Bulletin for Sunday, August 7
19th Sunday in Ordinary Time
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The Rectory office will temporarily close at 4:30 pm on weekdays. Weekend office hours may be limited. | |
From Fr. Rich
With this edition, we are now back on our regular weekly schedule for the e-bulletin/newsletter.
19th Sunday in Ordinary Time
In 1982, the Jesuit scripture scholar, John L. McKenzie, S.J., published The Two Edged Sword. It is a brilliant study on the Hebrew scriptures, what we refer to as the Old Testament. As the title of the book makes clear, the scriptures are always going to “cut both ways.”
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In today’s Gospel passage, we listen to a somewhat disturbing self-description of the mission of Jesus from St. Luke’s Gospel. While the end results may steer us all to peace in God’s Kingdom, before we get there the Word of God, living and active in our world, will be the catalyst for division and divisiveness. The very powerful language Jesus uses should frighten us. He has come to “set the earth on fire” and he is in anguish until this happens. He then goes on to describe that he is not bringing peace, but division. Members of households will be divided among themselves!
Jesus’ purpose is not to rip families apart. Rather, he was stating the obvious results when some people respond positively to the Word of God in their lives, and others reject it. When we listen to God’s Word and let it into our lives, our lives are changed. Thus, the two-edged sword.
How am I a viable witness to God’s Word in my everyday life? Without trying to cause division, is it clear I am not willing to accept some things just because “everyone else is doing them”? Or have I found a closer relationship with the Lord and struggle to follow him wherever He leads me?
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Hidden Mercy - First of Three Summer Book Discussions Planned for This Sunday, August 7
Everyone is invited to join in a Summer Book Read. We will be reading Michael O'Loughlin’s, Hidden Mercy: AIDS, Catholics and the Untold Stories of Compassion in the Face of Fear.
The book discussion group will meet on three Sunday afternoons: August 7, August 21, and September 4. We will gather in the Ministry Center at 12:00 pm. Each meeting will last about 90 minutes and we will use a discussion guide provided by the publisher.
Then, St. Gertrude parish will jointly host a one-time event with The Hank Center for the Catholic Intellectual Heritage at Loyola University for an evening with the author in the fall. That will be held on Thursday, November 17 at Loyola. We are still working on the time.
If you are interested in joining this book group, we have a limited number of copies of the book - which lists for $28.99 - available for $20.00! (First- come, first-served!)
Books can be purchased at the Rectory office. If you are paying by check, please make out the check to St. Gertrude Parish. The book is also available on Amazon and at area book stores.
Click to read a synopsis of the book
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Catechists Needed to Teach Religious Education This School Year
We are looking for catechists to teach in our parish’s Religious Ed program this Fall! Catechists are usually not professional teachers, just willing parents and parishioners who enjoy kids and want to help them grow in a personal relationship with God, participate in the sacraments, and develop a mature conscience, and integrate faith in all areas of their lives.
Please consider offering your time and talents to help our young people learn about and grow in their faith.
Questions? Reach out to Eloy Escamilla, Pastoral Associate, at eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org or call 773.764.3621.
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Growing in Faith
Blessed be the people the Lord has chosen to be his own…
May Your kindness be upon us who have put our hope in You…
You choose us all yet do we know we are chosen? Do we know we are all co-created by You and our earthly parents? We all have a common parent in You.
What does it mean to put our hope in You? That really becomes our primary life challenge and goal…to know that You are with us, that You love us. All we have to do is trust and believe and bask in Your presence. And yet that can be such a struggle.
I have the opportunity to bring communion to parishioners who are unable to attend Mass in person. Every time I do so, and we gather in Your presence. You are there. The faith of the people I visit is an inspiration to me. They truly place their hope in You. When we pause before the Eucharist and offer prayers of petition, the sincerity of heart, the concern for others, and the bountiful faith in You, O Creator, is beyond what I can put into words. It is lived faith. It truly is “the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.”
The One who has made the promise truly is trustworthy. And the ones I see before me, gathered around You in the Eucharist have had twists and turns and challenges in their lives that they never wanted or expected and yet their treasure is in You and in Your kingdom right here on earth and the kingdom to come in heaven.
