St. Gertrude Chicago

All are Welcome

1420 W. Granville,

Chicago, IL 60660

773.764.3621

stgertrude1420@stgertrudechicago.org

www.stgertrudechicago.org

Bulletin for Sunday, March 1, 2026

The Second Sunday of Lent

The Second Sunday of Lent

As we enter the second week of Lent, the Church continues to guide us more deeply into conversion. The readings draw our attention to God’s covenant and faithfulness. In Genesis, Abram is invited to trust in God’s promise, even when its fulfillment seems beyond understanding.

In the Gospel account of the Transfiguration, the disciples glimpse Christ in His glory—an experience that strengthens them for the journey toward the Cross. Together, these readings remind us that Lent is not only about sacrifice, but about trust: trusting that God is at work even when the road ahead feels uncertain.

The Transfiguration speaks powerfully to our Lenten path. Peter, James, and John are given a moment of radiant clarity before they must face the sorrow of Good Friday. In our own lives, God provides moments of grace—through prayer, Scripture, and the sacraments—that sustain us when faith feels challenging. The Father’s command, “Listen to Him,” echoes in our hearts throughout this holy season. Lent calls us to step away from noise and distraction so that we may hear Christ more clearly and allow His light to transform us.

As a parish family, we have many meaningful opportunities this week to grow in prayer, reflection, and community. Taking part in these gatherings can help anchor our Lenten commitments and encourage one another along the way. We hope you will consider 

joining us at any (or all!) of these events.

Lenten Simple Suppers - Thursdays at 6:00 pm

Lent is better together! Join us on Thursdays at 6:00 pm in the Social Hall (1401 W. Granville Ave.) for our beloved Lenten Simple Suppers.

Each week, a different parish group hosts:

• February 26 – Parish Pastoral Council
• March 5 – Adult Basketball Social Ministry
• March 12 – St. Gertrude’s Choir
• March 19 – Coalition for Spiritual & Public Leadership
• March 26 – TBA

Come for a simple meal, meaningful conversation, and community. All are welcome—bring a friend!

Lenten Spirituality Sessions - Thursdays Immediately after the Simple Supper

This Lent, the Adult Spirituality and Formation Committee offers opportunities to explore together the mystery of our Lenten journey. All sessions, except for session three, will take place from 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm in the Social Hall, following our Simple Supper, which begins at 6:00 pm. You are welcome to attend any or all sessions. Please come to Simple Supper and the Lenten series – and bring a friend!

Here is the description for the first session, Prayer: The First Pillar of Lent with Sr. Wendy Cotter, CSJ:

When we think of preparing for Holy Week and Easter, one of the three great themes of Lent is Prayer. Sr. Wendy, Professor Emeritus of the New Testament and First Generation Christianity at Loyola University Chicago, will share some of Jesus’ encouraging counsel to us about our prayer from the heart, and also what the Gospels tell us were times when Jesus felt a special need to pray. We will have an opportunity to share our thoughts with one another, to reflect on our own experiences of prayer, and on how prayer touches our own lives and transforms the world.

Next week's session, Finding the Sacred On Our Lenten Journey with Patrick T. Reardon is described as:

From the beginning of humanity, art and literature have been used to express and find the Sacred, especially in moments of great pain and unrest. Author and poet, Patrick T. Reardon will share an easy primer about poetry and the poetic form, inviting us to use pen and paper to reveal and discover the presence of the Sacred in both the joys and sorrows of our lives and of the world.

Additional sessions are:

• Thursday, March 12 – Return Again To The Land of Your Soul: An Evening of Contemplative Music - Jonathan Hannau (held in church)
• Thursday, March 19 - Fasting: The Second Pillar of Lent – Chris Countryman
• Thursday, March 26 - Almsgiving: The Third Pillar of Lent – panel of St. Gertrude parishioners

Lenten Season Mediation Series: Music, Stillness, Solidarity - Fridays at 6:00 pm   

We live in incredibly troubled times. Injustice after injustice and a stream of never ending tragedies show through social media algorithms designed to distract us. It is difficult to digest it all, let alone find a moment of stillness to reflect and potentially act on it.

This year we bring back “Music, Stillness, Solidarity”. It will happen every Friday night during Lent through March 27. From 6:00-6:30 pm, St. Gertrude's will be open as a safe space where ALL are welcome to come, sit, pray, and meditate as we navigate these realities as a community.

Contemplative music will be played through the duration of the time to help guide and promote reflection on the day. 

Stations of the Cross - Fridays at 3:00 pm and 6:30 pm



Each Friday at 3:00 pm during Lent, we will offer a traditional Way of the Cross.

