Pet blessing on sunday, october 2 at 11:30 am!
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
Pet Blessing Planned for Sunday, October 2
October is Heart to Heart Month
October is Heart to Heart Month
Pet Blessing Planned for Sunday, October 2
October is Heart to Heart Month
Pet Blessing Planned for Sunday, October 2
Pet Blessing Planned for Sunday, October 2
It's not too Late to Register for our Religious Ed Program
It's not too Late to Register for our Religious Ed Program
It's not too Late to Register for our Religious Ed Program
It's not too Late to Register for our Religious Ed Program
Support St. Gertrude Parish & our Ministries
It's not too Late to Register for our Religious Ed Program
Support St. Gertrude Parish & our Ministries
This Weekend's Bulletin
It's not too Late to Register for our Religious Ed Program
Support St. Gertrude Parish & our Ministries
Rest in Peace notices
- Roy Lipscomb
parish Staffing News
Fr. Mike Gabriel to Become Pastor in 2023 After Fr. Rich Retires
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 over the past year, 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.
~ Fr. Rich
Congratulations Hallie Burhoe & Carol Ann Munro!
They will be honored with the Christifideles award this Sunday
This Sunday afternoon (October 2) at 2:30 pm at Holy Name Cathedral, Cardinal Cupich will present the Christifideles award for St. Gertrude Parish to Hallie Burhoe and Carol Ann Munro at a special service at Holy Name Cathedral.
The Archdiocese of Chicago has established the Christifideles award, which is given to a layperson (or couple) in each parish who demonstrates faithfulness and dedication in ministry.
Carol Ann and Hallie have consistently responded to whatever needs arise in the parish, from signing on for the special activities for managing health and safety during the covid pandemic, to taking a leading role in the Peace & Justice Committee, to liturgical ministries. In so many ways they have lived out their faith for the good of all the members of the parish.
Thank you to both Carol Ann and Hallie and may God continue to bless all of their efforts!
Scroll down for Parish Events (Listed in Chronological Order
Domestic Violence Survivor's Mass is Saturday, October 1
The Archdiocese of Chicago Domestic Violence Outreach (ACDVO) will hold their 7th annual Mass to end domestic violence and for survivors and their family on Saturday, October 1. Please note, there is a new Mass time of 5:15 pm. It will be held at Holy Name Cathedral, located at 735 N. State St.
The Mass will be livestreamed, a link will be
available as the date approaches. Please visit https://www.facebook.com/domesticviolenceoutreach for details.
Pet Blessing Planned for Sunday, October 2
The Feast of St. Francis of Assisi is Tuesday, October 4. As we do each year, there will be Blessing of the Pets next Sunday at 11:30am on the front porch of church.
Fr. Mike Gabriel will be there to bless all kinds of pets.
Please join us for this special event!
Religious Ed Day Off
There will be no Religious Ed classes held on Sunday, October 9.
News from the Pastoral Parish Council (PPC): Upcoming Survey, International Dinner in November, Next Meeting
Be on the lookout for a survey to go out the weekend of October 8-9. There will be various ways to provide input, including electronic, in-person, and paper options.
The PPC is looking for someone to help organize an International Dinner on Friday, November 11. If available, please reach out to Jen Reyes at stgertrudeparishcouncil@gmail.com.
The next PPC meeting is Thursday, October 20. Meetings are held in the Ministry Center from 7:00 pm-8:30 pm and are open to parishioners.
Youth Group Outing to Holy Fire Chicago on Saturday, October 15
All students in grade 7 and above are invited to attend the next youth group gathering! The group will attend Holy Fire Chicago on Saturday, October 15 at Credit Union 1 Arena (formerly known as UIC Pavilion).
Holy Fire is a powerful moment of encounter, worship and fun for young people. It offers students preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation an engaging and significant experience of the broader Church to which they and their parish or school belong. Event information can be found here: https://pvm.archchicago.org/events/holy-fire-chicago.
Please contact Eloy Escamilla to RSVP, as well as details about purchasing tickets, the time and location of where to meet and when the outing will end.
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.
