Parish pastoral Council lay Members
Bob Backis, Co-Chair
I’ve been a part of our wonderful, Spirit-filled faith community for over 30 years. During this time, I’ve been a member of previous pastoral councils, a member of the preaching team, RCIA Coordinator/team member, Eucharistic Minister, and Lector. My wife Carolyn is a teacher at NCA. I retired as the Manager of Spiritual Care at Lurie Children’s Hospital and now am a Chaplain with the NorthShore University HealthSystem. I look forward to collaborating with the members of our Pastoral Council in being a resource for all who are part of our faith community to fully live out our baptismal call as disciples of Jesus.
Ellen Buttitta, Parish Council Member
I am a life-long member of St. Gertrude Parish, beginning with my baptism in 1994. I attended Northside Catholic Academy from preschool to 8th grade and have continued attending the 10:30AM Gym Mass since then. It has been a pleasure to sing with the talented musicians of the Gert's community, as well as work with the youth of the parish through Religious Education this year. As my son grows in his faith and asks the hard questions, I look forward to asking those questions with my fellow community members: who are we? what do we stand for? and how do we get there? Thank you for the opportunity to learn from, grow, and collaborate with the St. Gertrude's community!
Krista Chinchilla-Patzke
I have been a parishioner at St. Gertrude since moving to Rogers Park with my family. I am originally from Guatemala and was raised in Southern California. My husband and I met on the East Coast, where we both studied theology and ministry. Having prayed at many parishes across the country, St. Gertrude instantly became the community we could call our spiritual home. We fell in love with the Sunday liturgy: the energy, preaching, music, and other parishioners gave us a sense of belonging.
As a member of the Parish Pastoral Council, I hope to continue creating spaces where each parishioner and member of the neighborhood can grow around the table of the Lord. Outside of my ministry at St. Gertrude, I serve as the Liturgy Coordinator at Old St. Pat's.
Timothy Lacy
St. Gertrude has been my home parish since 2013. I first attended mass at St. Gertrude, however, off and on, between 1997 and 2003. After a stint in Andersonville and other places with my wife and two kids, we returned to Edgewater in 2012. I'm a full-time student affairs administrator in the University of Illinois College of Medicine, but also teach history part-time at Loyola Chicago. I have a PhD and MA in history, both earned at Loyola. We now live in the southeast corner of Rogers Park.
Tim Love
Tim Love has been a St. Gertrude parishioner since moving to Edgewater with his wife, Lisa Love, in 2011. Since then, the Loves have baptized both their daughters – Viviana and Emilia – at St. Gertrude, and Viviana recently made her first communion.
Tim works as Executive Director for Equity &
Compliance at Loyola University, where he promotes safety and inclusion for all students and employees. Tim was called to service on the Parish Council to help foster a community that welcomes and embraces all people at St. Gertrude’s, especially new parishioners and neighbors, young parents,
and those seeking a faith community that is truly inclusive and rich with diversity.
Tim looks forward to serving the St. Gertrude community in this new role, and looks forward to meeting you at an upcoming mass or parish event!
Michelle Nickerson: Co-Chair
I have been a member of the St. Gertrude community with my family since 2012. I’m a native of New Jersey and lived in five different states, including Alaska, before I settled in Chicago. I am a professor at Loyola University, where I teach history and publish research on twentieth-century America. I also recently taught in Heidelberg, Germany on a Fulbright fellowship. The Catholic church in the United States is one of my areas of scholarly interest. I love the community at St. Gertrude Parish which has become, for me, one of the best things about living in Chicago.
Jen Reyes, Secretary
I have been a parishioner of St. Gertrude for as long as I can remember. I graduated from St. Gertrude and both of my children are NCA Alums. I was a very active parent volunteer at NCA, and I now look forward to shifting more of my energy towards the parish. I currently work as the Administrative Coordinator at the Andrew M. Greeley Center for Catholic Education at Loyola University and a physical therapist on the weekends at Weiss Memorial Hospital and St. Francis Hospital.
Sean William
I have been a St. Gertrude Altar Server, Lector, Eucharistic Minister and Parish Secretary, although I reckon I am most remembered for scoring the winning basket in the St. Gertrude's 5th grade boys' basketball sole victory in the '94 season! ;) I am now delighted to be on the Parish Council. I work as an ER Doctor.