Another Stations of the Cross will be held at 6:30 pm on Fridays after our Lenten Meditation: Music, Stillness and Solidarity. These Stations of the Cross will have a social justice theme, this Friday its is Through the Eyes of the Youth.

The remaining Stations of the Cross themes are:

• February 27: Through the Eyes of the Youth
• March 6: LGBTQ+
• March 13: Refugees and Migrants
• March 20: Through the Eyes of Mary
• March 27: The Way of the Cross for Our Time

Sacrament of Reconciliation - Saturdays at 4:00 pm

Every Saturday from 4:15-4:45 pm, private confession is available. 

There is also a communal confession for all the parishes in our deanery (Deanery 2B) on Monday, March 23 at 7:00 pm at the St. Nicholas campus of St John XXIII Parish in Evanston.

Almoners Lenten Ministry - Sundays During Mass

Our parish's Almoners’ Program will be held again from through March 29. Each weekend, a second collection will be held, with funds used to distribute McDonald's cards to those who are in need.

At the end of each Mass, those wishing to participate in distributing cards to the needy will be invited to come forward, receive the cards, and be given a blessing as they go out in this charitable outreach. 

Catholic Voters Guide to Be Distributed at Masses This Weekend

Catholic social teaching is an important body of thought in the Catholic Church that calls Christians to uphold the dignity of every person and to care for God’s creation. Rooted in Scripture and developed through the Church’s tradition, these teachings guide us in living out our faith not only in our personal lives, but also in our responsibilities as members of society.

In recent months, a group of parishioners has gathered to study and discuss Catholic social teaching and reflect on how it speaks to the challenges of our time. Their conversations have informed the development of a Voters’ Guide designed to help us consider how these teachings may shape thoughtful and purposeful citizenship.

Copies of the Voters’ Guide will be distributed at all Masses on Saturday February 28 and Sunday, March 1. We encourage you to take a copy and prayerfully reflect on how our faith calls us to engage in civic life with wisdom, compassion, and a commitment to the common good.

Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership (CSPL) Meeting Planned for Saturday, March 7

St. Gertrude is a member of CSPL, the faith-based organization that organized the recent People’s Mass and Eucharistic Procession to the Broadview Detention Center.

Come together with other parishioners on Saturday, March 7, from 1:30-3:00 pm in the Ministry Center to build community and discuss how to help advance our parish's commitments to social justice, human concerns and faith formation through our participation in CSPL. Learn more about CSPL. 

All are welcome! 

Collection Drive for Care for Real is March 7-8

St. Gertrude has its monthly collection drive for our neighbors in need on March 7-8! In addition to info in the image, you can 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. 

Please place nonperishable items in the bins at the back of church.

Our asylum seekers’ collection is the full first weekend of each month, and our general collection drive for Care for Real is always the fourth calendar weekend every 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. 

Confirmation Rehearsal is Next Sunday, March 8 and the Sacrament of Confirmation is Tuesday, March 10!

The Sacrament of Confirmation will take place next week. We ask that families of these students please note these important dates:

• Sunday, March 8 - After the 10:30 am Mass in Church, there is a rehearsal for Confirmation.
• Tuesday, March 10 - The Sacrament of Confirmation will take place at 7:00 pm in Church. Confirmation candidates are expected to gather at 6:00 pm in the Ministry Center. 
• Thursday, April 30 - There is a second Confirmation Retreat planned in the Ministry Center from 6:00 - 8:00 pm.

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

Please keep these students in your prayers as they prepare for this sacrament.

Book Club is Tuesday, March 10

Join us for a discussion of Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus on Tuesday, March 10 at 6:30 pm at the Ministry Center, 6214 W. Glenwood. New participants are always welcome!

For questions, contact Lea Cloninger (773.213.0509) or Sue Benjamin (773.551.8401).

Friendship Club is Thursday, March 12

The St. Gertrude Women's Friendship Club meets monthly on the second Thursday of every month in the Ministry Center, 6216 North Glenwood Avenue.

The gathering begins at 11:30 am, and attendees should bring their own (brown bag) lunch.

Teens Invited to Join St. Gertrude’s Youth Mission Experience

Parish teens are invited to participate in St. Gertrude’s Youth Mission Experience, taking place June 22–26. Open to students entering seventh grade through high school, this weeklong experience offers teens the chance to serve alongside Chicagoland organizations while growing in faith, friendship, and community.

Participants will enjoy meaningful service, have fun together, and earn volunteer hours. The cost for the week is $125.

To reserve a spot or learn more, please contact Pastoral Associate Eloy Escamilla at eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org.

