St. Gertrude Chicago

All are Welcome

1420 W. Granville,

Chicago, IL 60660

773.764.3621

stgertrude1420@stgertrudechicago.org

www.stgertrudechicago.org

Bulletin for Sunday, October 19, 2025

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Latest News from St. Gertrude!

Sent Forth from Chicago to the World

Earlier this year, we witnessed the election of Pope Leo XIV, a missionary pope originally from Chicago. In his first address to the world, he encouraged us to be a missionary Church by opening our arms to “all those in need of our charity, our presence, our readiness to dialogue and our love.” He wants us to be guided by Holy Spirit and offer God’s love to everyone.

Pope Leo XIV knows that missionary support is vital. Before being sent to the Vatican, he was bishop of the mission Diocese of Chiclayo, Peru. Today he is Holy Father to all peoples. As pontiff, he oversees the Pontifical Mission Societies which are tasked with coordinating support for dioceses with the greatest needs in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Oceania.  



World Mission Sunday

World Mission Sunday is an annual global celebration of our unity as one Church. We gather to reflect on our common evangelizing mission to bring the hope of Christ to the ends of the earth. We are also encouraged to give generously to support missionary efforts in the poorest, most remote, war-torn and persecuted dioceses of the world.

Your World Mission Sunday donation contributes to the universal fund of the Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith, supporting:

• 82,498 Seminarians • 8,749 Shelters and Orphanages • 11,992 Health Centers

• 843,785 Lay Catechists • 258,540 Religious Sisters • 1,124 Mission Dioceses

A Letter from Cardinal Cupich

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, 

On this World Mission Sunday, we are sent forth to be messengers and builders of the hope of Christ. As members of the family of God, united in mission, we celebrate with churches on every continent. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, let us open our arms to the world and offer our prayer and generosity.

We are especially blessed this year as our beloved Pope Francis chose our theme for the Jubilee Year: Missionaries of Hope Among All Peoples. He encouraged individual Christians and the entire Church to set out in the footsteps of the Lord Jesus and become artisans of hope for our troubled world. We have seen this hope that does not disappoint in the election of Pope Leo XIV. He is a missionary who was sent from Chicago to the Augustinian mission world, to the Diocese of Chiclayo, Peru and now to the Vatican where he leads the worldwide Catholic Church. 

In addition to reflecting on the common evangelizing mission of the Church, on this day we take up a collection to support the Pontifical Mission Societies. Through our donations, we aid the Holy Father in providing for pastoral catechetical programs, building new churches, and providing healthcare and education in 1,124 dioceses that are too young, too poor or persecuted, and need our help. By supporting these missionary works, we help the hope of Christ to shine forth in every corner of the earth. 

In this time wounded by war, conflict and injustice, rather than retreating to what is comfortable, let us be inspired to transcend the confines of our individual parishes, dioceses and nations. May we be illuminated by the light of Christian hope and bear witness to the message of God’s love in every part of the world. 

Wishing you every blessing, with kind regards, I remain,

Sincerely yours in Christ,  

Cardinal Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago

The Rosary at St. Gertrude: Friday Evenings and after the 7:30 am Masses

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 North Glenwood Avenue.

Recitation of the Holy Rosary after 7:30 am Mass

Additionally, the Rosary is said every Monday through Saturday 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 Drive is Next Weekend, October 25 & 26

Our next collection drive for Care for Real is October 25 and 26 before and after masses. 

Please visit https://linktr.ee/cfrchicago for information about donating and links to their Facebook and Instagram pages to see what they are specifically looking for at this time.  

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. 

October "Brewed at St. Gertrude" is Next Sunday

Please join us on Sunday, October 26 for another "Brewed at St. Gertrude", our monthly parish hospitality event! 

These gathering are held following the 10:30 am church and gym masses in the Social Hall and feature pastries, coffee, tea, and hot cocoa.

All are welcome: new and long-time parishioners, families, and visitors! We would love for the entire parish to be there! 

We've scheduled all our "Brewed at St. Gertrude" parish hospitality events through 2026! 

The dates are:

• November 16th
• December 21st
• January 18th, 2026

Refugee One Presentation Planned for Next Sunday, October 26

St. Gertrude’s Refugee and Immigrant Ministry is a partner of Refugee One, a Chicago-based non-profit that welcomes hundreds of refugees who have fled war, violence, and persecution around the globe to the U.S. relieved to have a safe place to call home and rebuild their lives.

