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:
Medical Lending Closet
Mass Times/Rectory Hours
Mass Times/Rectory Hours
How to Contact Us
Mass Times/Rectory Hours
Upcoming Events & Activities
Upcoming Events & Activities
Donate to St. Gertrude Parish
Upcoming Events & Activities
This Weekend's Bulletin
Donate to St. Gertrude Parish
Donate to St. Gertrude Parish
Donate to St. Gertrude Parish
Donate to St. Gertrude Parish
Donate to St. Gertrude Parish
Join Us for the Rosary at St. Gerts
Guadalupanos Rosary Group (Grupo del Rosario de Guadalupanos) on Friday Evenings
All are welcome to attend the bilingual weekly Rosary group held on Friday evenings at 7:00 pm in the dining room of the Ministry Center, located at 6214 North Glenwood Avenue.
Recitation of the Holy Rosary after 7:30 am Mass
Additionally, the Rosary is said every Monday through Friday in the church right after the 7:30 am mass. Please consider joining us in church—we would love to have you!
Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership (CSPL) Meeting Planned for Saturday, May 2; Northside Catholic Community Protection Training Postponed
St. Gertrude is a member of CSPL, the faith-based organization that organized the recent People’s Mass and Eucharistic Procession to the Broadview Detention Center.
Come together with other parishioners on Saturday, May 2 from 1:30-3:00 pm in the Ministry Center to build community and discuss how to help advance our parish's commitments to social justice, human concerns and faith formation through our participation in CSPL. Learn more about CSPL. All are welcome!
Northside Catholic Community Protection Training Postponed
The Northside Catholic Community Protection Training, previously announced in last weekend’s bulletin and scheduled for May 16 to help community members better support immigrant neighbors, has been postponed.
Another Collection Drive for Care for Real is May 2-3
St. Gertrude has its monthly collection drive for our neighbors in need on May 2-3! In addition to info in the image, you can visit https://linktr.ee/cfrchicago for information about donating and links to their Facebook and Instagram pages to see what they are specifically looking for at this time.
Please place items in the bins at the back of church.
Our asylum seekers’ collection is the full first weekend of each month, and our general collection drive for Care for Real is always the fourth calendar weekend every month.
We are so grateful for your help supporting Care for Real as they work to provide food and much-needed supplies to our neighbors who are struggling.
Parent Info: First Communion Is Saturday, May 9—Here's What You Need to Know
First Communion is approaching, and families with students celebrating this sacrament need to know/do several things before this important event takes place.
- Some parents have not sent in their child's Sacramental Request Form. Please fill it out and send it to me at eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org.
- If you have not paid the registration fee for the 2025-2026 catechetical year, this is the time to do it. Please note that there is a sacramental fee as well. All payments can be done by check or online. These forms and links can also be found on our website at stgertrudechicago.org/religious-education.
- On Friday, May 8, there will be a First Communion practice in church at 6:30 pm. Please be on time.
- Our parish's First Communion Mass is Saturday, May 9 at 10:00 am. No photos are allowed before and/or during mass, but rather after the service.
First Communion Attire
The attire for First Communion is simple, age-appropriate, and should not distract from the focus of receiving the Sacrament.
- Boys typically wear a suit of any color, or slacks and dress shirt.
- Girls usually wear white dresses, but any color can be worn. Veils are optional, but should not block the child's face. Gloves can be worn, but not while receiving Holy Communion.
- While sitting in the pew (and especially when going up for Communion) children should not hold bibles, rosaries, flowers, etc.
~ Eloy Escamilla
Catholic Charities Second Collection is May 9-10
Over 60,000 moms in need come to us each year. At Catholic Charities we provide vital services like food, housing, and diapers for families throughout Cook and Lake counties. Offering support at a critical moment often changes the course of a mom’s life. Your gift this Mother’s Day gives hope to moms who need it most.
Read about Brianna,* a mother who found support through Catholic Charities- Brianna, a single mom, spent the first two years of her daughter’s life staying with friends, worrying every day they would be put out on the streets. Her two jobs could not cover all their expenses.
Within a month of connecting with Catholic Charities, Brianna and her daughter had an apartment of their own, with the program paying a portion of her rent so she could start saving money, earn her GED, and get a better-paying job.
“It takes a strong individual to get through that. But I always had faith.”
Please support the Second Collection on Mother’s Day, May 10 or anytime by scanning the QR code or by donating at catholiccharities.net/mothers.
*Name changed to protect privacy
Book Club is Tuesday, May 12
Join us for a discussion of The Shape of Water by Guillermo del Toro & Daniel Kraus at 6:30 pm at the Ministry Center, 6214 W. Glenwood. New participants are always welcome!
