St. Gertrude Chicago

All are Welcome

1420 W. Granville,

Chicago, IL 60660

773.764.3621

stgertrude1420@stgertrudechicago.org

www.stgertrudechicago.org

Bulletin for Sunday, January 26, 2025

The Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

From Fr. Mike Gabriel

I understand that this part of my column may not please everyone, but as a religious leader, I feel compelled to bring it up. My hope is to encourage reflection and help us all consider where we truly stand on important issues.

On Monday, during the Presidential Inauguration, I found myself deeply disappointed. I heard no message of unity, no call for people to reach out to one another in love and kindness. Instead, the entire platform centered on “America First,” which, to me, contradicts Jesus’ command to love God and our neighbors. It came across as a message of selfishness and greed.

How is it loving to target those seeking freedom and a better life for their children? My own grandparents immigrated from Austria and Ireland for those very reasons. Pope Francis has called mass deportations a disgrace. Cardinal Cupich has similarly stated, “This indiscriminate mass deportation would be an affront to the dignity of all people.”

How is it loving your neighbor to marginalize the transgender community by denying their identity and humanity?

How is it loving to threaten other countries with force to seize their resources for our benefit alone?

How is it loving your neighbor to use power to intimidate and pursue political opponents who disagree with you?

How is it loving God to withdraw from efforts that protect the environment and ensure a sustainable future for the next generations?

During the inauguration, I heard no praise of God, no respect for others. We, especially Christians, must remember that we are servants of God—not the state. We are called to speak boldly for justice, renew our commitment to God, and live out our faith with conviction and courage.

Now is the time to reclaim our faith by focusing on how we treat the marginalized and by proclaiming the gospel of love and justice.

Let us agree on this: we need to pray—and pray fervently—that we may truly live by the commandment, “Love God and love your neighbor as yourself.”

Follow-Up

Several months ago, we began the transition process of welcoming a new pastor. However, this transition involves much more than just one person—it represents a shift in the mission and direction of our parish.

As part of this process, we have been reflecting on who we are as the parish of St. Gertrude’s, what our mission is, and the role we play in our neighborhood and the broader world.

This transition also includes some very practical changes. The pastoral staff has been taking on increasing responsibilities, and they have been doing an excellent job. However, they cannot carry this weight alone—they need your help.

We need more volunteers to sustain the programs and ministries we currently offer and to continue moving forward, no matter who the pastor may be.

Here are a few immediate areas where your assistance is needed:

• Baptismal Preparation: We offer a monthly class for families having their babies baptized for the first time.
• Live Streaming: The 10:30 am Mass is live-streamed to bring the liturgy into the homes of those who cannot attend in person.
• Choir: The choir is looking for singers and musicians.
• Heart to Heart Ministry: This outreach program offers aid and support to older adults in need.
• Church Environment:/Decoration: A special thank-you to Eloy and the elves for their hard work in making the church look stunning at Christmas. As we now approach Lent and Easter, there is an even greater need for assistance.

Please consider getting involved in one of these ministries.

Friday Morning Men’s Prayer and Scripture Discussion Group

The Friday Morning Men's Prayer and Scripture discussion group will have in-person gatherings on Fridays in January and February.

They are at the St. Gertrude Ministry Center, 6214 N. Glenwood. We meet for social conversation at 7:45 am and begin prayer at 8:00 am. 

We read and share our insights into the Scripture readings for the coming Sunday. We want to better live the Gospel in our daily lives and we share what the readings mean to us, from our personal perspectives rather than a scholarly point of view. We finish with an “Our Father” at about 9:00 am. Some opt to linger longer as their schedule permits.

An option to meet via Zoom is also available. Here is the Zoom information for our weekly gathering:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84331230411?pwd=rnUN9lmPtxjVg6bdiQ5QnsbBlpcptc.1 

Meeting ID: 843 3123 0411; Passcode: pray

There are currently about 6-8 guys participating in a typical Friday morning gathering.  We hope several who are reading this will also find this to be appealing and give the group a try.  If you are interested and plan to come, it would be helpful – but not required – if you let Allen Stryczek know you are coming by sending him an email at astryczek@sbcglobal.net.  

Care for Real Collection is This Weekend

Our next collection drive for Care for Real is January 25-26. Care for Real is urgently seeking donations of diapers in sizes 2-6, baby wipes, juice boxes, thermal layers (all sizes) gently used coats (all sizes), hand warmers, lotions and hand soap, shampoo and body wash, adult incontinence under bed pads.

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.  

Reconciliation for First Communion Candidates is Monday, January 27

Please keep the young students of our parish in your prayers as they prepare for their First Reconciliation on Monday, January 27 at 6:30 pm in church.

Contact Eloy Escamilla, our Pastoral Associate for Religious Education and Youth Ministry, at eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org if you have questions.

Upcoming Trainings for Ministers of the Word (Lectors) and Altar Servers

Interested in being more involved in church? We are looking for Ministers of the Word to read at weekend masses. There will be a training on Thursday, January 30 at 6:30 pm in church.

Additionally, students are welcome to attend a training to become an altar server on Thursday, February 6 at 6:30 pm in church.

