St. Gertrude Chicago

All are Welcome

1420 W. Granville,

Chicago, IL 60660

773.764.3621

stgertrude1420@stgertrudechicago.org

www.stgertrudechicago.org

Bulletin for Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025

From Fr. Mike Gabriel

Happy Easter!!!

May this Easter morning dawn bring you complete joy as we celebrate the risen Lord, Jesus Christ!

The signs of early spring stand in stark contrast to last year’s Easter. The flowers have begun to bloom, the trees are budding, and everyone is trying to be outside as much as possible.

Having celebrated Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and now Easter—welcoming eight new catechumens into the Church, seeing many people return home to celebrate with family, witnessing the many smiling faces of those who help create a holy place in our very active parish, and gathering in church to give praise to God—this, to me, is life.

All of these are signs of life and reminders of how truly alive we are because we share in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Easter is not just a passing season to be enjoyed, but a way of celebrating the gifts and grace we experience every single day. Easter is a song in our hearts—a song of life begun nearly two thousand years ago, and one we still sing today.

I invite you to keep this celebration of joy and peace alive always in our parish.

Share the joy of the Risen Christ.

St. Gertrude Parish: All are Welcome - and All Means All!

St. Gertrude extends a special welcome to those who are single, married, divorced, LBGQT, rich, poor, y no habla ingles. We offer special welcome to those who are young and old, or who have a crying baby. We welcome you if you can sing like Andrea Bocelli, or more like me, who just tries.

We don’t care if you're more Catholic than the pope or haven’t been in church since little Timmy’s baptism. We extend a special welcome to those who are over 60, but not grown up yet, and to teenagers who are growing up too fast. We welcome starving artist, tree huggers, latte sippers, vegetarians, and junk food eaters. We welcome those who are in recovery and those who are still addicted.

We welcome you if your having problems or down in the dumps. We’ve been there too. We welcome those who don’t like “organized religion”. We offer a special welcome to those who think the earth is flat, those who work too hard, those who don’t work, can’t spell, or came because grandma is in town.

We welcome those who could use a prayer right now, or thought you were on Clark Street, not Granville, and are here by mistake. We welcome those who are inked, pierced, or both. We welcome those who laugh at this, as well as those who gasped. We welcome tourists, seekers, doubters, and bleeding hearts with all our hearts. We welcome YOU!

~ Father Mike Gabriel

We are St. Gertrude!

Whether you are new to our parish or a long-time parishioner, we are so grateful you are here celebrating Easter with us.

Our parish's mission is to be a caring, compassionate faith community bringing the Gospel of the Lord into the world as we gather to worship God, serve others, are educated in our faith, and work for justice.

Our ministries include: 

ECRA: The Edgewater Community Religious Association (ECRA) is an interfaith association of religious organizations who work toward fostering friendships and understanding of other faiths, nurture a thriving and just neighborhood, and create solutions to local problems. ECRA hosts events and discussions that bring together Catholics, Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, as well as our friends from the Jewish, Muslim, and Hindi faith.

Garden & Compost Project: This seasonal project combines composting and a vegetable garden. Parishioners lease a composting bucket and deposit appropriate materials in the parish’s compost bin. The compost is then used to fertilize our vegetable garden, tended to by volunteers, that feeds patrons of Care for Real and the St. Thomas of Canterbury soup kitchen.

Gym Mass: Music and short parishioner reflections after the homily engage participants in the celebration of our faith. Fellowship, coffee, and refreshments follow this 10:30 am Mass held in the Gym.

Heart to Heart?Medical Lending Closet: Serving seniors in Edgewater, volunteers provide friendly visits, well-being phone calls, assistance with grocery shopping, and transportation to church, events, and medical appointments. Heart to Heart also oversees the Lending Closet of durable medical equipment for people all over Chicago.

Kids Word: During the 10:30 am Mass, children in kindergarten through fourth grade are invited to participate in age-appropriate activities, reflections, and lessons from the Bible.