For questions, contact Lea Cloninger (773.213.0509) or Sue Benjamin (773.551.8401).
Friendship Club is Thursday, Mary 14
The St. Gertrude Women's Friendship Club meets monthly on the second Thursday of every month in the Ministry Center, 6216 North Glenwood Avenue.
The gathering begins at 11:30 am, and attendees should bring their own (brown bag) lunch.
Brewed at St. Gertrude Planned for Sunday, May 31
After the 10:30 am masses on Sunday, May 31 all are invited to our monthly “Brewed at St. Gertrude” hospitality event in the Social Hall, featuring pastries, coffee, tea, and hot cocoa.
All are welcome—new and long-time parishioners, families, and visitors!
Brewed at St. Gertrude gatherings for 2026 are:
- May 31
- June 28
- July 26
- August 23
- September 20
- October 18
- November 15
- December 13
St. Gertrude’s Youth Mission Experience
We’re grateful to share that our summer Youth Mission Experience is now full. Thank you to all who registered and helped bring this vibrant expression of our parish community to life.
From June 22–26, parish teens entering seventh grade through high school will serve with organizations across Chicagoland while growing in faith, friendship, and community.
Please pray for the teens as they prepare to volunteer with organizations across Chicagoland, spend time together, and earn service hours as they deepen their connection to one another and to their faith.
The Rosary at St. Gertrude: Friday Evenings and after the 7:30 am Masses
Guadalupanos Rosary Group (Grupo del Rosario de Guadalupanos) on Friday Evenings
All are welcome to attend the weekly Rosary group held on Friday evenings at 7:00 pm.
The bilingual gathering is held in the dining room of the Ministry Center, located at 6214 North Glenwood Avenue.
Recitation of the Holy Rosary after 7:30 am Mass
Additionally, the Rosary is said every Monday through Friday in the church right after the 7:30 am mass. Please consider joining us in church—we would love to have you!
Parish Directory Update & Orders — Available Until May 31
We are finalizing our parish directory! If you did not have your photo taken, we invite you to update your household information to ensure your details are included.
Forms are available at the back of the church, or you may submit your information using the QR code or at https://bit.ly/StGertsDirectoryUpdateForm.
If you had your photo taken, a complimentary directory will be provided. For those who did not have a photo taken, you may still purchase a copy of the directory using the same form or online options.
Thank you for helping us create an accurate and complete parish directory!
Easter Flower Offering Envelopes
In Memory of The Strubbe & Galoney Families from Marie Galoney
In Honor and Memory of Sr. Maggie McGinn B.V.M. from Marilyn Klein
In Memory of Lilder and Albert Sherrod from Pamela Sherrod Anderson
In Memory of Jon Anderson from Pamela Sherrod Anderson
In Memory of Billy Tobin from Dorothea and Mike Tobin
In Memory of Ricardo Binalber
In Memory of Maria José Fereira de Souza from Ana Ward
In Memory of Mr. and Mrs. A. Escara
In Memory of Warren Meintz from Jacalyn Meier
In Memory of Jeanette Cordero from Cristina Cordero
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.
In Need of Communion? Our Ministers of Care Can Help
St. Gertrude Parish’s Heart to Heart program continues to offer compassionate support through its Medical Lending Closet, available by appointment on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This
approach allows the team to provide thoughtful, individualized assistance to each person seeking or donating equipment.
Items available through the Lending Closet include standard walkers, rollators, crutches, wheelchairs, portable commodes, toilet safety rails, bed rails, shower seats, and a selection of medical supplies. These resources are offered to help ease the burden of obtaining necessary equipment and to ensure that members of our community have what they need to maintain comfort, safety, and dignity.
To schedule an appointment or to learn more about available items or donations, please call 773.973.5464. If you or someone you know could benefit from this ministry—or if you have equipment to share—please consider reaching out.
In Need of Communion? Our Ministers of Care Can Help
For those who are unable to attend Mass regularly, our Ministers of Care offer a meaningful connection to parish life. These specially trained parishioners bring Holy Communion along with the prayers and presence of our community to those who are homebound or ill.
Through their visits, they share not only the Eucharist but also companionship and spiritual support, reminding each person that they remain a valued and connected member of our parish family.
If you or someone you know would like to receive Communion at home, please contact Sr. Susan at squaintance@stgertrudechicago.org.
Thank You to All Who Participated in Our Lenten Simple Suppers and Adult Spirituality Sessions!
