St. Gertrude Chicago

All are Welcome

1420 W. Granville,

Chicago, IL 60660

773.764.3621

stgertrude1420@stgertrudechicago.org

www.stgertrudechicago.org

Bulletin for Sunday, April 19, 2026

Third Sunday of Easter

News From St. Gertrude

At this point in the Easter Season, the Catholic Church invites us to pause and reflect on how the joy of Easter has taken root in our lives. The initial celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ may feel more distant now, as ordinary routines return. Yet this midpoint is not a winding down—it is an invitation to go deeper, to recognize that Easter is not just a moment, but a way of living.

Halfway through the season, we are reminded that the Resurrection was never meant to be a one-day event. The risen Christ continued to appear to His disciples, strengthening them, teaching them, and preparing them for their mission. In the same way, we are called to remain attentive to how Christ is still present and active in our lives—often in quiet, unexpected ways.

This time also offers an opportunity for honest reflection. Have we held onto the hope and renewal we embraced at Easter, or have we slipped back into old habits of doubt or complacency? The Easter Season encourages us to renew our commitment—to choose again to live as people of the Resurrection through acts of love, mercy, and faith.

As we move toward the great feast of Pentecost, this midpoint becomes a moment of preparation. Just as the disciples were being readied to receive the Holy Spirit, we too are being formed for mission. The joy of Easter is meant to grow, not fade—calling us to become witnesses of hope, carrying the light of the risen Christ into the world around us.

Brewed at St. Gertrude Social Gathering Planned for This Sunday, April 19

Make plans to stay after the 10:30 am Mass on Sunday, April 19 for “Brewed at St. Gertrude,” our monthly gathering for coffee and community in the Social Hall. It’s a wonderful chance to slow down, connect, and enjoy some time together.

We’ll have a selection of pastries along with coffee, tea, and hot cocoa. Everyone is welcome—whether you’ve been part of the parish for years or are just getting to know the community, we’d love to have you join us!

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!

Care for Real Collection Next Weekend

St. Gertrude will host a collection drive for Care for Real on April 25-26. Our Care for Real collection takes place on the fourth weekend of each month, and our asylum seekers’ collection is held on the first weekend of each month.

SNAP is one of the most effective ways to address food insecurity in the United States. However, as eligibility requirements change, many of our neighbors—especially seniors and others without exemptions—are at risk of losing their benefits. New requirements to work or volunteer 80 hours per month and report this to the state can be difficult to meet, increasing the risk of food insecurity.

As a result, Care for Real anticipates a growing need for their services. For more information, including current needs and ways to give, please visit https://linktr.ee/cfrchicago or follow their Facebook and Instagram pages.

We are grateful for your continued generosity in supporting Care for Real as they provide food and essential supplies to neighbors in need.

Confirmation Information: Second Retreat is Thursday, April 30

There is a second Confirmation Retreat planned on Thursday, April 30 for students that made their Confirmation earlier this year. It will be in the Social Hall, 1401 West Granville Avenue, from 6:00-8:00 pm. 

Questions? Contact Eloy Escamilla at eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org.  

Teens Invited to Join St. Gertrude’s Youth Mission Experience: Deadline is May 23

Parish teens are invited to participate in St. Gertrude’s Youth Mission Experience, taking place June 22–26. Open to students entering seventh grade through high school, this weeklong experience offers teens the chance to serve alongside Chicagoland organizations while growing in faith, friendship, and community.

Participants will enjoy meaningful service, have fun together, and earn volunteer hours. The cost for the week is $125. Please note, the deadline to sign up is Saturday, May 23.

To reserve a spot or learn more, please contact Pastoral Associate Eloy Escamilla at eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org.

Growing in Faith

“Maybe Easter comes while we are on the road.”

What a kinship we have with Cleopas and his buddy. We too are trying to make sense out of awful events that we are witnessing.

They were a week from Palm Sunday. How could a triumph that must have filled them with optimism end up so brutally. Were they as puzzled and downcast as so many of us are by sad and unexpected times. Their conversation must have vacillated from muted whispers to wandering speculation.

Then their road companion upbraids them as foolish! Foolish? That’s kind of harsh. Was it foolish to be sad? Was it foolish to be confused? Cleopas knew the words of the prophets but prophecy can be notoriously unhelpful with the immediate circumstances. Cleopas reacted as most of us would – which I guess is the point. Perhaps being foolish is our default setting. When the road companion explained Moses and the prophets, Cleopas and his buddy seemed sort of caught on. They certainly weren’t so foolish that they let the companion go on and not drag him in to share a meal. But they still didn’t see him until they broke the bread.

