Previous Events at St. Gertrude
Our St. Gertrude Community
Our community is blessed to have supportive, talented parishioners. Below are some older events celebrated at our parish.
Thank You, Boy Scouts!
Special thanks to Boy Scout Pack 3822 for providing hospitality after Mass on Sunday, February 9! They did a great job!
Advent and Christmas Thank You
It Was a Merry Christmas at St. Gertrude!
We are so grateful for the hard work of so many parishioners who made Advent at St. Gert’s so beautiful and festive. The children and families that participated in our wonderful Family Mass on Christmas Eve were so charming and sweet and truly made our Family Mass very special! We also appreciate the many talented musicians and singers that played and sang at all the Masses this month.
Our environment team made the Church look absolutely beautiful. We also are thankful for Tommy Martin and Andy Mueller, who worked so hard this Advent season.
So many parishioners participated in our Giving Tree program, organized to make Christmas special for families in need! The items requested went to
Care for Real, Heartland Alliance, Courage, Catholic Charities Toy Shower, the Refugee Ministry at St. Gertrude, and other refugee families in our
community.
Thank you for your tremendous response to our call for help. Your gifts of time and talent were very much appreciated.
Bazaar Thank You
Thank You for Making Our Bazaar a Success!
There are always so many people to thank for the success of an event like the Christmas Bazaar. Thank you to all the volunteers who worked so hard to get things going by decorating, sorting, pricing, and setting up. Thank you for standing outside so we could pick up our greenery. Thank you for working at one of the white elephant tables over the weekend.Thank you to those who baked, cooked, or served us. Thank you to the vendors, old and new, for offering us such wonderful things to choose from. Thank you to the musicians who entertained us during the pancake breakfast. Thank you to Santa for stopping by. Thank you to those who came at the end, to help us clean up when we were all so tired. Thank you to Laurie Savas and Vicky Santoso who joined in coordinating this year. Thank you to Victoria Healy who co-chaired again this year. And thank you for having a browse, hope you found a treasure or two.
Mark your calendars for next year – Saturday, December 5 and Sunday, December 6, 2020.
~ Kevin Chears
Thanksgiving ECRA Celebration
Thanks to all who Attended!
This year, the annual ECRA Thanksgiving Service was hosted by the combined St. Ita and St. Thomas Church, 5500 N. Broadway, on the afternoon of Sunday, November 24. The general theme was compassion and gratitude for all we have received.
St. Gertrude was represented by our talented parishioner, Bridget Dunne, singing “We Sing for the Children” accompanied by our Music Minister, Mary Clare Barker, and children from our parish playing violins.
Canned goods and a free-will offering was collected for Care for Real.
The Edgewater Community Religious Association (ECRA) is an interfaith association of religious organizations that work toward fostering friendships and understanding of other faiths, and to nurture a thriving and just neighborhood. For decades, ECRA has linked religiously diverse neighbors to create solutions to local problems, including the Edgewater Community Council and creating Edgewater’s food pantry, Care for Real.
ECRA hosts several events annually that bring together Catholics, Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, as well as our friends from the Jewish, Muslim, and Hindi faith.
Thank You from A Safe Haven
Collection Drive for Domestic Violence Shelters in October was a Success!
During the month of October, our parish partnered with the Archdiocese of Chicago Domestic Violence Outreach and collected diapers and pull-ups, new children’s pajamas and socks, and full-sized toiletries needed by victims of domestic violence and their children living in local shelters.
The staff of A Safe Haven, one of the eight shelters that benefitted from the collection drive, recently wrote to us and the other parishes that participated,
thanking parishioners for their generosity:
“WOW!! On behalf of The Safe Haven Network and our donation recipients, I cannot thank you enough for your unprecedented response to our annual
Supply Drive! You helped us collect more donations than we have ever collected, and those donations will directly support domestic violence shelters and
animal shelters in and around Chicago that serve YOUR friends, family, and neighbors. You are amazing!!”
Congrats to Joe Donnelly!
Congratulations to Joe Donnelly, Recipient of the Spirit of St. Gertrude Award
Each year on St. Gertrude's Feast Day, we honor one parishioner who has shown by a tireless example of service to the community, that he or she carries within the spirit of St. Gertrude.