RefugeeOne not only equips refugees with the skills needed to survive, but provides a full range of coordinated services that empower refugees to build the foundation for a flourishing life in Chicago.

Refugee One’s Sally Schultz will give a talk about the current challenges of refugee resettlement, her organization's services and how people can help.

All are welcome immediately following the “Brewed at St. Gertrude” gathering on October 26 in the Social Hall. The talk is anticipated to begin at 12:15 pm and last around 20 minutes.

November is the Month of Remembrance

Altar of Remembrance/Book of the Dead:

Beginning next weekend, we invite you to bring a photo for the Altar of Remembrance which will be in front of the St. Therese shrine in the front of church. Photos may be placed at any time, and can be picked up Thanksgiving weekend. Please add your phone number to the back of photos.

In the back of the church next to the baptistry will be the Book of the Dead. Everyone is invited to inscribe the name of their deceased loved ones into the book. These names will be read during the Masses of Remembrance.

Masses of Remembrance:

Each year, during the month of November, we remember in a special way all those who have died in our parish, as well as parishioners’ loved ones that have passed away. At the masses on Saturday, November 1 (5:00 pm) and Sunday, November 2, we will read the names of those in the Book of the Dead, as well as those who have died this past year (November 2024-November 2025).

Special Event: Program, "Catholic Social Teaching in the Past and the Present Moment" Planned for November 5

All are invited to a special event discussing Catholic Social Teaching in the Past and the Present Moment on Wednesday, November 5 at 7:00 pm in St. Gertrude’s Social Hall.

This engaging program will feature two of our own parishioners—Heidi Schlumpf and Michelle Nickerson (pictured above)—both professors at Loyola University, published authors, and past speakers at St. Gertrude’s.

Join us for an evening of reflection, dialogue, and inspiration as we consider how the Gospel’s call to justice continues to shape our Church and our world today.

Parish Play Planned for Saturday, November 8 to Benefit Heart to Heart

All are invited to attend a play benefiting Heart to Heart! For one night only, Saturday, November 8, the St. Gertrude Parish Players will perform a Mike Tobin production, Nazareth Revelation, a Canadian cowboy love story with bandits and a train robbery.

The performance will take place in the Gym, located at 1401 West Granville Avenue, at 7:00 pm. More information about ticket prices will be shared closer to the event date. 

We hope to see you at this festive event featuring the many talented parishioners of St. Gertrude!

Adult Faith Formation: Ways to Warm Your Heart and Feed Your Soul Planned for December

Are you hungry for a deeper connection with God and community? With all the negative news in the world, have you lost your appetite? Do you find yourself worn thin by unhealthy outside influences? Do you yearn for a more profound faith connection with God and a deeper understanding of one's spiritual purpose? Do you desire to strengthen your relationship with God, but don’t know how or where to start?

St. Gertrude is beginning Adult Formation sessions with the goal of warming your heart and feeding your soul. We will start with a three-part Advent series on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 pm on December 3, 10, and 17. Save the dates on your calendar and look for more detailed information describing the upcoming Advent events in our weekly bulletins.

There are so many different ways we can connect with God, both individually and in community. We hope to offer opportunities for meditation, film and book discussions, bible studies, retreats, as well as other events that will fill you with hope, love, and peace. 

We look forward to you joining us—in community—on a faith filled journey.

-St. Gertrude Adult Spirituality and Faith Formation Committee 

Curious about Events and Activities at St. Gertrude?

Upcoming events are listed on the home page and in our Events calendar, found under the News/Programs heading!

The calendar also lists mass times and weekly activities.



Wondering about some of our social activities or prayer groups? Our Parish Ministries page, found under our Get Involved heading, shares various ways to get involved in the parish, and our Contact Us page has details on each member of our staff.

Thank you Those That Came out to the Eucharistic Procession to the Broadview Detention Center

Last weekend, the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership—of which St. Gertrude is a member—organized a Eucharistic procession from St. Eulalia Catholic Church in Maywood to the Broadview Detention Center, with the hope of sharing Holy Communion with those inside.

More than 30 members of the St. Gertrude community took part in the peaceful delegation. We are deeply grateful for your loving spirits and presence, and we pray that those detained inside heard our songs and felt our prayers.

