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 2, 2024

Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi)

From Fr. Mike Gabriel

“Corpus Christi, the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ.” That is what we celebrate this weekend. The Church gives us this feast to reflect once more on something that we do every weekend of the year, on feasts and holy days, as well as many ordinary weekdays. We get a chance to stop and ask, "Why do we do this over and over and over?"

As sacrament, the Eucharist remains a privileged moment of encounter with God. Eucharist offers us what we speak of as a “real presence” amongst all the other significant and powerful ways in which God is present to us. Under forms of bread and wine, transformed by the saving power of the Holy Spirit, we receive the very Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. That is, I think, something worth doing more than once. However, I want to highlight another transformation that is also essential to the saving effects of the sacrament.

Several years ago, I read a book by Fr. Ron Rolheiser, OMI, titled, Our One Great Act of Fidelity. He writes this:

“Properly understood, the Eucharist, as a ritual, gives us another kind of “real presence.” It makes present for us the reality of Christ’s dying as well as God’s response to that, the Resurrection, and invites us to participate in that event. . . . But how can we participate in an event now long past in history? When we ritually recount and reenact the story of Jesus’ sacrifice (in the Eucharistic prayer, the very heart of liturgy) we experience the ‘real presence’ of the event of Christ’s dying and rising. Moreover, that reality is given to us so that we might participate in it. How? We participate in Jesus’ sacrifice for us when we, like him, let ourselves be broken down, when we, like him, become selfless. The Eucharist, as sacrifice, invites us to become like the kernels of wheat that make up the bread and the clusters of grapes that make up the wine, broken down and crushed so that we can become part of communal loaf and single cup.

When St. Augustine was giving the Eucharist to a communicant, instead of saying, 'The body of Christ,' he would say: 'Receive what you are.' That puts things correctly. What is supposed to happen at the Eucharist is that we, the congregation, by sacrificing the things that divide us, should become the body and blood of Christ. More so than the bread and wine, we, the people, are meant to be changed, to be transubstantiated. 

The Eucharist, as sacrifice, asks us to become the bread of brokenness and the chalice of vulnerability.” The Eucharist should probably come with a warning sign: 'Caution: You may be changed!'"

Thank You, Fr. Pius!

Fr. Pius, who has been a student as Loyola, will leave on June 7th for his new assignment in the Diocese of Springfield. We wish him best of luck and thank him. His presence has blessed us in so many ways!

Upcoming Second Collection

Next weekend, there will be a second collection for Priests' Health and Retirement. This second collection directly impacts the 411 active priests and 253 retired. Please be as generous as possible.

Thank You!

Special thank you to the choir for leading us this past year in song and prayer. This has been a very difficult year for them, and they are greatly appreciated. They have consistently been there for rehearsals and masses, and we are grateful for their talents.

Special thanks to Mary Horan who has been leading the choir at the 10:30 am mass in church, Mary Clare Barker for managing the 8:00 am masses, and Brian Boyle for his work at the 5:00 pm Saturday masses. They have been generously filling in until we find a new music director.  

Friday, May 31

• 7:00 pm - Guadalupanos Rosary Group (Grupo del Rosario de Guadalupanos) in the Ministry Center

Saturday, June 1

• Teens of the parish will sell hot dogs and pop at the Edgewater Yard and Sidewalk Sale
• Care for Real collection for asylum seekers

Sunday, June 2

• Combined mass in church; No Gym mass
• Care for Real collection for asylum seekers

Friday, June 7

• 7:00 pm - Guadalupanos Rosary Group (Grupo del Rosario de Guadalupanos) in the Ministry Center

Saturday, June 8

• Deadline to register for our Youth Mission Experience
• Second collection at Masses for Priests’ Health & Retirement

Sunday, June 9

• Second collection at Masses for Priests’ Health & Retirement

Monday, June 10

• Book club in the Ministry Center

Tuesday, June 11

• CLG Workers Forum: The Dignity of Labor and Connecting with Catholic Social Teaching 

