St. Gertrude Chicago

All are Welcome

1420 W. Granville,

Chicago, IL 60660

773.764.3621

stgertrude1420@stgertrudechicago.org

www.stgertrudechicago.org

Bulletin for Sunday, September 13, 2026

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Annual Mission Appeal

St. Gertrude welcomes Fr. Gudime Jesudas for the Annual Mission Appeal this weekend. A priest of the Diocese of Kadapa, India, Fr. Jesudas has served in the United States since 2019 and currently serves as Associate Pastor at St. Mary of the Woods Parish.

The Diocese of Kadapa is a mission diocese serving approximately 85,000 Catholics, many of whom live in economically disadvantaged rural communities. Priests and catechists travel to remote mission villages to celebrate Mass, provide the sacraments, offer faith formation, and accompany families in their spiritual lives.

The diocese's mission focuses on evangelization, education, and social upliftment, including faith formation, scholarships for students in need, catechist training, women's empowerment, marriage preparation, and assistance to families experiencing hardship. The diocese also supports priests, catechists, and mission ministries throughout the region.

Parishioners are invited to support the Annual Mission Appeal through their prayers and generous donations. Every contribution helps bring faith, education, hope, and practical assistance to communities in need.

Please consider supporting the important work of the Diocese of Kadapa.

Results of the Decision Makers Survey

Thank you to the 246 parishioners who generously participated in the 2026 Disciple Maker Index survey in March and shared their thoughts, experiences, and ideas. Your willingness to provide honest feedback enables us to celebrate the many things that are going well in our parish while also identifying areas where we can continue to grow together.

Overall, the survey reflects a parish community with a strong spiritual foundation, a welcoming environment, and a commitment to faith and service.

• 91% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that our parish is welcoming.
• 86% agreed or strongly agreed that the parish helps them grow spiritually.
• 90% agreed or strongly agreed that Mass contributes to their spiritual growth.
• 90% agreed or strongly agreed that preaching contributes to their spiritual growth.
• 87% agreed or strongly agreed that the parish provides opportunities to serve.
• 89% said they would recommend our parish to others.

These results are worth celebrating. They show that our parish is providing meaningful opportunities for worship, spiritual growth, service, and community.

The survey also gives us important direction as we look toward the future. When asked what the parish needs more of, greater involvement of young people was the leading response. Other significant areas included greater lay involvement in decision-making and leadership, more volunteers participating in ministries, and greater clarity around the parish’s vision and direction.

There are also opportunities to strengthen connections within our community:

• Only 53% agreed or strongly agreed that parishioners are involved in parish decisions.
• 56% agreed or strongly agreed that the parish follows up on people’s involvement.
• 72% of respondents felt the parish is either in a really good place and should continue what is working or is on the right track with only minor adjustments.

The survey does not simply tell us where we are—it gives us an opportunity to consider where God may be calling us next. We have a strong foundation on which to build, and the feedback provides clear areas for continued growth.

Thank you again to everyone who participated and shared their input. Your voices matter, and your feedback will help shape our conversations and priorities as we embrace the future of our parish community together.

Religious Education Classes Begin This Sunday, September 13 - Parent Meeting Also Planned

It’s Not Too Late to Register!

There is still time to register your child for St. Gertrude’s 2026–2027 Religious Education program! Classes begin this Sunday, September 13, at 9:15 am, and we would love to welcome your family.

As we begin a new year, children will have opportunities to learn about their Catholic faith, grow in their relationship with God, pray together, and build friendships within our parish community. Parents and guardians are also an important part of this journey and are asked to attend a parent meeting this Sunday as the new year begins.

Haven’t registered yet? No problem! Find the calendar, parent handbook, registration forms, and tuition information in both English and Spanish at stgertrudechicago.org/religious-education. In-person registration is also available by appointment.

We hope your family will join us!

Questions? Contact Pastoral Associate Eloy Escamilla at eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org.

Commonweal Action Letter Writing Campaign - Wednesday, September 16

This Wednesday, September 16, Commonweal Action will host a letter-writing session in the Ministry Center. We will be writing to the Prairieland Defendants, a loosely affiliated group of people who are being prosecuted by the Justice Department for their participation in a noise protest outside an ICE detention center in Texas. Most of them are currently imprisoned and have been for over a year as they appeal their cases.

As they have been separated from their homes and loved ones, we intend to offer them the comfort of a friendly voice and the dignity of genuine conversation. Our goal is to establish regular correspondence with them so they know, as they go through these difficult times, that they are not alone. We sent letters as a group in July, and several of us have already received responses.

If you would like to attend, writing materials, envelopes, and stamps will be provided. We encourage you to bring anything that would help you write more comfortably (such as a favorite pen) and any books or articles from which you might like to transcribe a passage.