Music Ministry: Saint Gertrude’s incredible music adds praise through song to each Mass and help us strengthen our social bonds through concerts and programs.

Ministry of Prayer: Homebound parishioners unable to participate in parish life contribute their gift of prayer for the intentions of the parish.

Religious Education and Sacramental Preparation: Children from grades 1-8 nourish and deepen their relationship with God through prayer and reflection, learn about being a disciple of Jesus, and what it means to be part of a community of faith.

R.C.I.A.: The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults program guides men and women interested in exploring the meaning and traditions of our faith and prepares them to become Catholic.

Peace and Justice Committee: This parish group focuses on the injustices in our world, and to be a parish not only of statements and prayers but one of action, where God’s love, justice, and mercy can grow.  

Refugee and Immigrant Ministry: Working with Catholic Charities, this group sponsors newly arrived refugees, providing both financial and emotional support as they settle into their new lives in Chicago.

Youth Group: Teens of the parish gather to have fun, talk about what’s important to them, go to events and outings, and work on service projects, including mission trips.

Additionally, the St. Gertrude's has so many other areas where active parishioners provide help and find community. They include Eucharistic Ministers, event photographers, the live-stream team, ushers, lectors, altar servers, sacristans, greeters, and counting teams. There are also parish advisory groups, book groups, the Guadalupanos Rosary Group, PreCana and FOCCUS leaders, the pre-baptismal team, bulletin reflection writers (Growing in Faith), sandwich makers, parish advisory groups, the Men's Faith Group, Spiritual Directors, blood drive organizers, the environment committee, the St. Gertrude Parish Players, the Friendship Club, the men's basketball group, Care for Real, the Midwest Workers Association, the Kolbe House Jail Ministry, the Brewed at St. Gertrude parish hospitality team, the Porch Prayer group, Commonweal Dialogue, and the Coalition of Spiritual and Public Leadership.

We appreciate everyone that is a part of St. Gertrude! Thank you to our parishioners for helping where they can, and we invite newcomers and those looking to build community to be more active in groups that resonate with you.

Thanks to all Parish Volunteers and Staff Members! 

All of the services beginning with Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday require a great commitment of time and energy from many of our ministries. Thank you to all those who have come out for extra rehearsals, for volunteering to minister at a number of services, to be flexible in covering where most needed. 

Our choir, cantors, and instrumentalists; the Ministers of Communion and Ministers of the Word, ushers, photographers, the live-stream coordinators, sacristans, and our hardworking staff -- THANK YOU for making our services during Holy Week so beautiful! 

Easter Message from Cardinal Cupich

Easter 2025

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, 

For more than a thousand years, the Church has sung five words that capture the message of Easter: Christ our hope has risen.

This simple phrase powerfully expresses the conviction that our hope is the very person of the Risen Christ. He not only rose from the dead two-thousand years ago but is present and active in our world today. As the Risen One, he shares with us his victory and triumph over sin and death, drawing us into the fullness of life that God has ever desired for humanity. Yes, indeed Christ our hope has risen.

We recall this core belief in this Jubilee Holy Year when Pope Francis has called us to be 

Pilgrims of hope. This is an invitation to be a people who journey together, confident that we are sustained by this closeness to the Risen Christ as we face the challenges of life. As pilgrims of hope, we walk with the Risen One and lean on his presence for personal support, but we also discover the power to bring hope to our world, our families, communities, workplaces, and nation. This is a great grace and responsibility.

May our Easter faith that Christ our hope has risen grow stronger, so that we will join in 

his work of bringing hope to our world with new enthusiasm, putting aside all of our fears and anxieties, in the knowledge that by conquering death, the Risen Lord has given us the sure hope and promise that we too have risen with him and will live forever. Yes, Christ our hope has risen and so have we. Happy Easter!

Sincerely yours in Christ, 

Cardinal Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago

Holy Thursday Info 

On Holy Thursday at 7:00 pm, we commemorate the Last Supper of Jesus Christ when we do what Jesus instructed us to do in memory of him by celebrating the sacrament of the Eucharist. This also reminds us of our commitment to serve God and one another. 