October is Heart to Heart Month! Program Planned on Sunday, October 16 & Volunteer Recognition Luncheon on Saturday, October 29
Save the Date—Educational Program Planned for Sunday, October 16
Maureen Burns, a community health worker from the HAP Foundation, will be presenting “Support and Care when Living with a Serious Illness” after the 10:30 am Mass in the Ministry Center on Sunday, October 16. This presentation will help us understand the differences between palliative care and hospice care, and how to access them.
Additional details will be shared in upcoming bulletins.
Volunteer Recognition Luncheon on Saturday, October 29
Heart to Heart will be hosting a recognition luncheon for all its volunteers on Saturday, October 29 at noon in the Ministry Center. Our volunteers deserve a huge appreciation for serving Heart to Heart members in the Edgewater and Rogers Park areas. There will be a raffle for first and second prizes.
Volunteers should RSVP by contacting Pat Sullivan at psullivan@stgertrudechicago.org or 773.973.5464.
Hidden Mercy - A Conversation with the Author Happening on October 18
Everyone is invited to join a conversation with Michael O'Loughlin, author of Hidden Mercy: AIDS, Catholics and the Untold Stories of Compassion in the Face of Fear, on Tuesday, October 18 at 7:00 pm.
This is a jointly sponsored event between St. Gertrude and The Hank Center for Catholic Intellectual Heritage at Loyola.
The event will be held in Loyola University’s
McCormick Lounge, located on the first floor of Coffey Hall, 1000 W. Sheridan Rd.
Kid Word for Children Ages 4-7 - Sundays at the 10:30 am Mass in Church
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.
It's Not Too Late to Sign up for Religious Ed Classes!
Registration is still open for our 2022-2023 Religious Education program! Cn-person instruction is 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.
The Yale Whiffenpoofs to Perform on Thursday, October 20
Join the Yale Whiffenpoofs for an evening of music featuring Chicago's own Dania Baig on Thursday, October 20 at St. Gertrude's church. The event begins at 8:00 pm with doors opening at 7:30 om.
Tickets are $45 for priority seating, $15 for general admission, and $5 for children and students.
Masks are not required but are encouraged. Vaccinations are strongly encouraged.
The Whiffenpoofs are the country's oldest collegiate a cappella group. Founded over a hundred years ago, the Whiffenpoofs have been singing around the country (and the world!) delighting audiences with a wide variety of a cappella music.
Needed: Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, Ushers, and Altar Se
Training Sessions Planned for October 3-5
We are recruiting new Ministers of the Word, altar servers, Eucharistic ministers, and ushers! We are also looking for a captain for the ushers at each of the three Sunday Masses.
All trainings will take place in church at 6:30 pm on the following dates:
- Monday, October 3—Altar servers
- Tuesday, October 4—Ministers of the Word
- Wednesday, October 5—Eucharistic Ministers
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.
Please note, altar servers must have received his/her First Holy Communion and be in 7th grade or older.
New schedules will include all these ministers 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. Reach out to our Pastoral Associate, Eloy Escamilla, at 773.764.3621 or eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org with any questions, or simply to volunteer.
Scroll down for Parish news
Interested in Becoming Catholic? Students Welcome!
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is a process by which adults learn more about the Catholic Church. This free program begins in the fall and meets until Pentecost. Please note, there is no class on Sunday, October 9.
Visit our RCIA page for full details as well as a calendar of events.
Join our 10:30 am Sunday Choir
New members are welcome, 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. The group sings on Sunday morning at the 10:30 am Mass.
To join or for more information, contact Mary Clare Barker at 773.764.3621 or mcbarker@stgertrudechicago.org.
Parish Garden Goodness
Another harvest of our parish garden happened last week!
The vegetables and herbs grown from our garden will be shared with both Care for Real and the St. Thomas of Canterbury soup kitchen!
Art & Environment Volunteers Needed
Want to get involved in something? We are looking for parishioners who are interested in being part of an Art and Environment Committee. The team's goal is to create an environment inside and outside the church that enhances prayer and worship according to the liturgical times and seasons.
A variety of talents are needed. Having a background in art and interior design, woodworking, lighting, sewing, and floral arrangements would be good, but not necessary!
The team meets as needed to plan and/or prepare. To get involved, contact Fr. Mike at mgabriel@stgertudechicago.org.