~ Nancy Kuhn
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Youth Group Outing to Waterpark Planned - RSVP This Week
Join the St. Gertrude Youth Group for food, friends, fun, and faith! Teens in 7th grade and older are invited to Raging Waves Water Park on Saturday, August 20.
Tickets are $35 and payment will be required in
advance.
For more information and to register, contact Eloy Escamilla at eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org by August 10.
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Parish Potluck Planned for Sunday, September 11
The St. Gertrude Parish Council invites you to join us for a potluck picnic on Sunday, September 11! We will gather at 11:30 am after Mass in the parish parking lot. The parish will provide fried chicken, but bring your own chair, beverage, and your favorite dish to share. Enjoy an afternoon of music, friends, and fun!
Please RSVP to https://bit.ly/ParishPotluck and sign up for a dish to bring.
Are you interested in participating in this gathering, but can't attend an in person event at this time? Please RSVP and in the comments write "CAN'T ATTEND IN PERSON" with your phone number. We will reach out to you about a virtual option.
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Golden Wedding Anniversary Mass – September 18
Couples celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary from across the Archdiocese of Chicago are invited to gather together for the Golden Wedding Anniversary Mass that will be celebrated by Cardinal Cupich on Sunday, September 18 at 2:30 pm. The Mass will be held at Holy Name Cathedral.
Click here for information & to register
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New Parish Email Marketing Platform - Join our Mailing List
Beginning this week, the parish e-blast platform switched from MailChimp to Constant Contact.
To join our email communications list (or if you unsubscribed in the past, and now wish to receive emails), text STGERTS to 22828. You'll be prompted to enter your email address and will receive our e-reflections and e-bulletins. Additionally, if you prefer to just receive the weekly bulletin, typically emailed on Thursday afternoons, send an email to news@stgertrudechicago.org and your email will be manually added to a separate, e-bulletin-only list.
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Upcoming Pastoral Parish Council (PPC) Meeting/Info about PPC Members
The next PPC meeting will be held on Thursday, August 25. Meetings are held in the Ministry Center from 7:00 pm-8:30 pm and are open to parishioners.
Below are some information about two members of the PPC, Timothy Lacy and Jen Reyes.
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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.
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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.
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Interested in Becoming Catholic? | |
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.
Many people who begin RCIA are non-Catholics seeking to become Catholic or at least to explore whether Catholicism might be a good home. Those who complete the process and decide to become Catholic are initiated into the Church at the Easter Vigil Mass on Holy Saturday. Others who take RCIA are already Catholic but want a deeper understanding of their faith foundation.
The RCIA process does not ask those who have been baptized in another faith to give up their denominational experiences. Rather, the RCIA process seeks to add new colors and designs to their existing faith life tapestry. In addition to attending Mass, the RCIA process includes weekly gatherings of breaking open the Word of God, sharing our stories, and learning about our faith traditions.
If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about the RCIA process at St. Gertrude, contact me at eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org or call the Rectory at 773.764.3621. The RCIA meeting schedule is available here: https://bit.ly/RCIACalendar.
~ Eloy Escamilla, Pastoral Associate
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Help for Ukraine
If you would like to donate to help the Ukrainian people, please consider donating to Catholic Relief Services for emergency aid to the people in Ukraine.
Click here to donate to CRS
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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.
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Spots to Enroll Students at Northside Catholic Academy are Still Available
Northside Catholic Academy returns to school on Tuesday, August 23. We are still accepting applications for the 2022-2023 school year. Schedule a tour and learn more about how NCA educates and nurtures our students intellectually, socially, physically, and spiritually.
Contact Jacob Utz at jutz@ncaschools.com or call 773-743-6277.
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Schedule for Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Cantors, and Musicians | |
Ministers of the Word
Saturday, August 6 at 5:00 pm - Susan McKean
Sunday, August 7 at 8:00 am - Marty McDermott
Sunday, August 7 at 10:30 am - Robert Backis
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Eucharistic Ministers
Saturday, August 6 at 5:00 pm - Mary E. Cook
Sunday, August 7 at 8:00 am - Kathryn Stimac
Sunday, August 7 at 10:30 am - Steve Monti, Victoria Healy, Debra Novak
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Cantors & Musicians
Saturday, August 6 at 5:00 pm - TBA
Sunday, August 7 at 8:00 am - TBA
Sunday, August 7 at 10:30 am - TBA
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Wanted: Ushers, Greeters, Eucharistic Ministers, and Ministers of the Word
We are in need of additional volunteers to assist at Masses, including ushers, greeters, Eucharistic ministers, and ministers of the word. If you are interested, please email Eloy Escamilla, Pastoral Associate, at eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org.