There will be a special collection for the Chicago-based Catholic Extension Society. The group works in solidarity with people in America's poorest regions to build up vibrant and transformative Catholic faith communities by providing resources to develop leaders, ministries, and facilities, while inviting more people across our country to invest in this work.

Catholic Extension Society is a papal society that is answering Pope Francis' call to go out to America's "peripheries." Since their founding in 1905, they have helped with the construction and repair of over 13,000 churches, and today, through the generosity of donors and parish partners, they support the ministries and leaders in 87 dioceses of the United States and its territories. 

Information about the organization can be found here.

Please note, there is no 7:30 am mass. 

Good Friday Information

The sacrifice of Good Friday is filled with prayer, from Jesus in the Garden to his final words on the Cross.

Good Friday is also a day of fasting and abstinence for people aged 18-59.  

At 3:00 pm, the parish youth group will perform Living Stations of the Cross at 3:00 pm.  

This is a powerful and prayerful experience, and we encourage all parishioners to consider attending and witnessing scenes of what our Lord endured before He gave His life for us on the cross. 

At the Good Friday service, we will have a special collection for the Pontifical Good Friday Collection, which helps Christians in the Holy Land. Your support helps the church minister in parishes, provide Catholic schools, and offer religious education. The Pontifical Good Friday Collection also helps to preserve sacred shrines. More information can be found here.

Please note, there is no 7:30 am mass. The Rectory office is also closed until Tuesday, April 22.

Holy Saturday Information

Holy Saturday is the day of the hidden mystery of divine action. The disciples were convinced that all their hopes had ended in disaster. This day reminds us that our best guess about the future is only that; God has plans and powers beyond anything we can imagine.

At 11:00 am on Holy Saturday, will have a Blessing of the Easter Baskets.

At 7:00 pm, we will celebrate the Easter Vigil, the turning point of the Triduum, the Passover of the new covenant, which marks Christ’s passage from death to life. Our parish's Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) group will also become full members of the Catholic Church.



There is no 7:30 am mass.

Easter Sunday Info

On Easter Sunday, we celebrate the Resurrection of Christ.

We will have mass at in church at 8:00 am and 10:30 am, and in the Gym at 10:30 am.

How to Watch our Live-Streamed Masses

Looking to watch our services online? Masses are live-streamed on our parish Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/stgertrudechicago/live/, then posted on our parish's YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@saintgertrude1117/videos.

You do not need a Facebook account to watch Mass on Facebook Live.

Easter Monday, April 21

On Easter Monday, the Rectory office will be closed.

We will reopen on Tuesday, April 22.

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.

Collection for Care for Real is April 26-27

Care for Real is urgently seeking donations of hand and toe warmers, gently used coats (all sizes), new socks and underwear, diapers in sizes 4-6, shampoo, hand soap, and adult incontinence briefs.

Our collection drive for Care for Real is always the fourth calendar weekend every month, and our asylum seekers’ collection is the first weekend of each 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.  

The Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership (CSPL) at St. Gertrude has Two Upcoming Events

St. Gertrude is a member of the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership (CSPL), a Catholic social justice network. 

On Saturday, May 3, May 3, the monthly meeting of the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership (CSPL) Network will be held in the Ministry Center from 1:30-3:00 pm.

All are welcome to discuss and plan how to maximize St. Gertrude’s social justice efforts through the parish’s membership in the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership. Learn more about CSPL.

CSPL’s annual Congress is a three-day retreat that brings together people from across Chicagoland and the Midwest for theological formation, organizing workshops, leadership trainings, relationship building, strategic planning and collaboration in a direct action related to our campaign goals. This retreat will be held from June 6-8 at Loyola University Chicago’s Lakeshore Campus from June 6-8. Registration closes on May 2. Learn more here.