We are happy to announce that this year’s Spirit of St. Gertrude Award recipient is Joe Donnelly! Joe has been a founder of the Refugee Committee, active in Helping Hands making sandwiches, a general helper at funerals, including acting as our ‘go-to’ altar server, Eucharistic Minister, Minister of Care, Heart to Heart volunteer, and has provided service in a wide variety of ways and occasions to the parish community.
Congratulations, Joe, on a great example for all of us! Thank you for your outstanding service!
United Power September Meeting with Mayor Lightfoot
Thank you, parishioners who attended!
On Sunday, September 22, United Power for Action and Justice met with Mayor Lori Lightfoot to discuss our shared goals of mental health and addiction services, gun safety, and housing development on the city's South and West Sides.
Thank you to the 24 parishioners from St. Gertrude that joined the nearly 100 religious and civic groups gathered at DRW College Prep in Homan Square! The hope is that Mayor Lightfoot acts on the concerns expressed and works to work with residents address them.
Faith in Action!
Thank you to all who participated in our Lenten Food Drive!
Thank you to all who participated in our Lenten Food Drive, Saturday, March 7 and Sunday, March 8! The donations were very generous, and Care for Real was grateful for all of the food, personal care items, and sundries. We especially thank our young Confirmation candidates and teens from our youth group for organizing this food drive and for sorting and repackaging the items. More pictures are below!
Congratulations to Our Priests
This month, Father Rich celebrate 41 years of priesthood, Father Mike Bradley celebrates 42 years, and Father Mike Gabriel celebrates 36 years! Thank you all, including Father Louis, whose anniversary is in January, for your loving service to our Church and our parish.
NCA Teacher Joan Harrington - RIP
Parade for Ms. Harrington Celebrates Her Legacy of Love
The NCA school community and fellow St. Gertrude parishioners are heartbroken over the death of our beloved Joan Harrington. She was a talented and loving preschool teacher who cared so deeply about the students in her care. Joan created lasting relationships with her students, parents, teachers, parishioners, and so many others who had the pleasure of her friendship.
Last Friday, prior to her death, NCA leaders organized a parade of 200 cars on Friday for Ms. Harrington, to share messages of love and appreciation to her and her family. She was able to watch it from her steps with her family.
We’re so grateful we were able to honor Mrs. Harrington right before she went to be with The Lord. Please continue to keep Mrs. Harrington’s family in your prayers.
Please click the link below to view the video of the parade:
https://youtu.be/V-l8j3FzHfE.
Click the link below to view ABC 7 News story:
https://abc7chicago.com/society/former-northside-teacher-honored-with-car-parade-just-2-days-before-dying/6081915/?fbclid=IwAR0617ivZ9Mi7Guw8HQxvUUK31L582KRPJ3AYnK1zb4v5DA_LM5ndFsFapo
News from the Refugee and Immigration Ministry Committee
Resources Available for Our Immigrant & Refugee Neighbors
Greetings, St. Gertrude parishioners,
We, the Refugee and Immigrant Ministry, are very aware that many people in our community and city did not nor will not benefit from any stimulus package because they are undocumented immigrants.
If you or someone you know is in that situation and struggling to make ends meet, please contact the parish. Some resources may be available. We know too that being undocumented is a sensitive matter and be assured that privacy and confidentiality will be greatly respected.
If you or someone you know is in that situation and struggling to make ends meet, please contact the parish. You can leave a message at 773.764.3621 or email stgertrude1420@stgertrudechicago.org. Some resources may be available.
Nosotros, el ministerio para refugiados y inmigrantes de la parroquia de Sta. Gertrude, estamos muy conscientes de que muchas personas en nuestra comunidad y ciudad non recibieron los cheques de estímulo del gobierno federal porque son inmigrantes sin documentos gubernamentales.
Si usted, o alguien que Ud conoce, está en esta situación y con dificultades económicas, por favor pónganse en contacto con la parroquia. Es posible que haya algunos recursos disponibles. También sabemos que ser un inmigrante sin documentos es un asunto sensitivo y puede estar seguro que todo se mantendrá en privado. Usted puede dejar un recado llamando la parroquia, 773.764.3621 o mandando un correo electrónico a stgertrude1420@stgertrudechicago.org. Es posible que haya recursos disponibles.