Thursday, June 13

• 11:30 am - Women's Friendship Club in the Ministry Center

Friday, June 14

• 7:00 pm - Guadalupanos Rosary Group (Grupo del Rosario de Guadalupanos) in the Ministry Center

Sunday, June 16

• Father's Day
• Last Gym Mass until September

Monday, June 17

• Wildcat Summer Camp begins

Wednesday, June 19

• Juneteenth
• Rectory office closed

Friday, June 28

• 6:00 pm ~ Deanery procession and devotions at Holy Child Jesus Parish (formerly Saint Margaret Mary Church), 2324 W. Chase
• 7:00 pm - Guadalupanos Rosary Group (Grupo del Rosario de Guadalupanos) in the Ministry Center

Saturday, June 29

• 5:00-7:30 pm Vicariate celebration at Queen of All Saints Basilica, 6280 N. Sauganash

Monday, July 10

• Youth group Mission Experience starts

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 N. Glenwood Avenue.

Collection for Asylum Seekers This Weekend

This weekend, June 1 and June 2, we will collect food and supplies for our neighbors seeking asylum. 

Items needed for migrants include: 

• Protein bars
• Ramen or other instant noodles 
• Snack size chips and crackers
• Juice boxes
• Fruit cups
• Menstrual pads *most urgent
• New underwear (all genders and sizes) *most urgent
• Shampoo/conditioner
• Body wipes
• Bar soap

Thank you for your help!

Going to the Edgewater Yard and Sidewalk Sale? Visit our Youth Group's Hot Dog Stand!

The Edgewater Yard and Sidewalk Sale is Saturday, June 1 from 9:00 am-5:00 pm. Our parish youth group will sell pop and hot dogs to attendees in the parish parking lot from 10:00 am-2:00 pm.

Funds raised will go towards youth group activities. Please come out and support our parish teens! 

Deadline for our Summertime Teen Mission Experience is June 8

The deadline for this summer's Mission Experience is fast approaching! Registration is due by Saturday, June 8.

Our youth mission experience is planned for the week of July 22-26. Teens in our parish youth group, in sixth grade through high school, are invited to volunteer with a different Chicagoland organization each day. 

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 to get more information, contact Eloy Escamilla at eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org.

Second Collection on June 8-9 for Priests’ Health and Retirement

Priests have served the needs of their people from baptism until the last rites. A second collection on June 8-9 will provide for the health and well-being of 411 active & 253 retired archdiocesan priests.

Your generosity to this special collection directly impacts both the many active and retired archdiocesan priests who we have come to rely on throughout our lives.

As we’re all aware, healthcare and retirement costs continue to rise, so there is an urgent need for your gifts to this fund. Your generosity will not only safeguard the health and well-being of our priests, but also support their ability to continue meaningful work in our parish and in the community.

Book Club is Monday, June 10

Please join the book club in the Ministry Center on Monday, June 10 at 7:00 pm. We will discuss Deacon King Kong by James McBride.

There are many copies of the book available at the Chicago Public Library.

Contact Lea Cloninger at 773.973.2465 or Sue Benjamin at 773.551.8401 with questions.

CLG Workers Forum on Tuesday, June 11: The Dignity of Labor and Connecting with Catholic Social Teaching

The Catholic Lawyers Guild of Chicago (CLG) has undertaken an initiative to highlight the long-standing Catholic teaching supporting the rights of workers. A committee of CLG members has put together this forum to educate and enlighten attorneys–and the larger community–about the meaning of Catholic social justice teaching and its continuing relevance for workplace justice and labor advocacy.

The Forum will take place on Tuesday, June 11 from 11:45 am until 2:15 pm. It will be held at the Carpenters Council Hall located at 12 East Erie Street in Chicago. Lunch will be provided.