Teens are Invited to Register for St. Gertrude’s Youth Mission Experience 

Parish teens are invited to take part in St. Gertrude's Youth Mission experience this summer from June 23-27. Teens in seventh grade through high school will volunteer with a different Chicagoland organization each day.

This is an excellent opportunity to have fun and earn volunteer hours! There is a $100 fee for the week. A $50 deposit is required at the time of registration. Please note that there are scholarships available! All participants will receive a t-shirt, water bottle, and a sports drawstring backpack.

To reserve a spot or for more information, contact pastoral associate Eloy Escamilla at eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org. 

Loyola's Hank Center Presents: Images and Likenesses: Immigration, Dignity, and the Soul of America On Tuesday, April 22

The Hank Center is excited to welcome Most Rev. Mark J. Seitz, Bishop of El Paso and Chairman of the USCCB Committee on Migration, to deliver the annual Cardinal Bernardin Common Cause lecture. The events will take place from 7:00–8:30 pm in McCormick Lounge, Coffey Hall, Lake Shore Campus.

Immigration is a particularly critical issue at the present moment in the United States. In the midst of the contentious public dialog, Catholics find themselves at an important theological and moral crossroads. This is especially true in light of Pope Francis’ recent letter to the United States calling for all bishops to work closely with migrants and refugees, and for all Catholics to reject narratives that discriminate and dehumanize.

Edgewater Singers Concert Planned for Saturday, April 26

The Edgewater Singers will host their Spring concert, titled "Away." The concert will take place at Ebenezer Lutheran Church, located at 1650 W. Foster, beginning at 7:30 pm.

The evening will feature songs that evoke places far away and those we travel to in our minds and hearts. Enjoy a selection of modern songs by Coldplay, George Ezra, and Toto, musicals by Leonard Bernstein and Cole Porter, and other wonderful songs that take us “Away.”

As always, tickets are free but we appreciate donations. 

The 2026 Mass Intentions Book is Open

If you would like a mass intention said in 2026 for a person that needs prayers or in memory of someone who has died, please call the Rectory at 773.764.3621 or stop by the Rectory office at 1420 West Granville Avenue during office hours. We’ll help you find an available Mass and prepare a card for you to give to the person or family of the intention. 

A $20 donation is suggested.  

Easter Flower Offering Envelopes

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.

The Parish Pastoral Council is Looking for New Members!

The Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) is renewing its search for new members. If you are interested in learning more about the PPC or are interested in joining, please complete this INTEREST FORM. 

Questions or comments for the PPC can be sent to stgertrudeparishcouncil@gmail.com.

Growing in Faith

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be apparent to all. The Lord is near.” That’s St. Paul writing to the Philippians.

Make a joyful noise! It’s Easter!

“Woman, why are you weeping?” That’s what the two angels say to Mary Magdalene outside the empty tomb. She thinks someone has stolen the body of Jesus. She turns around, and there is Jesus, except she doesn’t recognize him.

“Woman, why are you weeping?” That is Jesus, but Mary thinks he is the gardener. And Jesus says to her, “Mary.” And she knows it’s Jesus. And she goes to the disciples and says, “I have seen the Lord!” You can bet she’s rejoicing.

It’s fitting that Mary thinks Jesus is the gardener. Each winter, the world clouds over, and everything seems lifeless. And, then, come spring, the flowers bloom, the trees blossom, the world is awash with sun and warmth. There’s a cycle to the year of death and resurrection.

Ours is a countercultural faith that recognizes life is filled with pain and delight, with death and rebirth. Jesus is not only our Savior but also our model. Ours is not a faith of fear. It is a faith of openness to the world and the life that God has given us and all that that entails — growth, happiness, sorrow, decline, departures, arrivals, ugliness and wonder.

So, make a joyful noise! It’s Easter! “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again, Rejoice!”

