Escamilla
"Longest Night" Homeless Person’s Remembrance on Saturday, December 21 - 4:00 pm Prayer Vigil and 5:00 pm Mass
The National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day takes place each year on the longest night of the year. At this time, we remember the brothers and sisters we have lost in the past
year due to homelessness — the person at the intersection we used to see all the time, the person who lived in the tent in the park that is now empty, the person in the sleeping bag we drove past on Lower Wacker Drive who isn’t there anymore — and we recommit to not letting this be the start of another year of growing homelessness.
Because December 21st falls on a Saturday this year, our remembrance will be included in the 5:00 mass, preceded by a prayer vigil at 4:00 pm. All are welcome. We invite you to join us in remembering those who are so often forgotten, except by their Creator.
Heart to Heart Christmas Schedule
The Heart to Heart and Lending Closet offices will be closed for Christmas on Tuesday, December 24 and Thursday, December 31.
Laurie and Sr. Susan are so grateful for the volunteers, donors, and all the friends and members of our community. You have shown us what Incarnation -- Jesus being born among us -- is all about. We wish everyone much joy during this season of light and love.
Upcoming Youth Group Outing: Loyola Ramblers Men's Basketball Game Planned for Saturday, January 4
The youth group has a new activity for Saturday, January 4, replacing plans originally made for January 11. The teens will attend a Loyola Rambler's basketball game, as the men's team takes on VCU at Gentile Arena at 1:00 pm. There are a limited number of tickets!
Any teen in 7th grade and up is welcome to attend. Please email Eloy Escamilla at eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org to reserve a ticket or with questions.
PreCana Class Offered at St. Gertrude Parish on Saturday, January 11
PreCana classes at St. Gertrude are primarily intended for couples getting married at St. Gertrude. Before registering, you must speak with Father Mike Gabriel about your planned wedding at St. Gertrude or receive consent to attend if you are getting married at a different parish.
This full day, in-person gathering on Saturday, January 11 is dedicated to considering your life together as a married couple. Led by a facilitator couple from St. Gertrude, each 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 either session by calling the Rectory office at 773.764.3621or by filling out an online PreCana registration form at https://stgertrudechicago.org/marriage. If a sufficient number of couples do not sign up, the session will be canceled, and they will be provided with information about how to sign up for session elsewhere.
The cost of PreCana is covered by the church fee couples planning a wedding at St. Gertrude are charged.
Catechist Needed
Our Confirmation catechist recently needed to step down to address health issues. We are now in urgent need of a new Confirmation teacher.
If you can help, please contact Eloy Escamilla at eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org.
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!
A Message from the Parish Pastoral Council
The Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) would like to thank everyone that provided their feedback for our next pastor.
The PPC, along with the finance board, met with the Pastoral Placement Board and shared our Strategic Plan along with the following summary:
About St. Gertrude Parish
St. Gertrude is a parish with a rich history and over a century of service to the Edgewater community. Like many faith communities, we have faced challenges over the years, but through resilience and unity, we have persevered.
As a family of faith and progressive activism, we continually seek innovative ways to address the evolving needs of our dynamic and diverse community. True to our hallmark, “All Are Welcome,” we strive to embody inclusivity in all we do – following the model of Jesus himself.
Preparing for a New Chapter
We are both excited and hopeful as we prepare to welcome a new pastor to lead our parish. To ensure the transition is guided by the voices of our community, our Parish Pastoral Council conducted in-person listening sessions and gathered input through paper and electronic surveys. The feedback we received highlighted several key themes that, after discussion with representatives of the parish staff and Finance Committee, we collectively feel are crucial for prospective candidates to understand:
- A Spirit of Inclusivity: Our parish firmly believes that “All Are Welcome.” This is more than a motto or catch-phrase to us; it is a core value that has attracted many diverse families (LGBTQ+, international, mixed faith families, etc.) to join our parish community, and it is what unites us above all else. We therefore seek a leader who will share in and model our commitment to inclusivity, and who can further nurture this value within our community.
- Collaborative Leadership: Ours is a parish with a strong legacy of active and passionate parishioners who minister both within our own community and in the broader Edgewater neighborhood. We also face perennial financial challenges and can at times operate in silos. We need a leader who is a master collaborator, who will value our legacy even while exploring new opportunities, and who will help orchestrate a future where the many gifts of our community can be better coordinated for maximum impact.
- Unique Partnership with Northside Catholic Academy (NCA): With a recent consolidation that has NCA now operating exclusively on our campus, there is tremendous potential to strengthen the relationship between the parish and school. We hope to find someone who values having a Catholic school on parish grounds and sees this partnership as an opportunity for mutual growth and enrichment.