Two-hours of Illinois general CLE credit will be provided for this program. Registration is required to attend, please provide ARDC during registration to attain CLE credit. Sign up at https://clgchicago.wildapricot.org/event-5719483.

We hope you can join us!

Women's Friendship Club Gathering on Thursday, June 13

The St. Gertrude Women's Friendship Club meets monthly on the second Thursday of every month in the Ministry Center. The gathering begins at 11:30 am; attendees should bring their own (brown bag) lunch. Dessert is provided!

Commonweal Dialogue Returns June 14: Reading Info Below

Commonweal Dialogue is returning to St. Gertrude’s Parish this June!

Commonweal Dialogue provides opportunities for civil and cordial conversation about topics of contemporary concern at the intersection of faith and politics.

We plan to meet several times a year and to alternate Sunday afternoon tea parties with Friday evening wine and pizza events in the hope that as many people as possible will be able to participate. The readings we have selected we believe will encourage meaningful and enlightening conversation.

Topic: Please read Ursula K. LeGuin’s very short sci fi story The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas (available online). This story symbolically raises questions about inequality, individual human suffering, and the common good in many areas of our contemporary social and political life. (Even if you don’t have time to read the story, join us anyway, and we’ll get you up to speed so you can join in the discussion.)

The first meeting will be held on the evening of Friday, June 14 at 6:30 pm in the backyard of John Williams, 1305 West Glenlake in Chicago.



Please RSVP so we know how much pizza to buy! Email Denise DeBelle at ddebelle@gmail.com, John Williams at joolikar@gmail.com, or Verna Foster at vfoster@luc.edu.

Wildcat Summer Camp Begins June 17th

Have you made summer plans yet for your kids? Register them for Wildcat Camp! Camp begins June 19 and will provide a safe, engaging experience with a variety of recreational, educational, athletic, and fine arts programs at an affordable price!

For more information on dates and pricing, visit www.northsidecatholic.org or call 773.743.6277. The 2024 Wildcat Summer Camp Flyer is be seen here.

We look forward to seeing you this summer!

Rectory Office Closed on Juneteenth, Wednesday, June 19

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.

A Letter from the Parish Pastoral Council

June 1, 2024

Dear St. Gertrude Family,

We, your Parish Pastoral Council (PPC), write to you today with an update regarding our ongoing response to concerns that surfaced several weeks ago around the departure of Fr. Paul Àdajà and former Music Minister Kathryn Flynn.

Our responsibility as a PPC is to “assist in fostering pastoral activity” in a consultative role under the leadership of the pastor (Code of Canon Law, Can. 536). Fr. Mike and the parish staff are thus not accountable to the PPC, but that does not mean that we are uninterested parties. On the contrary, we recognize that some are looking to us to help usher our community through this difficult time. That is a “pastoral” responsibility that we take seriously.

Consistent with this role, we have been in constant communication with parishioners, Fr.

Mike, and each other, over the past several weeks as we continue to discern the

ongoing needs of our faith community in the wake of the staff changes.



During our last PPC meeting on May 15, we had the opportunity, in a spirit of prayer

and reflective listening, to share our questions, feelings, concerns, and

recommendations with Fr. Mike and with one another. While understandably limited in

how he could respond, we feel that Fr. Mike listened carefully and expressed a

willingness to work collaboratively with the PPC in discerning steps forward toward

reconciliation and healing.

We recognize and honor that there are members of our faith community who have been

hurt as a result of these decisions. Our faith community has experienced the

brokenness which comes when there is division, anger, and grief among its members.

We pledge to fulfill our pastoral responsibility by listening to the voices of our brothers

and sisters, attending to the pastoral needs of our faith community, working with Fr.

Mike to identify opportunities to build trust, and acting as “bridge-builders” where there

is a need for connection and communication.