Growing in Faith: The Feisty Widow and the Threatened Judge

In Jesus’ parable, nothing could make that self-centered, tough judge finally give the widow justice—except his growing fear that one of these times, when he refused her, she just might lose her temper, haul off, and give him a black eye! (This is the precise Greek meaning of the word the translators chose to render as “strike.”) He’d never live down the hilarious and public scorn he’d face walking down the street in his magnificent magisterial robes with that shiner.

Jesus did not say the widow was thinking of hitting the judge, but rather that it was a fear in the judge’s vain mind, as he himself tells us. She kept coming to the court—where women were not supposed to appear—and she wasn’t overwhelmed by his power at all. She wouldn’t take “no” for an answer! And when she addressed him, it was an order: “Give me justice against my enemy!”

What does this parable mean for us? What do you think? Jesus’ world was under Roman control, not a democracy, and judges were elites, not elected. Still, I think Jesus’ parable holds a truth for us today, when we see an issue of injustice that needs a powerful legal response to set it right: Be visible, be persistent, and let God work through us.

~ Sister Wendy Cotter CSJ , PhD

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month 

An excellent resource for learning about and getting help with domestic violence is the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

You can reach the hotline at 800-799-7233. The organization also offers a text option—just text START to 88788 to connect with someone who can help.

For additional information, safety planning tools, and resources, visit their comprehensive website at thehotline.org.

Music Ministry Announcement: Hymnals Update

The music ministry of St. Gertrude’s has an exciting announcement! After much thought and careful consideration, we have decided to transition to GIA’s Gather, 4th Edition hymnal. Not only is this hymnal more sustainable and aligned with our mission to care for the planet, but it is also one of the most diverse and inclusive hymnals available—qualities that best reflect St. Gertrude’s dynamic and eclectic community. We are thrilled to begin using this new resource at the start of the new liturgical year on November 30, the First Sunday of Advent.

Now, we need your help and support! Outfitting the congregation with a complete set of new hymnals and musical resources is a significant investment, but it is one that will serve us for many years to come. We have purchased 315 hymnals to replace the current ones and are asking for your generosity in helping us cover the cost.

Each hymnal costs approximately $26, and you may donate as many as you wish. Every hymnal you give can be dedicated in memory of a loved one or in honor of your family or friends. To donate, visit Give Central, or send a check payable to St. Gertrude’s. (Please be sure to note that your donation is for hymnals, whether giving online or by check.) If you donate via Give Central and would like to make a dedication, please email Jonathan with that information. 

Your generosity and commitment to St. Gertrude’s are vital to our success, and anything you contribute toward the purchase of these new hymnals will be deeply appreciated.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for considering a donation. If you have any questions or need more information, please contact our Music Director, Jonathan Hannau, at jhannau@stgertrudechicago.org or 773.764.3621 ext. 22.

Tag Us on Social Media!

Attending the Pet Blessing or any of our social events? Tag us on Instagram (@stgertrudeinchicago) or Facebook (@stgertrudechicago) so we can share the joy of our community together.

Rest in Peace

• Kathleen Daniels
• Cattarina Valente, aunt of Jim Manzardo

New Parishioners

• The Fletcher family
• Brendan Twaddell

Ministers of the Word

• Saturday, October 18 at 5:00 pm - Roman Reyes, Joseph McMahon
• Sunday, October 19 at 8:00 am - Kathryn Stimac, Mary Clare Barker
• Sunday, October 19 at 10:30 am - Rose Karasti, Liam Benham

Eucharistic Ministers

• Saturday, October 18 at 5:00 pm - Kathy Wall
• Sunday, October 19 at 8:00 am - Josephine Delgado
• Sunday, October 19 at 10:30 am - Michael Kowalsky, Annie Hasselbeck, Stephen Hasselbeck

Upcoming Mass Intentions

• Monday, October 20: 7:30 am - Communion Service
• Tuesday, October 21: 7:30 am - Ceclia Onyibor+
• Wednesday, October 22: 7:30 am - John McCall+
• Thursday, October 23: 7:30 am - Cattarina Valente+
• Friday, October 24: 7:30 am - Richard Plotner+
• Saturday, October 25: 7:30 am - Joe "Terry" Shields+; 5:00 pm - Nancy Donnelly+
• Sunday, October 26: 8:00 am - Mary Ellen Mellon+ ; 10:30 am - Elio Rossi+; 10:30 am Gym - Billy Tobin+

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.