If you would prefer to participate from home, or if you have any questions, feel free to email Aidan Coyle at packrat386@gmail.com.

Gym Mass Returns September 20

The Gym Mass is returning this fall! Join us next Sunday, September 20, at 10:30 am for our first Gym Mass of the season at 1401 W. Granville Ave.

Gym Mass offers a welcoming opportunity for our parish community to gather, worship, and celebrate together in a relaxed setting. We look forward to seeing familiar faces and welcoming everyone back for another season of Sunday worship in the gym.

We hope you’ll join us!

Brewed at St. Gertrude Social Gathering Planned for September 20

Make plans to stay after the 10:30 am Mass on Sunday, September 20 for “Brewed at St. Gertrude,” our monthly gathering for coffee and community in the Social Hall. It’s a wonderful chance to slow down, connect, and enjoy some time together.

We’ll have a selection of pastries along with coffee, tea, and hot cocoa. Everyone is welcome—whether you’ve been part of the parish for years or are just getting to know the community, we’d love to have you join us!

An Invitation to Join Poetry Pilgrims - Next Online Meeting is Monday, September 21

Poetry Pilgrims will meet on Monday, September 21, at 7:30 pm via Zoom to read and discuss the works of William Wordsworth.

New members are always welcome, and no literary expertise is necessary. If you have a passion for—or even a curiosity about—poetry and how this particularly rich form of language can impact your life, please join us.

We learn from the poets and poems selected for each session, as well as from one another’s observations and insights. We meet for about an hour and a half on the third Monday of each month.

For more information, please contact Rose Marie Anichini at irma71@aol.com.

Share Your Gifts: Lectors & Eucharistic Ministers Training Offered September 21

Would you like to become more involved in the celebration of Mass? Consider serving as a lector or Eucharistic minister at St. Gertrude!

Training for Lectors and Eucharistic Ministers will be held on Monday, September 21, at 6:30 pm in the church. Youth and adults are invited to attend.

Whether you are interested in proclaiming the Word of God as a Lector or assisting in the distribution of Holy Communion as a Eucharistic Minister, this is a wonderful opportunity to share your gifts with our parish community.

To learn more, contact Eloy Escamilla at eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org.

Share What You Can: Care for Real Collection Planned for September 26-27

Our community has an ongoing opportunity to put compassion into action. On September 26 and 27, please bring nonperishable food and other essential items to the Care for Real Collection before or after any Mass at St. Gertrude.



Throughout the year, St. Gertrude partners with Care for Real by holding collections on the first and fourth weekends of each month. These regular collections allow us to respond to changing needs in our neighborhood and ensure that families and individuals have access to basic necessities.

Not sure what to bring? For Care for Real’s current wish list and links to its social media pages, visit linktr.ee/cfrchicago.

Thank you for sharing what you can. Every donation, large or small, is a reminder to our neighbors that they are cared for and not alone.

Serve at the Altar: Altar Server Training on September 28

Share your gifts and become more involved in the celebration of Mass by serving as an altar server!

Altar server training will be held on Monday, September 28, at 6:30 pm in the church. Students in 4th grade and older are invited to attend and learn more about this important ministry.

Altar servers play an important role in supporting the priest and assisting with the celebration of Mass. No previous experience is necessary—just a willingness to learn and serve!

To learn more, contact Eloy Escamilla at eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org.

This Year's Pet Blessing is Saturday, October 3

The Feast of St. Francis of Assisi is October 4, which falls on a Sunday. This year, we will celebrate it with a Blessing of the Pets on Saturday, October 3 (the day before the feast day) at 11:00 am on the church steps.

Please join us with your furry, feathery, or scaly loved ones! A small reception will be held afterwards.

Growing in Faith

Listen to the opening words of this weekend’s first reading from Sirach: “Wrath and anger are hateful things, yet the sinner hugs them tight.” Does that sound familiar? So much of what we hear in our world is toxic with anger. We live in a culture of outrage, of being quick to judge — and to judge harshly.

And, if I’m honest, it’s not just the world and the people around me who are wrathful. I confess that I am quick to anger, fast to judge. It is easy for me to get mad at some driver on Devon or at some politician on TV with whom I disagree. Disagreement is fine, but not demonization. That’s when I write off the other person as deeply bad, deeply evil, as a kind of demon.

There are bad actions, evil actions. But the people who do these bad things are still human beings, still my brothers and sisters. Just as I am their brother, even though I am a sinner. We are all sinners as Pope Francis often reminded us.

“How often must I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus is asked in Matthew’s gospel. He responds: “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.” Essentially, “seventy-seven times” is another way of saying “always.”

Christianity is countercultural, so countercultural that, as Sirach writes, we’re called to “hate not [our] neighbor, remember the Most High’s covenant, and overlook faults.” In other words, we’re called to love our neighbor no matter what.

