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
Order Christmas Wreaths and Garland From St. Gertrude’s Annual Greenery Sale
Upcoming Events & Activities
Upcoming Events & Activities
Order Christmas Wreaths and Garland From St. Gertrude’s Annual Greenery Sale
Upcoming Events & Activities
Order Christmas Wreaths and Garland From St. Gertrude’s Annual Greenery Sale
Order Christmas Wreaths and Garland From St. Gertrude’s Annual Greenery Sale
Order Christmas Wreaths and Garland From St. Gertrude’s Annual Greenery Sale
Advent & Christmas Events and Masses
Support St. Gertrude Parish & our Ministries
Order Christmas Wreaths and Garland From St. Gertrude’s Annual Greenery Sale
Support St. Gertrude Parish & our Ministries
Support St. Gertrude Parish & our Ministries
Support St. Gertrude Parish & our Ministries
This Weekend's Bulletin
Support St. Gertrude Parish & our Ministries
Support St. Gertrude Parish & our Ministries
An Update from the Immigrant & Refugee Ministry
New Family Sponsored By our Ministry
You may have seen Cardinal Cupich on TV stating that the Catholic Church is stepping up to house migrant families. At present, four parishes are participating and we are one of them. This all played out quickly this week over a few days.
The family, Miguel, Angie, and their two children, a girl age 7 and a boy, age 2, will stay at the St. Ignatius rectory. Father Mike has shown them the space and they are thrilled. Also, you may know that for those arriving after September 1, there is a time limit on how long they can stay in a shelter. In a version of our very own Edgewater posada they are scheduled to be sent out in just a few days, so this came together beautifully.
They are just settling in, so stay tuned as we figure out their needs going forward!
On behalf of the Refugee and Immigrant Ministry,
~ Denise Goodman
Prayer for Peace in the Holy Land
Bring Justice and Peace
God of all creation, bring justice and peace to our world. Teach us to be peacemakers. Guide us in our pursuit of justice and the common good. Inspire us to welcome all, forgive all, and love all. Direct us as we walk in the shadow of Jesus: the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Inspire us to perceive the world through your eyes, that we might find hope and joy each day, supportive of each other, for the sake of your Kingdom.
- Author Unknown
Scroll down for Parish Events (Listed in Chronological Order
Next Youth Group Activity is Saturday, December 9
Teens in the parish in 7th grade and up are invited to attend our next parish youth group event on December 9 at 1:00 pm in the Ministry Center! We will make Christmas cards for the vulnerable.
Snacks will be served!
Edgewater Singers Holiday Concert is Saturday, December 9
The Edgewater Singers will perform their annual Holiday concert on Saturday, December 9th at 7:30 pm. The performance will be held at the beautiful Ebenezer Lutheran, located at 1650 W. Foster Ave.
We look forward to sharing fun, seasonal music, and hope to see you there!
Advent Journey with Jesus: New Bible Study Classes Offered - All are Welcome to our Monday, December 11 Classes
Please join Fr. Paul Àdajà for a special Advent-focused Bible study on Mondays! The sessions will take place in the Ministry Center on December 11 and December 18 from 10:00-11:00 am and again from 7:00-8:00 pm.
Attendees are encouraged to read the assigned passages beforehand and come with their bibles.
Each week will feature a different reading and topic:
- Monday, December 11: The Parents II: Mary and Elizabeth (Luke 1: 26-56)
- Monday, December 18: John the Baptist, Jesus, and Me (Luke 1:59-66; Luke 2: 1-7)
Questions? Email Fr. Paul at padaja@stgertrudechicago.org.
Second Collection for Retirement Fund for Religious is December 9 and 10
“Religious are blessed to serve,” says Dominican Father Bertrand Ebben, age 90. Please donate to the Retirement Fund for Religious next week.
Your gift will provide essential care for nearly 25,000 senior sisters, brothers and religious order priests who have dedicated their lives to serving others.
Let us show our gratitude to these selfless individuals by giving generously.
Worldwide Candle Lighting for the Loss of a Child - Sunday, December 10
The Elizabeth Ministry of Queen of All Saints parish will host the annual Compassionate Friends Worldwide Candle Lighting service on Sunday, December 10th at 6:45 pm in the basilica, 6280 N. Sauganash Avenue, Chicago.
The Compassionate Friends is an organization supporting grieving families in all fifty states and across thirty countries. Every second Sunday in December, families and friends around the globe unite in lighting candles to honor the memories of children of any age who have died, at any time, for any reason. Everyone is welcome to participate in this non-denominational service of prayer and music as we remember children who have gone too soon. The service will also be live-streamed on our parish website.
Email elizabethministry.qas@gmail.com with questions, or to request the name of a loved one to be read during the service. Find more information about The Compassionate Friends organization and grief support at compassionatefriends.org.
Find more information about Queen of All Saints at www.qasparish.org.
