St. Gertrude Chicago

All are Welcome

1420 W. Granville,

Chicago, IL 60660

773.764.3621

stgertrude1420@stgertrudechicago.org

www.stgertrudechicago.org

Bulletin for Sunday, June 14, 2026

11th Sunday in Ordinary Time

A Letter from Cardinal Cupich: This Weekend: Second Collection for Priests’ Health and Retirement

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

When Catholics come together and reminisce about the past, inevitably they recall the priests of their parishes. They may recall father’s foibles and the funny moments they shared with their priests, but they also remember the priests whose ministry marked many holy moments — baptisms, Holy Communion, marriage preparation, visits to the sick and dying, comforting grieving families, and celebrating new beginnings. Priests have been there for all of us. And that summons us to gratitude.

Now, we have an opportunity to express our gratitude to these priests who number 

365 active and 251 retired with the gift of our support for their health and retirement needs. This weekend, we will take up a second collection for the Priests’ Health and Retirement. Your contribution will support their health care, nursing care and retirement. Those who will benefit from your generosity to this collection are our Chicago priests of the archdiocese. As you may recall, a different collection for men and women belonging to religious orders (including their priests, brothers and sisters) was taken up several months ago.

Please join me in making a generous contribution to this weekend’s second collection. 

You may also want to consider naming the Priests’ Health and Retirement as a beneficiary in your will, something that I have done.

Above all, raise a prayer to God in thanksgiving for the archdiocesan priests he has given 

us and raise a prayer of petition for them, so that they can continue to serve God’s people with the heart of Christ, the Good Shepherd.

 Sincerely yours in Christ, 

Cardinal Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago

From Fr. Sergio: Campus Updates

Soon, there will be some modifications to our campus. The wooden fence by the rectory, which is in poor condition, will be replaced, and a new gate to the side yard will be installed. Additionally, the chain-link fence and gate leading to the alley behind the rectory will be reconfigured so that the gate can be locked while preserving access for the collection of garbage and recyclables. Finally, a new wrought iron gate between the back of the Ministry Center and the church will also be installed. All of these modifications are being made for two reasons: safety and privacy.

The areas beside the rectory and behind the church experience a lot of foot traffic, with people taking shortcuts between Glenwood Ave., Granville Ave., and the alley that services Granville Ave. and Thome Ave. These areas behind the church and rectory are dark, and there are many places where someone can hide as people walk through. Before someone takes advantage of these vulnerable areas to hurt someone, they need to be secured.

The second reason for these changes, especially regarding the side yard by the rectory, is privacy. In the 23 years before coming to St. Gertrude, I had the benefit of enjoying some private outdoor space. These spaces have been places for me to garden, relax, cook dinner on the grill, meditate, prepare homilies, or simply enjoy a day off. More importantly, they have been essential to my mental health. Since coming to St. Gertrude, I have missed those spaces, as I presently do not have an equivalent here. In the past year, I have engaged in all of the outdoor activities I described, but without the privacy, they have not had the same beneficial effect. Imagine your neighbors—some whom you may know and some whom you may not—cutting through your yard every time you prepared dinner on the grill or took a nap in the backyard, and you might get a sense of what I’m talking about.

Priests live very public lives, where it often feels like they are always on call and living life in a fishbowl. For some priests, they would not have it any other way. Others, like me, need some space to recharge their batteries so that they can continue being front and center despite their natural inclination to do the opposite. In the end, every priest, regardless of whether they are an introvert or an extrovert, needs to be their own advocate for their health and well-being. It is in that spirit that these changes are being made: for my health and well-being, as well as for everyone else who uses our campus. Thank you for your understanding.

~ Fr. Sergio

This Sunday: An Afternoon of Music featuring Piano and Saxophone

Mark your calendars! On June 14 at 1:00 pm, shortly after the 10:30 am Mass, our Music Director, Jonathan Hannau, will present a concert of music for piano and saxophone alongside his longtime collaborator and friend, Richard Brasseale.

The program will feature original compositions by both Jonathan and Richard, a piece by legendary Chicago-based composer George Flynn, and a dazzling, virtuosic sonata by Japanese composer Takashi Yoshimatsu.

The concert is free, though donations to the artists are welcome! 

A Note About Weekday Masses June 15-18, 2026



Priests serving in the Archdiocese of Chicago will gather for their biennial convocation from June 15 through June 18. This gathering is an important and necessary time of spiritual renewal for the priests, so they can better serve the People of God.

Cardinal Cupich has asked all priests to clear their schedules, so that they can fully participate in this experience. Consequently, during these four days, there will not be weekday Masses at St Gertrude Parish. However, as is customary on Mondays at our parish, there will be a Communion service on each of those days. In cases of a pastoral emergency, parishioners can contact our parish staff who will make whatever referral is appropriate.



The people of the Archdiocese can support all the priests of the Archdiocese of Chicago in several ways. Their patient understanding of scheduling changes is very important. Even more important is the prayerful support they extend to priests who have prayed for them and with them.

As the priests gather for their convocation know that they bring you and your families in their hearts to this important time of prayer and reflection.  

Join our Weekly Wednesday Contemplative Prayer Group

Would you like to deepen your prayer life? Do you already have a regular prayer practice but would like to pray and reflect on spiritual readings and scripture in a group? A new contemplative prayer group at St. Gertrude has been formed!

Contemplative prayer is silent prayer that opens up us up to awareness of God’s presence by stilling our bodies and our minds. If you haven’t prayed contemplatively before (Centering Prayer, Christian meditation, etc.), we will offer guidance.

We’ll meet weekly each Wednesday at 9:00 am in the chapel of the Ministry Center. Come as you are and as you are able.

For more information, contact Karen Spear at kspear@marian.edu.

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 Masses/Communion services. Please consider joining us in church—we would love to have you!