Growing in Faith

“But Jesus came and touched them, saying, ‘Rise and do not be afraid.’”

In our gospel for this second Sunday of Lent, we hear Matthew’s version of Jesus’s Transfiguration. (Last year we heard Luke’s take on this story on the second Sunday; next year we’ll get Mark’s.)

There are lots of similarities in how the synoptic gospel writers tell this story, but Matthew adds a couple of verses that might be especially good for us to note this year. Verse 6 tells us that, once the cloud of transfiguration started, the disciples were afraid. Mark and Luke mention that, too, but in a different place. What really caught my attention was verse 7: “But Jesus came and touched them, saying, ‘Rise and do not be afraid.’”

Wow! What a gift for those terrified and confused disciples! Even though he looked different and was standing with two, long-dead prophets, they must have recognized his familiar touch. And his voice, the same one they listened to every day, must have calmed their hearts and slowed their breathing.

What a gift for us, too. There is plenty to fear right now. But Jesus tells us, too: “Rise, and do not be afraid.” Keeping our eyes on Jesus – who spoke with prophets and also those most on the margins – will center and guide us. We’ll be able to stand and walk with confidence, believing that what we see right now isn’t how the story really turns out.

~ Sister Susan Quaintance O.S.B.

NCA’s Online Auction Ends Sunday March 1 at 8:00 pm!

Northside Catholic Academy’s online auction closes Sunday, March 1 at 8:00 p.m.! With more than 100 exciting items generously donated by our Wildcat community and local businesses, there’s something for everyone. From sports tickets and spa days to summer camps and staycations, this year’s auction truly delivers in a BIG way.

Every bid supports Northside Catholic Academy while also celebrating and supporting the wonderful local businesses that make our community so strong.

Help us spread the word as we work toward our $20,000 goal. Place your bids, share the link, and be part of the excitement before the auction ends!

Catholic LGBTQ+ Retreat Scheduled for March 6-8 in Racine, Wisconsin

"Walking Together, Walking With Christ" is a weekend-retreat which focuses on the roles of LGBTQ+ people in a synodal church. The facilitator is Brian Flanagan, Ph.D., the John Cardinal Cody Chair of Catholic Theology at Loyola University Chicago. The program will be held from Friday to Sunday, March 6-8, 2026, at the Siena Retreat Center, 5637 Erie Street, Racine, Wisconsin.

The retreat is sponsored by New Ways Ministry, a 49-year old Catholic group which promotes ministry, justice, and reconciliation with LGBTQ+ people. The program is designed for LGBTQ+ people, family members, friends, and pastoral ministers. All are welcome. 

For more information and to register, click here.

Benedictine Sisters of Chicago: Ambos Nogales: The Many Stories of One City

Please join the Benedictine Sisters of Chicago for a special discussion on Monday, March 9 at 6:30 pm. Titled "Ambos Nogales: The Many Stories of One City", Sr. Belinda will share her experiences and reflections from a week spent at the Arizona Mexico border with other sisters from across the country.

Please RSVP to attend in person or via Zoom to Communications Coordinator Susan Clark at sclark@osbchicago.org or (773) 764-2413 x 232.

Ministers of the Word

• Saturday, February 28 at 5:00 pm - Martin Waide, Joseph McMahon
• Sunday, March 1 at 8:00 am - Jacalyn Meier, Carol Ann Munro 
• Sunday, March 1 at 10:30 am - Bob Backis, Edie Sheridan

Eucharistic Ministers

• Saturday, February 28 at 5:00 pm - Tim Harrington
• Sunday, March 1 at 8:00 am - Hallie Burhoe
• Sunday, March 1 at 10:30 am - Rafael Melendez, Patrick Robinson, Sarah Millar

Altar Servers

• Saturday, February 28 at 5:00 pm - cross bearer: Wyatt Dant; acolytes: Carter Dant, Sammy Kloster 
• Sunday, March 1 at 10:30 am - cross bearer: Javier Lassus ; acolytes: Oscar Lassus, Angel Garcia

Upcoming Mass Intentions

• Monday, March 2: 7:30 am - Communion Service
• Tuesday, March 3: 7:30 am - Purgatorial Society
• Wednesday, March 4: 7:30 am - The O'Reilly family 
• Thursday, March 5: 7:30 am - People of God
• Friday, March 6: 7:30 am - Greg Wall+
• Saturday, March 7: 5:00 pm - Wendy Cotter
• Sunday, March 8: 8:00 am - Yadveaga Hassa+; 10:30 am - Mary Lou O'Toole+ and Bobby Udrow; 10:30 am Gym - Edith Herbin+

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.