Thank you to those who hosted the Simple Suppers—the Parish Pastoral Council, Men’s Basketball, Choir, Coalition for Spiritual and Political Leadership, and Northside Catholic Academy—and to those who facilitated the Lenten Spirituality Sessions: Sr. Wendy Cotter, CSJ; Patrick T. Reardon; Jonathan Hannau and the St. Gertrude Choir; Chris Countryman; and Rich Goode, Mary Kate Cahill, Krista Chinchilla-Patzke, and Bob Backis.
We would love to receive your feedback on the Lenten Adult Spirituality sessions and welcome your suggestions for future adult spirituality and formation offerings. If you would like to learn more about the Adult Spirituality and Faith Committee, or if you have any feedback or suggestions about future offerings, please send a note to Bob Backis at rjbackis@gmail.com.
We wish you an Easter season filled with the joy of the Resurrection. Alleluia!
- The Adult Spirituality and Faith Committee
Choir Get-Together
The Choral Choir enjoyed a little celebration a few weeks ago, taking time to relax, laugh, and enjoy one another’s company. We are deeply grateful for their ministry and the joy their music brings to our parish each week.
Volunteers Needed to Help with Live-Streaming Sunday Masses
We are looking for assistance with live-streaming our 10:30 am Sunday masses. The process is simple, you do not have to have a technical background, a special camera or phone, just a willingness to help.
Contact Eloy Escamilla at eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org for more information.
Saturday Morning Mass Schedule Change
Please note that beginning in the New Year, there will no longer be Saturday morning Masses.
We thank you for your understanding and invite you to join us at our other regularly scheduled Mass times.
Thank you for celebrating the feast of st. gertrude with us!
Feast Day Fun with Brewed at St. Gertrude
Thank you to all parishioners who came out last weekend to mass and the Brewed at St. Gertrude social event! It was wonderful to gather together and celebrate our faith community on our parish’s feast day.
Special thanks to the Brewed at St. Gertrude team for their hard work.
Photos courtesy of Steven Patzke.
Helping our Immigrant Brothers and Sisters
Thank you to the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership
More than 30 St. Gertrude parishioners, along with Fr. Sergio, came out to the People’s Mass outside the Broadview Detention last Saturday. Special thanks to the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership (CSPL), especially the St. Gertrude team, for organizing this demonstration our love and solidarity with our immigrant brothers and sisters.
Photos courtesy of Deb Winarski.
PARISH NEWS
Announcements at Church
We’ve recently received a few questions about how information about parish events, updates, and neighborhood or Archdiocesan activities is shared. Here’s a quick overview:
Bulletins and Daily Reflections/Updates
Almost all of our information is gathered from our bulletins. Information is sent to news@stgertrudechicago.org, and should arrive about 10 days before the Sunday you’d like your announcement to appear. Early submissions are appreciated, as bulletin size can vary week to week, and both a print and e-bulletin are produced.
If you’ve signed up for our daily reflections, we include upcoming parish events or activities right after the prayers.
Announcements at Mass
We typically limit in-church announcements to three upcoming events, giving priority to parish-run activities happening over the next week. These are kept brief, as details such as times and locations can be found in the bulletin.
Social Media
We've been more active on social media, posting about everything on the bulletin and sharing some of our partners' posts too. Please consider following us on Instagram(@stgertrudeinchicago) or Facebook(@stgertrudechicago).
Heart to Heart News: Ministry of Prayer
Did you know that despite your being homebound or physically inactive, there is a special and valued ministry here at St. Gertrude which we invite you to consider? There are no meetings, no dues or calls required; yet as a participant you will have a valued connection to the parish life by enriching others and yourself through your own dedicated, daily prayer time!
It works like this: We provide you with a monthly prayer sheet that has some of the prayer petitions taken from the "Prayer Wall" in the back of our church. As one of our prayer angels, you will include these petitions in your daily prayers; thereby becoming an unseen blessing for so many!
Please contact Sr. Susan Quaintance at Heart to Heart at 773.973.5464 or squaintance@stgertrudechicago.org. We welcome your interest in this caring ministry.
Rest in peace notices & funeral information
Anne-Marie St. Germaine
Pre-deceased by her beloved parents John H. and Georgia (Fiederling); Loving sister to Mary (St. Germaine) Piskorski (Alfred) and John H. and beloved aunt to Alice M. St. Germain-Gray and John H. St. Germain. Visitation on Saturday, April 18 at St. Gertrude at 10:00 am with a Funeral Mass at 11:00 am; Full obituary here
Sister Margaret A. McGinn, BVM
Sister Margaret “Maggie” A. (Daniel Anne) McGinn, BVM, 91, died Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at Mount Carmel Bluffs, Dubuque, Iowa. Her full obituary can be found here.