The Office is Closed on Friday, June 19 in Honor of Juneteenth

Juneteenth is a federal holiday in the United States, commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans and is also often observed for celebrating African-American culture. Originating in Galveston, Texas, it has been celebrated annually on June 19 in various parts of the United States since 1865. The rectory office will be closed.

Mass will be held at 7:30 am.

Gym Mass Update

Please note that next weekend is Father’s Day! It is also the final Gym Mass of the school year. 

All are welcome to join this 10:30 am Mass, held in the Gym at 1401 W. Granville. 

Second Collection for Peter's Pence

On June 27-28, we will take up the Peter’s Pence Collection to support the Universal Church and the work of the Holy See, including the charitable works of Pope Leo XIV. These works benefit our brothers and sisters on the margins of society, including victims of war, oppression, and disasters. Be a sign of hope with your generosity!

For more information, visit www.obolodisanpietro.va/en.html.

Next Care for Real Collection

St. Gertrude will hold its next collection for Care for Real on June 27-28. As a reminder, donations for Care for Real are collected on the first and fourth weekends of each month.

As changes to SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) eligibility requirements take effect, many individuals and families may face new challenges accessing food assistance. Seniors and others who do not qualify for exemptions could be especially affected. Requirements to work or volunteer 80 hours per month and regularly report those hours may create additional barriers, increasing the risk of food insecurity for some of our neighbors.

In response, Care for Real expects demand for its services to grow in the coming months. Donations of food, household essentials, and personal care items will help ensure that neighbors in need continue to receive support.

To learn more about Care for Real's current needs and ways to contribute, please visit https://linktr.ee/cfrchicago or follow Care for Real on Facebook and Instagram.

Thank you for your continued generosity and compassion. Your support helps Care for Real provide food and essential supplies to individuals and families throughout our community.

Growing in Faith

My middle school students picked up pretty quickly that I dislike sheep—or at least the sheep most prevalent in Scripture: dumb and desperate. Years ago, a smirking student gifted me a picture of a row of sheep dutifully following each other off the edge of a cliff. I helpfully added the caption, “Don’t Be This Sheep!” and circled the sheep that had already jumped. It’s still on my podium.

What the sheep lack is authority. They require a strong hand—or perhaps the business end of a shepherd’s crook—to keep them in line. Jesus pities the crowd because they don’t have it. But it’s that same authority—and trust—that Jesus passes on to his twelve best pupils. By this point, the Twelve have already put their trust in Jesus; otherwise, they wouldn’t have left everything to follow him. Here, though, Jesus puts his trust in them. He sends them out—and sends them into some pretty hairy situations, exorcisms being one of them.

My eighth graders graduated on May 29. I wonder if they will be ready for high school.

Graduation is a trust moment. You’ve done everything you could (hopefully) for your students, and as a teacher, you have to trust them to carry the rest, using the knowledge, wisdom, and faith you’ve handed on to them. If we teachers do our jobs right, just maybe, graduation by graduation, the Kingdom of God gets a little closer.

~ James Cahill

ECRA’s Juneteenth Service Planned for This Friday, June 19

The Edgewater Community Religious Association (ECRA) invites you to a powerful interfaith Juneteenth service, “Recognize the Past, Name the Present.”

Join us for an evening of reflection,  remembrance, and celebration at 7:00 pm on Friday, June 19, at the Sacred Heart Schools Chapel, 6250 N. Sheridan Road. The one-hour service will be followed by a celebratory reception.

State Senator Mike Simmons will deliver the keynote address, and Circles & Ciphers will perform.

This is more than a service—it is a call to community and a celebration of resilience.

Transportation

CTA buses 151 and 147 stop directly in front of the Sacred Heart Schools campus at 6250 N. Sheridan Road. The chapel is also located just three blocks east of the CTA Granville Red Line station.

Parking

Two free parking lots will be available for this event. The larger lot is located at the southeast corner of Granville and Kenmore; please enter through the alley. The second lot, located just north of the apartment building at 6211 N. Kenmore, can be accessed from either Kenmore Avenue or the alley.

ECRA is an interfaith organization made up of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish congregations, primarily in the Edgewater neighborhood. In the 1970s, leaders from ECRA congregations, including St. Gertrude parish, helped establish Care for Real, Edgewater’s community food pantry.

You do not need to live in Edgewater to participate in this joyful celebration.

All are welcome!

New Parishioners



• Lorna Theis
• Thomas and Lisa Gillis

Ministers of the Word

• Saturday, June 13 at 5:00 pm - Martin Waide, Patrick Reardon
• Sunday, June 14 at 8:00 am - Kathryn Stimac, Carol Ann Munro
• Sunday, June 14 at 10:30 am - Patrick Robinson, Theo Fletcher

Eucharistic Ministers

• Saturday, June 13 at 5:00 pm - Kathy Wall
• Sunday, June 14 at 8:00 am - Mary Clare Barker
• Sunday, June 14 at 10:30 am - Michael Kowalsky, Annie Hasselbeck, Stephen Hasselbeck

Altar Servers

• Sunday, June 14 at 10:30 am - cross bearer: Mathios Paulus; acolytes: Diarmuid McKeon, Angel Garcia

Upcoming Mass Intentions


• Monday, June 8: 7:30 am - Communion Service
• Tuesday, June 9: 7:30 am - Lillian McCall+
• Wednesday, June 10: 7:30 am - Art Jacobsen+
• Thursday, June 11: 7:30 am - Glenn & Mary Jo Martin+
• Friday, June 12: 7:30 am - Edward Kelly+
• Saturday, June 13: 5:00 pm - Patricia Meade+
• Sunday, June 14: 8:00 am; 10:30 am - Edward Kelly+; Gym mass - Mary Greene+

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.