The truth is the PPC will never be the arbiters of who was right and who was wrong,

what was said or done, by whom, or why. Those questions, as they deal with internal

personnel matters, have been investigated by the Archdiocese, and the findings have

been rendered. Our role now is to be a resource for discerning, along with all of us in

our faith community, the road to unity.

We ask that all of us who love St. Gertrude’s and our Spirit-filled community hold each

other and all who are experiencing the pain of this moment in prayer. We pray for

healing, reconciliation, and peace, trusting in the power of the Spirit and of the One “in

whom we live and move and have our being.”

May God’s Peace Be With Us All.

Your Parish Pastoral Council

• Bob Backis, Co-Chair
• Ed Butler
• Ellen Buttitta
• Krista Chinchilla-Patzke
• Gordon Hannon
• Tim Lacy
• Tim Love
• Michelle Nickerson, Co-Chair
• Jen Reyes, Secretary
• Sean Williams

Our Parish's Compost and Garden Project

Last weekend, the parish garden was planted. We moved to sunnier location in the yard, and hope to grow more veggies and herbs.

For those that participate in our compost program, we ask that you please be mindful of small labels and remove them prior to placing them in the composter.

We also ask that you NOT add egg shells and avocado skins and pits to the composter. They are not breaking down in our composter, so we prefer they not be added in the future.



Items Needed for the Lending Closet

The Lending Closet is in dire need of rollator walkers (walkers with a seat) and tub transfer benches. 

Please e-mail or call the Lending Closet manager Laurie Hasbrook at lhasbrook@stgertrudechicago.org or 773-973-5464 ext. 115 if you have one to donate.

Growing in Faith

On the Feast of Corpus Christi, we hear about two disciples dispatched by Jesus to go “make the preparations for us there” for Passover.

We know this feast to be sharing a meal with loved ones. Have you ever noticed that no matter what drama with yourself or your loved ones may be occurring, if we can be mindfully present, when we break bread together, these challenging thoughts fade away for a while as we are transported to a place of love in the nourishing (and hopefully delicious) experience of the meal?

The idea of “preparation” is a new observation for me with this text. In reflection I read that Passover is to “return to a more natural state of living,” said Jewish philosopher Philo of Alexandria (20 B.C.E.-50 C.E.) All leavened bread from the household is to be eliminated because “leavening is a product of human art”, using yeast to make the bread rise. Yeast is essentially immortal as it continues to produce and bring life through fermentation. Passover is a time of separating the yeast so that only unleavened bread, which comes directly from our natural earth, may be consumed. 

In other words, RESET, such as with Sabbath or Sabbatical. We are called to separate ourselves from experiences/habits that stink of fermentation. We are called to purge and make a fresh start. For the Hebrews, it was casting off their oppression to live a more holy existence. (Given the timing of the Feast, be open to the newness that is spring and the risen Christ.) Each Sunday we join together in community to break bread as Jesus did with His disciples. Have something “leaven” in your life? Maybe it’s time for your own personal Passover “preparation”? Jesus is there waiting for you to be mindfully present.

~ Rich Martin 

Rest in Peace

• William (Bill) Malloy

Eucharistic Ministers

• Saturday, June 1 at 5:00 pm - Kathy Wall
• Sunday, June 2 at 8:00 am - Barb Daly
• Sunday, June 2 at 10:30 am - Michael Kowalsky, Carlos Barragan, Steven Monti

Upcoming Mass Intentions



• Monday, June 3: 7:30 am - Joe Shields+
• Tuesday, June 4: 7:30 am - Mary Jane DeSloover+
• Wednesday, June 5: 7:30 am - People of God
• Thursday, June 6: 7:30 am - Communion Service
• Friday, June 7: 7:30 am - People of God
• Saturday, June 8: 7:30 am - Lillian McCall+; 5:00 pm - Betty McKee+
• Sunday, June 9: 8:00 am - St. Gertrude Class of 1950; 10:30 am - Marie Cristol+; Pat Kelly+

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.