St. Gertrude Chicago

All are Welcome

1420 W. Granville,

Chicago, IL 60660

773.764.3621

stgertrude1420@stgertrudechicago.org

www.stgertrudechicago.org

Bulletin for Sunday, August 16 
and Sunday, August 23, 2026

19th and 20th Sundays in Ordinary Time

Growing Faith in Young Hearts: Register Your Children for Religious Education This School Year 

A new year of faith formation is just around the corner! Registration is now open for St. Gertrude’s 2026–2027 Religious Education program, and we invite families to join us for a year of learning, prayer, friendship, and growing closer to God.

Through engaging classes and opportunities for prayer and community, children are encouraged to discover and deepen their faith while families journey alongside them. Classes begin in September.

Registration information and resources—including the Religious Education calendar, parent handbook, online registration forms, and tuition payment information—are available in English and Spanish at stgertrudechicago.org/religious-education. Registration may also be completed in person by appointment.

We look forward to welcoming new and returning families and beginning another year of faith-filled learning together!

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

Wednesday Mornings: A Midweek Moment of Prayer

In the midst of a busy week, take a little time to slow down, be still, and listen. Our Contemplative Prayer Group gathers each Wednesday at 9:00 am in the Ministry Center Chapel (6214 N. Glenwood Ave.) for a quiet time of silent prayer, Scripture reflection, and spiritual reading.

Whether contemplative prayer is new to you or already a familiar part of your spiritual life, you are warmly welcome. Come as you are and make space for prayer and reflection in community.

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!

Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership (CSPL)

St. Gertrude is a member of the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership (CSPL), a Chicago-based organization that puts Catholic social teaching into action.



CSPL has two upcoming events this month:

• Wednesday, August 19, 5:30–8:00 pm – CSPL Membership Assembly at Chicago Theological Union (5416 S. Cornell Ave.).
• Saturday, August 29, 1:30–3:00 pm – St. Gertrude CSPL Team meeting in the Ministry Center. Meet fellow parishioners and learn how to support our parish's social justice efforts.

For more information or to register for the Membership Assembly, contact Jeanne Rattenbury at jeanne.rattenbury@gmail.com. All are welcome!

Care for Real Collection — August 22–23

Small acts of generosity can make a meaningful difference. On August 22–23, please help support our neighbors by bringing nonperishable food and other essential items to the Care for Real Collection before or after any Mass.

St. Gertrude hosts Care for Real collections on the first and fourth weekends of each month, providing a regular opportunity for our parish community to respond to local needs and share with our neighbors.

Wondering what items are most needed right now? For the latest wish list and links to Care for Real’s social media pages, visit linktr.ee/cfrchicago.

Thank you for helping make sure our neighbors have access to the food and essentials they need. Your generosity truly matters!

Rectory Office Closed on Labor Day

The Rectory office will be closed on Monday, September 7, in observance of Labor Day. A Communion Service will be held at 7:30 am 

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

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.

Serve at the Altar: Altar Server Training Available

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.

Growing in Faith for August 16: “I Hear You!” Jesus and the Canaanite Mother

Have you noticed that whenever the early Church tells a Jesus miracle story, his encounter with the petitioner will always hold a teaching for the disciple? In this story, Jesus changes his firm no to a swift YES because he listened with an open heart.

In our culture, we miss the ways in which this woman offended propriety. A woman was never to approach men outside her family and, if necessary, had to have a reputable woman with her, or a young child, as a chaperone to her honor. This woman comes alone. Secondly, she has no intention of converting to Jesus’ God, but plans to return to her pagan practices. No wonder if Jesus seems provoked at first and denies her, in light of the needs of the Jewish community! But she takes his exclusive image, separating the feeding of children before dogs (!), and shows that they DO eat together. When she serves a meal, the dogs come running and eat what the children drop or throw to them, so simultaneous eating between them does happen in the house. Her holding on, with great faith, moved Jesus, and he saw, She was right! Jesus reports to her that the demon was expelled from her daughter, even as she was answering Jesus.

We are all together here in God’s house!! This story tells us to be open-hearted to listen even to the most unlikely people, as Jesus did, and, hearing wisdom, follow it! ALL ARE WELCOME.

~ Sister Wendy Cotter, CSJ, Ph.D.

Growing in Faith for August 23

Today in Isaiah, the arrogant Shebna is removed from his position and replaced with the faithful Eliakim, given authority to guide the house of Judah. In the Gospel, Peter is likewise entrusted by Jesus with the building of His church. I’ve often thought that we all have jobs entrusted to us by God—in fact, three jobs.

The first is the obvious, public-facing roles we play—spouse, parent, teacher, mechanic, whatever we do that everyone sees. Our second job is more private—we know what we need to work on to become all that God promises, even if we don’t admit it publicly and even have trouble admitting it to ourselves. “I need to be more patient.” “I need to learn to forgive more easily.” “I wish I trusted God more and worried less.” We come back to these again and again, praying, working, hopefully growing.

The third job is the hardest because we don’t know exactly what it is. All of us share a commission to live the Kingdom every day. Even in the smallest kindness, greatness can be had. This is the famous butterfly effect, where apparently insignificant events can have huge effects. God only asks us to be open, kind, humble. Perhaps we are patient with a frazzled cashier, who then has the bandwidth to support a troubled family member, who then has the wherewithal to get on track and make a positive contribution to society. We may never know the extent of our influence, but we are all part of the Great Commission in Matthew 28:16–20. The Quaker expression “let your life speak” tells us how: to live authentically, aligning our values with the needs we see, using action over words. This is what it means to live the Kingdom, and this is the job entrusted to us by God.

~ Denise Goodman

Explore the Catholic Faith Through OCIA

Registration is now 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 in September, 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.

New Parishioners

• Bill Massolia

Rest in Peace

• Charlotte Sullivan passed away peacefully into eternal rest August 10, 2026. She is survived by her daughter, Debbie Sullivan.

Ministers of the Word

• Saturday, August 15 at 5:00 pm - Janie Carrillo
• Sunday, August 16 at 8:00 am - Carol Ann Munro, Kathryn Stimac
• Sunday, August 16 at 10:30 am - Eric Ameyaw, Tim Love

Eucharistic Ministers

• Saturday, August 15 at 5:00 pm - Steven Monti
• Sunday, August 16 at 8:00 am - Rob Sierzega
• Sunday, August 16 at 10:30 am - Troy McMillan, Sarah Millar, Maria Luisa Ugarte

Altar Servers

• Saturday, August 15 at 5:00 pm - cross bearer: Owen Craft; acolyte: Ethan Craft, Raiden Cruz
• Sunday, August 16 at 8:00 am - cross bearer: Bradley Phelps
• Sunday, August 16 at 10:30 am - cross bearer: Oscar Lassus; acolyte: Xavier Lassus, Diarmuid McKeown

Upcoming Mass Intentions


Monday, August 17: 7:30 am - Communion Service

Tuesday, August 18: 7:30 am - Norman H. Linke+

Wednesday, August 19: 7:30 am

Thursday, August 20: 7:30 am

Friday, August 21: 7:30 am

Saturday, August 22: 5:00 pm

Sunday, August 23: 8:00 am - Loretta Wiorek+; 10:30 am - Judy O'Toole+

Monday, August 24: 7:30 am - Communion Service

Tuesday, August 25: 7:30 am - Jan Adams+

Wednesday, August 26: 7:30 am - Apolonia Sia+

Thursday, August 27: 7:30 am

Friday, August 28: 7:30 am

Saturday, August 29: 5:00 pm

Sunday, August 30: 8:00 am - Yvonne Lobo+; 10:30 am

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.