~ Patrick T. Reardon

Reflections on Via Francigena Pilgrimage 2025

As I walked the Via Francigena with seven of our sisters and brothers on our pilgrimage to Rome, a refrain from a song by Cheryl Wheeler ran through my head – “I’m gonna take one step at a time, gonna keep walking, walking, walking, everything’s going to be fine, I know it will….”

Having walked portions of the French and Portuguese Camino de Santiago in Spain, I had some sense of the physical, emotional, and spiritual gifts and challenges that come from walking the “way.” I was quickly reminded, however, that each path brings its own invitations to wonder and joy, as well as to struggle and weariness.

During our days of walking together, we shared stories of our lives and reflected on the journey as it unfolded day by day. Gathering each evening for dinner, we celebrated and broke open the joys and challenges of the day. As we gathered for prayer and Eucharist, we were reminded of who we are and whose we are.

So, what did I “learn”, what insights did I glean on this Pilgrimage of Hope to St. Peter’s Basilica, our “Mother Church” in Rome?

•  Walk at your own pace. Trust the path. Eat snacks along the way.
• Be present to the moment. Otherwise, you may miss the signs right in front of you.
• None of us journey alone. There are other pilgrims along the way.
• Watch out for “angels” who, unexpectedly, appear when you are lost or confused or feel that you just can’t go on.
• he “way” will, at times, be straight and smooth. At other times, it will be rocky, mud-filled, with puddles and detours. It is all part of the journey.
• We are all pilgrims on the journey. In this Holy Year, we are invited to be “pelligrini di sperantza” (Pilgrims of Hope).

As our small group of pilgrims joined others from around the world walking through the Holy Door into St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, my heart filled with joy and my eyes with tears as I heard the choir singing “Veni Creator Spiritus.” I felt enveloped by the presence of the Holy and intimately connected with those surrounding me.

Although walking the Via Francigena or Camino de Santiago can be a life-changing experience, walking the Camino in daily life that each of us walks also invites us to encounter the Divine Presence and the Risen Christ along the pathways of our own lives. Take one step at a time and Buon Cammino!

~ Bob Backis

Prayer for a New Pastor

God of new beginnings, be with us, the people of St. Gertrude, as we await the appointment of our next Pastor. Enable us, in this time of waiting, to be a people of hope, trusting in the presence and power of the Spirit.

We thank you for the pastoral leadership of all who have been pastors of our faith community, for those who have ministered as members of pastoral staffs over the years, and for the gifts of the Spirit shared in countless ways by those whose lives have graced this sacred space. 

May the community of St. Gertrude continue to be a beacon of welcome, of hope, of reconciliation, of peace and justice for all who seek you.

Bless those priests who may be considering applying to be the next pastor of our faith 

community and of all who will be a part of the discernment and selection process. Bless the works of our hands. We ask these things in Jesus’ Name. AMEN!

Ministers of the Word

• Holy Saturday, April 19 at 7:00 pm - Patrick Robinson, Hallie Burhoe, Mark Kollar, Patrick Reardon, Millie Slane, Steven Monti
• Easter Sunday, April 20 at 8:00 am - Kathryn Stimac
• Easter Sunday, April 20 at 10:30 am - Sarah Millar, Edie Sheridan

Upcoming Mass Intentions

• Monday, April 21: 7:30 am - Patricia Gabriel
• Tuesday, April 22: 7:30 am - Joe McMahon
• Wednesday, April 23: 7:30 am - Matthew McColley
• Thursday, April 24: 7:30 am - Communion Service; Antoinette G. Linke+
• Friday, April 25: 7:30 am - Patricia Kelly+
• Saturday, April 26: 7:30 am - Pete Ballard+; 5:00 pm - Hal Mann
• Sunday, April 27: 8:00 am - The family of Salinas Sanchez; 10:30 am - Ethel Draper; 10:30 am Gym - Pete Ballard+

If you would like to add a name to the prayer list, please contact the Rectory at 773.764.3621 or email stgertrude1420@stgertrudechicago.org. Names will remain on the list for three weeks. After that time, please renew the name using same contact information.