Book Club is Monday, December 11
On Monday, December 11, the book club will discuss The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell at 7:00 pm in the Ministry Center.
Contact Lea Cloninger at 773.973.2465 or Sue Benjamin at 773.551.8401 with questions.
The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is December 12
The Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12. It is a celebration that brings Latino families together (especially Mexicans and Mexican-Americans) and invites the whole Catholic community to gather to celebrate and honor Mary. It is through this celebration that these communities identify with Guadalupe, a powerful symbol of devotion, where they show and express their faith in God.
The devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe is so embedded in the Mexican and Mexican-American culture that it is no longer possible to distinguish it from the daily activities of the people. After hundreds of years in Mexican life, Guadalupe has become the symbol of hope, humility, faithfulness, responsibility, and willingness to serve, but most importantly, a symbol of courage to continue doing God’s will.
According to history, Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared in Mexico during very difficult times: The powerful were doing their will over the vulnerable, which is very similar to what we have been witnessing lately. Her presence was the beginning of a harmonious way of coexistence.
May this feast be an occasion to bring peace wherever we go.
~ Eloy Escamilla, Pastoral Associate
Parish Pastoral Council Looking for Greeters - Next Meeting is December 13.
The parish council is getting a Welcoming Committee up and running to foster a sense of hospitality, ensuring that every parishioner, both longstanding and new, feels a genuine connection to our faith community.
We are starting the committee by looking for GREETERS to welcome those into church. If you are interested, please contact Tim Love at tim.1love@gmail.com
The next parish pastoral council meeting will be on Wednesday, December 13 at 7:00 pm in the Ministry Center.
NCA Concert
All are welcome to attend NCA's Holiday performance on Wednesday, December 13 at 6:30 pm in church!
Titled, "Lessons and Carols," the performances will feature our talented NCA students.
Friendship Club is Thursday, December 14
The St. Gertrude Women's Friendship Club meets monthly on the second Thursday of every month in the Ministry Center.
The gathering begins at 11:30 am, attendees should bring their own (brown bag) lunch.
Holy Ground Documentary Premiere is December 14 (and Fr. Paul Àdajà is Interviewed!)
The documentary Holy Ground is a history of Catholics in Chicago from the discovery of the area, all the way into the post-World War II era.
The film looks at the role Billy Caldwell (a.k.a. Chief Sauganash) had in helping immigrants become settled to Chicago and the Grosse Pointe area. Holy Ground features engaging historians and showcases dozens of parishes and individuals, including St. Gert’s associate pastor, Fr. Paul Àdajà!
Holy Ground features engaging historians and showcases dozens of parishes and individuals, including St. Gert’s associate pastor, Fr. Paul Àdajà !
There is a free screening of the film on Thursday, December 14 at Landmark Glen, 1850 Tower Dr. in Glenview. Tickets are available at the box office for 5:30 pm and 8:00 pm.
Asylum Seekers' Supply Drive December 2-3
Thank you to the many parishioners who dropped off donations for asylum seekers this weekend! These donations will be sent to Care for Real, who is providing support to families sheltering at the Broadway Armory in addition to feeding other neighbors in need.
We appreciate your generosity!
St. Gertrude's Giving Tree Program: Donation Deadline is Sunday, December 17
The Giving Trees are in the back of Church. We will again be asking for gift cards, rather than gifts. This allows flexibility for individuals to get what they need. The benefactors of the Giving Tree collections will be Care for Real and the St. Gertrude Refugee and Immigrant Ministry.
Care for Real is asking for gift cards in $20.00 increments to Target, Jewel, and Walmart. They are also asking for Ventra passes. The Refugee Ministry is requesting $20 gift cards to Target. We are also asking for $10 McDonald’s gift cards to provide immediate meals for those who request them.
There are two boxes at the front of church, by the statue of Mary. One will be for Care for Real and one for the Refugee Ministry. Please place your gift cards into whichever organization you would like to support. The McDonald’s gift cards can be placed in either box. The last chance to donate gift cards will be Sunday, December 17 at noon.
We hope that in this most joyous of seasons you will be able to support the Giving Tree program. Each gift card will allow others to be able to have a blessed and happy Christmas celebration.
If you have any questions, please reach out to the Giving Tree Program coordinator Joe McMahon at jpmgmu@aol.com or at 708.525.5051.
Our Advent Reconciliation Service is Sunday, December 17
On Sunday, December 17, at 1:00 pm in church, we will celebrate our Advent Reconciliation. Please join us for this special service of scripture, hymns, and guided reflection, offering us some “quiet in the midst of the storm” as we celebrate the forgiveness of our sins in preparation for the celebration of Christmas.
Everyone is welcome. This service usually lasts about 45 minutes.
7th & 8th Grade Students Invited to Participate in our Essay Contest: Essays due December 18
Students in the 7th and 8th grade are invited to take part in our annual essay contest. Participants should write an essay in response to this question: What is your role as a Christian Catholic to obtain world peace?