- Vision and Innovation in Ministry: Ours is a faithful community that hungers for more meaningful opportunities to enliven and animate our connection with the Holy. We therefore desire a pastor who is visionary, creative, and ready to continue our tradition of good liturgy and preaching, supporting current worship services such as our ‘Gym Mass’ foster spiritual growth, and who embodies and embraces an expansive theology.
Looking Ahead
St. Gertrude Parish is a community brimming with opportunity. Our parishioners are passionate, enthusiastic, talented, and generous. We are ready to welcome and support a leader who can guide us to realize our full potential, to enable us to sustain our mission of faith and service long into the future.
Prayer for a New Pastor
God of new beginnings, be with us, the people of St. Gertrude, as we await the appointment of our next Pastor. Enable us, in this time of waiting, to be a people of hope, trusting in the presence and power of the Spirit.
We thank you for the pastoral leadership of all who have been pastors of our faith community, for those who have ministered as members of pastoral staffs over the years, and for the gifts of the Spirit shared in countless ways by those whose lives have graced this sacred space.
May the community of St. Gertrude continue to be a beacon of welcome, of hope, of reconciliation, of peace and justice for all who seek you.
Bless those priests who may be considering applying to be the next pastor of our faith
community and of all who will be a part of the discernment and selection process. Bless the works of our hands. We ask these things in Jesus’ Name. AMEN!
Kids Word at 10:30 am Masses
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.
Fr. Mike Bradley and Laurie Hasbrook is Recognized as 2024 Edgewater Treasures
On Saturday, November 2, Fr. Mike Bradley and Laurie Hasbrook, along Dr. Jamal Husain, were recognized as 2024 Living Treasures of Edgewater!
Edgewater Living Treasures are residents of Edgewater who have made a difference, some in a profound, fundamental way, and others in a small but significant action that has affected the well being of the Edgewater community. Their deeds were not driven by personal gain, but to help the people of the community – whether generating beauty, fostering harmony, helping the less fortunate or encouraging grass roots activity.
In addition to his work at the Archdiocese and St. Gertrude parish, especially the Heart to Heart ministry, Fr. Mike has raised funds for an AIDs clinic in Uganda, Catholic Charities in Chicago, Leukemia Society, and Northside Catholic Academy.
Laurie has worked diligently to improve the lives of others in Edgewater for more than 20 years. She has served as a support person for Iraqi refugee families and assisted migrants who gathered around the 24th District police station, sleeping on the ground without food or adequate clothing. Laurie has also worked with various mutual aid networks and WhatsApp groups to distribute goods and services to help these new neighbors. And her work at St. Gertrude, especially with the Lending Closet, has been a blessing to so many!
Pet Blessing Pictures
Thank you to those who came out this past Sunday for our annual Pet Blessing!
We were so happy to see those family members who don't usually attend Mass.
Heart to Heart Volunteer Spotlight: Michael Kowalsky
The Heart to Heart Lending Closet provides durable medical equipment to people throughout Chicagoland. Items donated to us for distribution are gently used and in good condition. But when we get a perfectly sturdy wheelchair, transport chair, or rollator with a flat tire or loose supports -- Michael Kowalsky comes to the rescue!
Michael is a Heart to Heart volunteer with a knack for diagnosing the most perplexing equipment issues. Thanks to Michael, along with the folks who donate to us, we're able to keep our mobility room well-stocked!
Items Needed for the Lending Closet
The Lending Closet is in dire need of rollator walkers (walkers with a seat.)
Please e-mail or call the Lending Closet manager Laurie Hasbrook at lhasbrook@stgertrudechicago.org or 773-973-5464 ext. 115 if have one to donate.
An Update from the Refugee & Immigration Ministry: Welcome to a New Family! (August 2024 Update)
Thanks to your extraordinary support, we are once again able to sponsor a newly arriving refugee family. We are working with Refugee One rather than Catholic Charities now, and I think you'll be impressed with all the support they provide.
This family of four is from Venezuela, and just recently arrived, flying into O'Hare via Ecuador. This is a young Catholic family, with one 8-year-old daughter and a 10-month-old son. The husband's father is already in Chicago, living on the South Side.
A case manager from Refugee One welcomed them at the airport. Since they had arrived to the U.S. through another city and cleared customs there, it went quickly and they were able to go straight to their apartment, where there was a culturally-appropriate, hot meal waiting for them, along with a kitchen stocked with groceries. They were also given a cell phone with one year of service, CTA cards, pocket money, and directions to the nearest grocery stores. The parents were very tired from the travel, and after a brief apartment orientation, the staff left so they could rest. The husband's father was able to visit them later the same evening. What a blessing to be reunited!