They were slow of heart. Jesus was right about that. I aspire to be slow of heart. I am suspicious of prophecy. I try not to be quick to either anger or irrational exuberance. May we never become too slow of heart to share a meal with a road companion. Maybe Easter comes while we are on the road.

~ Mark Kollar

Easter Flower Offering Envelopes

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



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.

Learn about the Ignatian Mission Center’s Long-term Plans in Rogers Park: Meeting Thursday, April 23

Cardinal Blase Cupich recently approved the establishment of the Ignatian Mission Center Society, which sponsors the Ignatian Mission Center (IMC) Food Pantry at 1735 W. Greenleaf Ave. in Rogers Park. Our goal is to bring more social services and spiritual enrichment to Rogers Park and the Far North Side.

If you are Catholic and would like to learn more about our plans—including the expansion of the IMC Food Pantry and the development of devotional worship at St. Ignatius Church—please attend our first informational meeting about the Society.

When: April 23, 7:00–9:00 pm

Where: Loyola University Chicago, Flanner Hall, Room 133, 1068 W. Sheridan Road

Parking validation for the on-campus Loyola parking garage will be provided. All are welcome to learn more about our organization, and we especially invite Catholics interested in joining the Ignatian Mission Center Society.

For more information, visit ignatianmission.org or email missioncenter@ignatianmission.org.

Find a School That Fits Your Family at NCA: Open House This Saturday, April 18

At Northside Catholic Academy, we nurture students from PreK–8th grade to become kind, generous, and thoughtful individuals. Rooted in faith, we remind every child that they are a beloved child of God—while encouraging curiosity, questions, and a love of learning.

Join us for our Open House and experience our community firsthand.

RSVP for our next Open House on Saturday, April 18: https://forms.gle/ppXPHXykfKLdxvvx8

Curious About the ’Cats? Come Visit NCA on May 7!



Thinking about a school for your family for next year? Join us for coffee and conversation and enjoy a relaxed morning on May 7 where interested families can meet current parents, talk with school leadership, and learn what makes NCA such a special place.

Children are welcome! While parents connect and learn more about the school, students can enjoy a playdate and student-led tour with our NCA ambassadors.

Please RSVP on our website: https://www.northsidecatholic.org/admissions/meet-the-cats.cfm

Baptisms

• Elijah Hoang Jewell, son of John J. Jewell & Ngan Kim Nguyen

• Mateo Sebastian Robles, son of Pablo A. Robles & Danielle A. Pearse

Rest in Peace

• Anne-Marie St. Germaine, sister of Mary Piskorski, brother of John H. St. Germain II; 10:00 am Visitation; 11:00 am Funeral Mass at St. Gertrude
• Ed Kelly

Ministers of the Word

• Saturday, April 18 at 8:00 pm - Marty Waide, Joseph McMahon
• Sunday, April 19 at 8:00 am - Carol Ann Munro, Kathryn Stimac
• Sunday, April 19 at 10:30 am - Ellen Pierce, Rose Karasti

Eucharistic Ministers

• Saturday, April 18 at 8:00 pm - Tim Harrington
• Sunday, April 19 at 8:00 am - Mary Clare Barke
• Sunday, April 19 at 10:30 am - Maria Ugarte, Annie Hasselbeck, Stephen Hasselbeck

Altar Servers

• Saturday, April 18 at 8:00 pm - cross bearer: Wyatt Dant
• Sunday, April 19 at 10:30 am - cross bearer: Adaobi Okoli; acolytes: Angel Garcia, Mathios Paulos

Upcoming Mass Intentions

• Monday, April 20: 7:30 am - Communion Service
• Tuesday, April 21: 7:30 am - People of God
• Wednesday, April 22: 7:30 am - People of St. Gertrude
• Thursday, April 23: 7:30 am - Purgatorial Society
• Friday, April 24: 7:30 am - Antoinette G. Linke+
• Saturday, April 25: 5:00 pm - Hal Mann+
• Sunday, April 2: 8:00 am - Giving thanks to the Salinas Family; 10:30 am - Patricia Messbarger+; 10:30 am Gym Mass - For world peace

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.