Questions? Please reach out to Eloy Escamilla after Sunday, January 26 at eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org.

Midwest Workers Super Bowl Tamale Benefit Deliveries on Sunday, February 9

On Sunday, February 9, Midwest Workers Association (MWA) volunteers will return to deliver tamales after the 8:00 am and 10:30 am masses for their annual Super Bowl Tamale Benefit. Saturday mass attendees are asked to pick up their orders on Sunday morning.  

The tamale benefit generates critical support for MWA’s Winter Survival Campaign, which includes door-to-door membership canvasses, utility bill advocacy to avert utility shutoffs and restore service, winter-watch phoning, and warm clothing distributions.

If you are interested in ordering tamales, please stop by their table at the main church 

entrance or call their office at (773) 285-0485. Supporters can place orders by the half 

dozen for chicken in green sauce, cheese and jalapeno (vegetarian), or black bean and cactus (vegan.) There is a suggested donation of $10 for a half dozen tamales or $20 for a dozen. 

Groups of volunteers are urgently needed to play a role in making tamales from February 3 through February 6, as well as participating in MWA’s membership canvasses and benefit advocacy sessions. Speak with an MWA volunteer next weekend about how you can play an ongoing role in MWA’s Winter Survival Campaign. 

You're Invited to An Evening of Romance

Save the date! St. Gertrude's Marriage Ministry is planning a special evening for couples on Saturday, February 8. The night will celebrate, renew, and strengthen your sacred commitment to your life partner. 

The night will start off at 5:00 pm mass, followed by cocktails, appetizers, dinner, and dancing from 6:00-10:00 pm. Dim lighting, romantic decorations, and great food will set the mood for an evening for you and your partner to reconnect and socialize with other couples in the Social Hall.

The cost is $125 per couple and includes dinner, beer, and wine. Tickets are available at https://bit.ly/NightofRomancetickets. Only 25 tickets are available. In order to prevent cancellation of event, we need at least 15 couples to purchase tickets. 

For more information, contact mgabriel@stgertrudechicago.org.

Help Wanted!

We are also looking for volunteers to help with bartending, serving, and dishwashing. Sign up at https://bit.ly/NightofRomanceVolunteers.

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. 

Timeline for New Pastor Placement/Prayer for a New Pastor

Here is an estimated timeline of the Pastor placement process:

• End of January: list of parishes looking for a new pastor will be released
• February/March: discernment for pastors takes place
• March/April: hopefully will have announcement of 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.

Refugee and Immigrant Ministry Update

You may recall that we supported a refugee family of four Venezuelans who came by way of Ecuador. I've received a wonderful update (shared below) from Refugee One that lets you know just how impactful you support can be. Refugee One is a spectacular partner with a wealth of services to ease the transition of these families!

Hard to believe, but it’s been nearly six months since the family of four we are sponsoring arrived in Chicago! Here are a few final updates as we conclude your financial co-sponsorship:

The father of the family is still working at the barber shop and doing well. If he ever has questions or concerns, he knows he can reach out to us for employment support for up to five years.

The mother passed her exam for our Level 1 English class in December with an impressive 97%! She has since advanced to our Level 2 class, which started earlier this month. She continues to stay home to care for their young son but is also interested in taking classes in our Sewing Studio soon. Her commitment to learning is evident, and we’re glad to see her in our office several days a week.

Their daughter is thriving in school, enjoying her time with peers, and making good progress in learning English. We’ll follow up on her specific academic progress at her next parent-teacher conference.

Lastly, we received wonderful news this week: the father’s cousin and his son will be joining them in Chicago next month! We’re thrilled that their family will soon be reunited. 😊

The resettlement process is never seamless, but this family has been proactive and dedicated since their arrival. We’re deeply grateful for your financial support and prayers for this family—your generosity has provided them with stability during their first few months here.

Thank you again for helping to make Chicago a more welcoming place by supporting this family. We look forward to continuing our partnership in this important work of welcome.

Additionally, if you are curious about joining the team, please reach out to Denise at dmg321@comcast.net.

Thank you for all you do, for your prayers and support.

On behalf of the Ministry,

~ Denise Goodman

Student Essay Contest Winner Jose Ramirez

Recently, students preparing for Confirmation were asked to take part in an essay contest about the importance of forgiving others

Jose Ramirez is one of our two winners. His thoughtful submission can be read below.

According to Google, forgiveness is "the action or process of forgiving or being forgiven." I certainly agree with Google's words. Now Google just gives us the tip of the iceberg about forgiveness. Forgiveness to me is a collection of emotions whether good or bad and all those emotions are taken out in the form of forgiving.

Many times in my life people have hurt me. Both physically and mentally. For example, once in the 2nd grade, I was in P.E. playing soccer while others were playing catch with a football. While playing soccer I got struck with the football by the boys that were playing catch. The boy who threw the ball came up to me and he said "Are you okay?" I said yes and then he said " I'm so sorry I didn't mean to." The next words that came out of my mouth were "It's okay, I forgive you."