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Rest in Peace
- Diane Gulczynski
- Daniel Kuhn
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Baptisms
- Ida Elsa Ali, child of Mohammad & Meredith Ali
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Leave Your Legacy Through a Bequest
We Love because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
Every day, we have the opportunity to be the face of Jesus to others. Please consider making a gift from your individual retirement plan (IRA) that benefits you and our parish.
A QCD gift (a.k.a. IRA charitable rollover) allows individuals age 70½ or older to authorize their IRA administrator to make a direct transfer of funds from their IRA to qualified charities, tax-free. This way of giving does not generate taxable income, which may lower your annual income level. If you are age 72 or older, the amount you transfer may count towards your required minimum distribution.
For more information, please contact Eduardo Soto at esoto@stgertrudechicago.org or visit https://myimpact.archchicago.org.
If you have any questions, contact Karen Whitehead, Archdiocese of Chicago at 312.534.7461 or kwhitehead@archchicago.org.
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Ways to Help Our Parish: Amazon Smile, Text to Give, GiveCentral, PayPal, and Amazon Smile
Visit smile.amazon.com and select St. Gertrude Parish as your charity of choice. From then on, connect to Amazon through smile.amazon.com and St. Gertrude will automatically benefit as your charity of choice.
We have set up a "Text to Give" option through GiveCentral. Parishioners are welcome to text the word Donate to 1.773.741.9505 to make a donation via phone.
To access our PayPal link, please visit our parish website and donate from there. GiveCentral offers parishioners the option of one-time gifts or weekly contributions.
For more information on text to give or to sign up for online giving, please email Eduardo Soto at esoto@stgertrudechicago.org.
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Monday, August 8: 7:30 am - Living and deceased Torreano family members
Tuesday, August 9: 7:30 am - Arturo Nisperos +
Wednesday, August 10: 7:30 am - Purgatorial Society
Thursday, August 11: 7:30 am - Communion Service
Friday, August 12: 7:30 am - Living and deceased parents of St. Gertrude parishioners
Saturday, August 13: 7:30 am - Living and deceased Torreano family members; 5:00 pm - Dr. Calixto Maso +
Sunday, August 14: 8:00 am - Nancy Donnelly +; 10:30 am - Jack Degnan and Kevin Corbett +
(+ indicates the person is deceased)
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Click HERE for the daily readings for Masses. Here is the list of readings for this for parishioners that prefer to look them up:
Monday, August 8: Ez 1:2-5, 24-28c/Mt 17:22-27
Tuesday, August 9: Ez 2:8—3:4/Mt 18:1-5, 10, 12-14
Wednesday, August 10: 2 Cor 9:6-10/Jn 12:24-26
Thursday, August 11: Ez 12:1-12/Mt 18:21—19:1
Friday, August 12: Ez 16:1-15, 60, 63 or 16:59-63/Mt 19:3-12
Saturday, August 13: Ez 18:1-10, 13b, 30-32/Mt 19:13-15
Sunday, August 14: Jer 38:4-6, 8-10/Heb 12:1-4/Lk 12:49-53
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Please Pray for our Parishioners and Friends | |
- Pamela Sherrod Anderso
- Tomas Bissonnette
- Zara Bradley
- Sharon Brown
- Lilly Buie
- Maggie Callaway
- Aida Calvopina
- KC Conway
- Connie Cool
- Caloy Desembrana
- Ann Collins Dole
- Christine Frisoni
- Shirley Marie Gonzales
- Gina Heidkamp
- Maria Hertl
- Daniel Hidalgo
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- Bernice Kiedysz
- Marilyn Klein
- Roy Lipscomb
- Sheila McGuire
- Dean Mattoni
- Larry McCauley
- Molly Morris
- Karey Myers
- Richard Seitz
- Peggy Stoffel
- The Sullivan family
- Elinora E. Tolentino
- Manuel & Norma Viray
- Leon Ward
- Ken & Vyes Yoza
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