Entries should be 500-600 words. Spelling and grammar count!
The top three winners will receive gift cards and have their essays published online and in the bulletin.
Entries must be submitted online or postmarked by Monday, December 18, 2023. Email essays (preferred method) to eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org or mail them to Eloy Escamilla, 1420 W. Granville, Chicago, IL 60660.
Longest Night of the Year: Homeless Persons Memorial Vigil on December 21
On Thursday, December 21st at 6:00 pm in church, we will host the Longest Night of the Year: Homeless Persons Memorial Vigil. This vigil is to remember and honor our sisters and brothers who have died while living on the streets.
We hope you can join us.
Scroll down for Parish news
ECRA Thanksgiving Recap
About 375 hope-filled people shared in the 2023 Annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Celebration sponsored by the Edgewater Community Religious Association (ECRA). This year, it was hosted at the Ismaili Jamatkhana at Rosemont and Broadway. The event was a marvelous community-building gathering and as always served to help raise support for Care for Real.
Our Parish Garden's Final Harvest!
This past week, Mary Clare Barker, Max Schweikert, and Gina harvested the remaining veggies and cleared the space.
Our heartfelt thanks to all who contributed to a very successful gardening season!
Help Needed with Baptismal Classes and with our Live-Streaming Team
We are looking for help with our monthly pre-baptismal sessions, held for new parents and guardians planning to have their child/children baptized at our parish. The classes are typically held on a Monday evening and last around 45 minutes.
Every Sunday, our 10:30 am mass in church is live-streamed by volunteers. Team members using a phone provided by St. Gert's, as well as a camera stand. We'll show volunteers how to go live on Facebook and troubleshoot any issues during mass.
Please reach out to Eloy Escamilla at eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org with questions or if you can help.
Thank you to Loyola Students for Helping the Lending Closet
The Heart to Heart Lending Closet recently hosted a group of enthusiastic freshman year students and their sophomore guides from Loyola University for a Saturday of Service.
Sponsored by Loyola's Community Service and Action office, the students helped inventory, clean, and store donated durable medical equipment.
GO RAMBLERS!
~ Laurie Hasbrook, Lending Closet manager
Special Thanks to our Lending Closet Volunteers!
A sweltering August day didn't keep volunteers Fr. Paul Adaja, Andrea and Guy Banicki, Hallie Burhoe, Barb Daly, Peter Morin, Carol Ann Munro, Tom Rogers, Greg Steigmeyer, and Tom Tentler, from loading a 15-foot U-Haul truck with surplus medical supplies from the Lending Closet.
Project C.U.R.E. warehouse volunteers in Woodridge, Illinois gratefully accepted everything.
Hallie Burhoe, Lending Closet volunteer extraordinaire, generously covered the costs of this project.
FreeStyle Chicago Holds Event at St. Gertrude
The St. Gertrude Social Hall was the recent site of clothing distribution for asylum seekers. FreeStyle Chicago and Edgewater Mutual Aid Network members, along with parishioners Nancy Kuhn, Nancy Bujnowski, and Ana Ward distributed clothing to 60 families who are currently staying at the Broadway Armory.
Thanks also to Cecie Murphy for toys, and Dorothea Tobin, Bridget Lowry, and Mary Jude Ramirez for popsicle deliveries!
Join the Choir!
Are you interested in joining St. Gertrude’s choir? We'd love to have you!
Rehearsals are held on Thursdays from 7:00-9:00 pm in church. The choir sings at the 10:30 am Mass in church.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Kathryn at kflynn@stgertrudechicago.org.
Heart to Heart Lending Closet News
Summer has seen wonderful connections made at the Heart to Heart Lending Closet. Ahzea Makhubu, a volunteer for Agape Mobility Ethiopia contacted us in August to see if we had any extra mobility devices. Due to the ongoing support of parishioners and members of the broader community we were able to donate over a dozen walkers, canes and crutches to Agape Mobility Ethiopia.
Closer to home, the Lending Closet phone rings daily with requests from people in need throughout Chicago. Wheelchairs, transport chairs, and shower chairs remain in short supply.
If you have items to donate, contact me at lhasbrook@stgertrudechicago.org or at the Lending Closet office number, 773-973-5464.
Thank you in advance for your generous support and donations.
~ Laurie Hasbrook, Lending Closet Manager
Spiritual Directors/Companions Available
Last weekend, Lori Dressel and Carol Ann Munro were in church to discuss the benefits of a spiritual director and companion.
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 and Lori 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.
Rest in peace notices & funeral information
Connie Engelmohr
- The obituary is linked here.
Mary Kathleen Agostinelli
- The obituary is linked here.
Paul Rapp
Constance "Connie" Chiumino
- The obituary is linked here.
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The office is closed on Friday, December 8 for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
Mass will be be held on Thursday, December 7 at 6:30 pm (Eve), and on Friday at 7:30 am, 8:30 am, and 6:30 pm