Patrick T. Reardon

Explore the Catholic Faith Through OCIA

Registration still open for the 2026–2027 Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) at St. Gertrude. If you or someone you know has questions about the Catholic faith or is wondering whether the Catholic Church might be calling you, OCIA offers a welcoming place to learn, reflect, and explore.

OCIA, formerly known as RCIA, is for adults at various points in their faith journey. Participants may be preparing to become Catholic, exploring the faith after being baptized in another Christian tradition, or seeking the Sacraments of Eucharist or Confirmation. Others may simply want to learn more about Catholic beliefs and deepen their relationship with God.

Through weekly gatherings beginning September 6, participants will pray together, explore Scripture and Catholic teaching, share their experiences, and become more connected to the life of the parish. Each person is encouraged to take the time needed to discern their own faith journey. Those who choose to enter the Catholic Church celebrate the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil.

Curious? Come explore. For more information about OCIA at St. Gertrude, contact Eloy Escamilla at the Rectory at 773.764.3621 or eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org.

A Bountiful Harvest for Care for Real

Our parish garden had a wonderful harvest this year! The garden was overflowing with ripe tomatoes of many different varieties, which were donated to Care for Real and gratefully received.

We also harvested carrots and more tomatoes to share with our neighbors in need. We are especially thankful to everyone who watered, tended, and cared for the garden throughout the growing season.

Thanks to the dedication of our parish volunteers, it was truly a great harvest!

Mary Clare Barker

Misericordia Family Fest – This Sunday, September 13

Join Misericordia for Family Fest on Sunday, September 13, from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm at the Misericordia campus, 6300 N. Ridge Ave., Chicago. This fun-filled event features food, drinks, live entertainment, games, bingo, raffles, shopping and more.

Family Fest brings together thousands of friends and supporters while raising funds for Misericordia’s programs and services for more than 650 children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Buy tickets, volunteer, or purchase raffle chances here

Second Annual Family Resource Reception and LGBTQ+ Family Mass on Sunday, September 27

At AGLOChicago, the Archdiocese of Chicago’s ministry for pastoral outreach and spiritual accompaniment for the LGBTQ+ community, we witness daily the deeply felt need for families to know they are not alone. When a loved one comes out, parents, siblings, and friends often try to navigate complex questions of faith, identity, and belonging, leaving them searching for a community where they can heal, ask questions, and still practice their faith.

To meet this need and build a continuous safety net of support, we warmly invite your parish community, families, and staff to join us for our Second Annual Family Resource Reception and LGBTQ+ Family Mass on Sunday, September 27 at Our Lady of Mount Carmel (708 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago).

Under this year’s theme, “Connection and Celebration,” the evening is designed to offer a safe, prayerful, and judgment-free space to ask questions, share resources, and strengthen ties to Catholic parish life.

Event Schedule:

• 5:00 pm – Family Resources Reception (Parish Ministry Center)
• An opportunity to explore a supportive local network of affirming parishes, schools, and organizations ready to accompany families.
• 7:00 pm – LGBTQ+ Family Mass (Main Church)
• A liturgy celebrating parents and chosen families who stand by their loved ones, honoring those who have passed, and concluding with a special blessing dedicated to all who accompany the LGBTQ+ community.

Families and individuals can find more details and register online at AGLOChicago.org.

Rest in Peace

• Mary Cook
• Vanessa Anderson Norton, granddaughter of Pamela Sherrod Anderson

Ministers of the Word

• Saturday, September 12 at 5:00 pm - Martin Waide, Steven Monti 
• Sunday, September 13 at 8:00 am - Jennifer Kiedaisch, Joseph Tomasello
• Sunday, September 13 at 10:30 am - Ellen Pierce, Martin Waide

Eucharistic Ministers

• Saturday, September 12 at 5:00 pm - Roman Reyes
• Sunday, September 13 at 8:00 am - TBA
• Sunday, September 13 at 10:30 am - Michelle Kuehlhorn, Lisa Schneider

Altar Servers

• Saturday, September 12 at 5:00 pm - cross bearer: Raiden Cruz
• Sunday, September 13 at 10:30 am - cross bearer: Camille Boquiren; acolytes: Micah Boquiren, Jayson Ameyaw

Upcoming Mass Intentions


Monday, September 14: 7:30 am - Communion Service

Tuesday, September 15: 7:30 am - Joan LeMorvan+

Wednesday, September 16: 7:30 am - Mary Cook+

Thursday, September 17: 7:30 am

Friday, September 18: 7:30 am

Saturday, September 19: 5:00 pm - Hal Mann+

Sunday, September 20: 8:00 am; 10:30 am - Antoinette G. Linke+

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.