Catechists Needed to Teach Religious Education and Kids Word This School Year

We are looking for catechists to teach in our parish’s Religious Ed program this Fall and for our weekly Kids Word! Catechists are usually not professional teachers, just willing parents and parishioners who enjoy kids and want to help them grow in a personal relationship with God, participate in the sacraments, develop a mature conscience, and integrate faith in all areas of their lives.

Please consider offering your time and talents to help our young people learn about and grow in their faith.

Questions? Reach out to Eloy Escamilla, Pastoral Associate, at eescamilla@stgertrudechicago.org or call 773.764.3621.

Golden Wedding Anniversary Mass – September 18

Couples celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary from across the Archdiocese of Chicago are invited to gather together for the Golden Wedding Anniversary Mass that will be celebrated by Cardinal Cupich on Sunday, September 18 at 2:30 pm. The Mass will be held at Holy Name Cathedral.

Click here for information & to register

Choir Resumes on September 11

The 10:30 am choir will resume next weekend! New members are welcome, as well as cantors interested in singing at the 10:30 am and other weekend Masses. The group practices on Sunday mornings at 9:40 am and on Thursday nights at 7:00 pm when we have special music.

To join or for more information, contact Mary Clare Barker at 773.764.3621 or mcbarker@stgertrudechicago.org.

Growing in Faith

Pope Francis has addressed the world in his letter about the Care of Creation. It’s too long to print here, but we’ve excerpted part of it. Find the

entire letter at https://bit.ly/Careforcreation2022.

Dear brothers and sisters!

“Listen to the voice of creation” is the theme … of this year’s Season of Creation. [From Sept 1st, the “World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation” to Oct 4th, the Feast of Saint Francis.] It is a special time for all Christians to pray and work together to care for our common home. […] If we learn how to listen, we can hear in the voice of creation a kind of dissonance. On the one hand, we can hear a sweet song in praise of our beloved Creator; on the other, an anguished plea, lamenting our mistreatment of this our common home.

The sweet song of creation invites us to [practice] an “ecological spirituality” attentive to God’s presence in the natural world. It [summons us] to base our spirituality on the “loving awareness that we are not disconnected from the rest of creatures, but joined in a splendid universal communion.” (Laudato Si).

Tragically, that sweet song is accompanied by a cry of anguish. [No: a chorus of anguished cries! …] It is our sister, mother earth, who cries out. Prey to our consumerist excesses, she...implores us to put an end to our abuses and to her destruction. 

Listening to these anguished cries, we must repent and modify our lifestyles and destructive systems. […] As persons of faith, we feel ourselves even more responsible for acting each day in accordance with the summons to conversion.

~ Pope Francis

New Catholic Podcast 

Have you ever had a question about Catholicism that you couldn’t find an easy answer to? Or a question about a teaching or tradition that seemed to have five different answers, none of them satisfactory? Or maybe you even had a question you felt you weren’t allowed to ask. The new podcast from U.S. Catholic, Glad You Asked, may be just what you are looking for. 

Glad You Asked, hosted by editors Emily Sanna and Rebecca Bratten Weiss, explores some of the questions about Catholicism that don’t have obvious answers—questions that open doors to more in-depth discussion of Catholic history, tradition, and the development of teachings. 

Whether you’re unfamiliar with Catholicism and simply interested in learning more about a major world religion, a convert trying to find your way around a new faith community, or a lifetime Catholic with a longing for thoughtful, empathetic, responsible conversation, the Glad You Asked podcast has something to keep your mind and your heart engaged. 

You can subscribe to Glad You Asked on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or HERE to receive updates about new episodes. 

Take Advantage of Higher Payout Rates! 

For the first time since 2018, charitable gift annuity payout rates have increased – allowing you the opportunity to benefit more from your giving and to help ensure that God’s good work continues. When you establish a charitable gift annuity with the archdiocese, not only will you receive fixed payments for life, but you can designate our parish as the remainder beneficiary.

You can schedule payments according to your financial needs, and enjoy immediate and future tax benefits, including a federal income tax deduction for a portion of your gift, if you itemize. Also, a portion of each annuity payment will be tax-free (through life expectancy).

Contact Eduardo Soto at esoto@stgertrudechicago.org or 773.764.3621for more information or visit https://giving.archchicago.org/cga.

Rest in Peace

• Frank Bornhofen
• Thomas Wilcynski
• Gilda Wrenn 

Ways to Help Our Parish: Amazon Smile, Text to Give, GiveCentral, PayPal, and Amazon Smile

Visit smile.amazon.com and select St. Gertrude Parish as your charity of choice. From then on, connect to Amazon through smile.amazon.com and St. Gertrude will automatically benefit as your charity of choice.

We have set up a "Text to Give" option through GiveCentral. Parishioners are welcome to text the word Donate to 1.773.741.9505 to make a donation via phone. 

To access our PayPal link, please visit our parish website and donate from there. GiveCentral offers parishioners the option of one-time gifts or weekly contributions. 

For more information on text to give or to sign up for online giving, please email Eduardo Soto at esoto@stgertrudechicago.org.