The case worker visited them again the next day to check in and answer any questions they had. The father shared that he worked as a barber in Ecuador since 2018 and would like to pursue that career path here! Eventually they'd like to live closer to family, but of course that will take some time.
The family was scheduled to go to Refugee One for their intake appointment shortly after their arrival; this allowed them to learn more about the services being offered to them, and for Refugee One staff to start to get to know them. Afterwards, the case worker was set to orient them to the CTA and practice the route from RefugeeOne to their apartment. They’ve begun an 8-week Cultural Orientation series (childcare is provided). “CO” is an 8-week long program for adults that focuses on topics like rights as a US resident, cultural norms in the U.S., carrying personal identification, U.S. laws, money management, creating a budget, steps to getting a job, the importance of paying taxes, and so much more. They’ll also be assessed for English level afterward and will be enrolled into one of the in-house classes or referred elsewhere, depending on their assessment outcome.
The next few weeks will be busy with school enrollment for their daughter, English classes, CO, and employment support, all while adjusting to their new home. Refugee One said, "We’re so grateful to St. Gertrude’s support in ensuring the Garcias received a warm and comfortable welcome to Chicago."
As you can see, the agency has a spectacularly well-organized on-boarding process. It's been wonderful working with them, and I wanted you all to know the wonderful result of your generosity and kindness.
On behalf of the Refugee and Immigrant Ministry,
Denise Goodman
Two Marriage Programs Available
Are You Struggling in Your Marriage?
If your marriage has become troubled or stressed, unloving or uncaring, or if your relationship has grown cold or distant, if you are thinking of separation or divorce, or if you are already separated or divorced, but you want to try again, then the Retrouvaille program can help you.
For more upcoming dates, information, or to
register, call 1.800.470.2230, 224-534-9235 or go to helpourmarriage.org.
Learn the Art of Living your Marriage Journey
As Pope Francis states, living together is an art and can be a beautiful journey. Marriage can be challenging with family, work, finances, kids, busy schedules and al that life offers. Losing focus on what is important in life is easy.
A Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend experience focuses on what's important in your marriage and provides the tools to live a beautiful journey together. It's for any married couple that desires a richer, fuller life together.
For more info, visit www.wwme.org.
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Spiritual Directors/Companions Available
If you've been searching for a deeper relationship with God or wanted to seek God’s help in making you might consider meeting with a spiritual director/companion.
Carol Ann Munro and Lori Dressel offer confidential one-on-one sessions at St. Gertrude and the opportunity to slow down and take time to reflect on your experience of life, God’s action and grace in your daily routines and connect deeply to “the Spirit hidden in the depths of your soul.“ (T. Merton)
In meeting with a spiritual director, a person learns to pay attention to God’s personal communication, to respond to this personally communicating God, to be open to intimacy with God, and to live out the richness of the relationship that results from this intimacy.
If you are interested in this, contact Lori Dressel at lorijdressel@gmail.com or Carol Ann Munro at carolannmunro@comcast.net.
St. Francis Catholic Worker House of Hospitality
St. Francis House is a home offering hospitality in the tradition of the Catholic Worker movement, located in the Uptown neighborhood at 4652 N. Kenmore.
All are welcome to come by for dinner any Monday at 6:00 pm! Curious about this tradition? Read about in the Chicago Catholic at https://rb.gy/10e7pw.
Thank you to the parish for all your support and prayers. The youth had a wonderful community mission week impacting lives in the community and beyond. We volunteered at the following organizations this week: The West Ridge Nature Park, Care for Real, Cradles to Crayons, and Feed My Starving Children. We then celebrated all our hard work with a day at the beach at the end of the week.
Special thanks to Jennifer Reyes and Anh Tran for helping to organize and lead the activities of the Mission week.
Mission Experience 2025 will be from June 23rd to the 27th. Hopefully, your child is interested in joining us next year!
Rest in peace notices & funeral information
Valerie Patterson
- sister of Sherl Patterson, St. Gert's office manager
Paul William Kelly
- father of Paul Kelly
Enoch Rivers
- husband of Rosemary Castronova-Rivers
Mary Amelse
- Funeral info here
Arlene Kaspik
- Funeral info here
Maggie McSweeney
- Funeral info here
Marie Schonberger
- Coming
Mark Schreiner
- son of Therese Schreiner
Michael Cannon
Marie Roti
- funeral Tuesday, November 26 at St. Gertrude
Carol Shields
- mother of Tracy Shields