Now when I said those words it was much more than just saying it's okay. I was taking the emotions I had felt when I got hit and It was taking those emotions and turning them into something positive taking the situation from just strangers to having a special bond that could have never been made. Now if at that moment when the boy had said he was sorry and I would have said that I don't accept his apology things would have been very different.

Now the main reason I use this example is because in this situation I met my best friend of 6 years. After the situation, I talked to him more and we learned we had a lot in common. See if I had held a grudge like others sometimes do I would have never become best friends with him, I would have never gone to the waterpark with him, and none of the memories with him would have happened if I said "No I don't forgive you." But for forgiving him good things came out of it. So now that's the reason I want people to hear. When you don't forgive someone it's not just holding a grudge it's closing a door. Closing a door full of possible memories and opportunities and great things to come.

Let's take for example a made-up story. let's say a teenager named Jacob, He had a lifelong friend since elementary named Cesar, He goes to high school with Cesar and they both like a girl, Now Jacob told Cesar about how he likes her but Cesar never told Jacob. Cesar dates the girl they both like behind Jacob's back. Cesar then breaks the news to Jacob and he can't believe it he tells Cesar he never wants to talk to him again. Cesar begs for forgiveness but Jacob doesn't care.

Fast forward 10 years Jacob starts his own bakery. His bakery isn't doing very well. The pastries are delicious but he doesn't have the proper advertising he asks around for advertisers and finds out about one of the best in the country with low prices. He then contacts him, but to his surprise, it's his old friend who he never wanted to forgive. Now Jacob feels stuck, he doesn't want his business to fail but he doesn't want to talk to Cesar after what he did. He prefers to pay much more money for an advertiser with not the best work than to forgive his friend.

See I use this story to help you understand the extent people go and the grudges they hold do not always work. To sum up, everything I've stated so far nothing bad will happen out of forgiving someone even if you do not want to continue a relationship at least end things on good terms because you never know when it's gonna be your last time talking to them.

Join Our Choir!

Happy 2025! As the new year begins, are you looking for other ways to contribute to the Mass that you know and love? Consider joining the choir to help us further make a joyful sound!

Rehearsals are on Wednesdays at 7:00 pm. All voices are welcome. If you have any questions or want to learn more, please email me at jhannau@stgertrudechicago.org.

Growing in Faith

In the gospel reading for this weekend, Jesus is a young man who has just started preaching, and he returns to his hometown of Nazareth and stands up in the

synagogue and opens the scroll of the prophet Isaiah and reads:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has anointed me

to bring glad tidings to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives

and recovery of sight to the blind,

to let the oppressed go free,

and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.

For Jesus, this is the mission statement of his ministry. This is his message to those who hear his preaching and witness the way he lives. It does not say anything about gaining power or crushing enemies or stacking up riches.

For Jesus, his job is to bring glad tidings to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free and to proclaim a year

acceptable to the Lord. Jesus has come for the poor, for captives, for the blind, for the oppressed. That’s what’s acceptable to God.

Then, Jesus tells the synagogue: "Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing." His job is to fulfill that passage — to care for the poor, the oppressed and

the people on the margins. That’s his job. And ours, too.

~ Patrick T. Reardon

Catechist Needed

Our Confirmation catechist recently needed to step down to address health issues. We are now in urgent need of a new Confirmation teacher.

If you can help, please contact Eloy Escamilla at eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org.

Ignatian Spirituality Project: Join Us for Chicago's Winter Walk on February 9

Mark your calendars for Chicago's inaugural Winter Walk on Sunday, February 9th at 10:00 am! 

Winter Walk is a community event to raise awareness and challenge stigma about homelessness in our city. The day includes a 2-mile walk around Humboldt Park, speakers sharing lived experiences of homelessness, refreshments (plenty of hot cocoa and coffee), and fellowship! 

One of our partner organizations, the Ignatian Spirituality Project (ISP), is a partnering organization for the walk, along with Franciscan Outreach, The Boulevard, and Chicago Help Initiative. All funds raised from the walk go directly back to these organizations. If you register to walk with ISP, all funds go directly to ISP! 

Check out the postcards at the back of the church for more information. Visit https://secure.qgiv.com/event/winterwalk2025-chicago/ to register! 

Ways you can help: 

1. Join us at the walk! Let's come together as a team for a morning together and to support the cause! 

2. Invite friends, family, and members of your community group to walk with you! If they can't walk, invite them to support ISP walkers and donate! ISP's goal is to bring 100 people to walk with us. They can't do it without you! 

Upcoming Mass Intentions

• Monday, January 27: 7:30 am - Cheryl Stanton+
• Tuesday, January 28: 7:30 am - Living and deceased parents of St. Gertrude parishioners
• Wednesday, January 29: 7:30 am -  Sr. Mary Lionel O.P.
• Thursday, January 30: 7:30 am - Communion Service
• Friday, January 31: 7:30 am - Purgatorial Society
• Saturday, February 1: 7:30 am - Valerie Patterson+; 5:00 pm - Rev. Thomas Lamping
• Sunday, February 2: 8:00 am - Rev. Steven Kanonick; 10:30 am - Marie Kawula+; 10:30 am Gym - Estelle Ann Guardino+

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.