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 22, 2026

The Fifth Sunday of Lent

A Message from Fr. Sergio: Your Voice Matters—Please Complete the DMI Survey

St. Gertrude is on a journey to know, love, and serve Christ more deeply—and to grow as a parish community. To help guide us, we are asking for your participation in the Disciple Maker Index (DMI), an anonymous survey that provides insight into our parish’s strengths and areas for growth.

At this time, however, our response rate is very low.

I cannot emphasize enough how critical your participation is. Without broad input from our parish community, we cannot form a clear or accurate picture of where we are—or where God is calling us to go next. The strength of this effort depends on hearing from you. Your voice, your experiences, and your hopes for our parish truly matter.

I ask you to take a few minutes to complete the survey before Palm Sunday, March 29. The survey is available online by scanning the QR code or visiting https://bit.ly/DMIsurveyStGerts. Paper copies are also available in the back of the church.

Please do not assume that others will respond in your place. Each response brings us closer to understanding how we can better serve Christ—and one another—here at St. Gertrude.

Thank you for your time and your commitment to our parish.

With gratitude and prayers,

Fr. Sergio

Sunday, March 22

• Third Scrutiny
• Second Collection for our Almoner’s Program
• Care for Real Collection before/after Masses
• After the 10:30 am Masses - Brewed at St. Gertrude parish hospitality event in the Social Hall
• After the Brewed at St. Gertrude (around 12:15 pm) - "Catholic Social Teaching in the Past and the Present Moment" discussion (SH)

Monday, March 23

• 7:00 pm - Deanery Bilingual Lenten Reconciliation Service at St. Nicholas campus of St. John XXIII Parish, 806 Ridge Avenue, Evanston

Thursday, March 26

• 6:00 pm - Simple Supper in the Ministry Center
• 7:00 pm - Lenten Spirituality Session: Almsgiving: The Third Pillar of Lent with a Panel of St. Gertrude Parishioners

Friday, March 27

• 8:00 am - Rosary and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament begins
• 3:00 pm - Stations of the Cross (traditional)
• 6:00-6:30 pm - Music, Stillness, Solidarity in church (quiet contemplation offered with music) 
• 6:30 pm - Stations of the Cross (social justice theme: )Way of the Cross for Our Time
• 7:00 pm - Guadalupanos Rosary Group
• Benediction and Closing of Exposition

Saturday, March 28

• 4:15-4:45 pm - Sacrament of Reconciliation available
• Second Collection for our Almoner’s Program

Palm Sunday, March 29

• 8:00 am - Mass
• 10:30 am - Combined Mass and Palm Sunday Procession (No Gym Mass)

Holy Thursday, April 2

• No morning Mass
• 7:00 pm - Mass of the Lord's Supper (live-streamed)
• Special collection for the Catholic Extension Society
• Adoration - church open until midnight

Good Friday, April 3

• No morning Mass
• The Rectory office is closed.
• 3:00 pm - Living Stations of the Cross performed by the parish youth group
• 7:00 pm - Commemoration of the Lord’s Passion and Veneration of the Cross (live-streamed)
• Special collection for the Pontifical Good Friday Collection for the Holy Land

Holy Saturday, April 4

• No morning Mass
• No Sacrament of Reconciliation
• 11:00 am - Blessing of Easter baskets
• 8:00 pm - Easter Vigil Mass (live-streamed)

Easter Sunday, April 5

• 8:00 am - Mass in church
• 10:30 am - Mass in church
• 10:35 am - Overflow Mass in the Gym

Easter Monday, April 6

• The Rectory office is closed.

Fridays During March: Prayers for World Peace, Rosaries, Stations of the Cross, Mediation

As conflict in Iran continues to grow, we turn to God in prayer.

The church will be open from 7:30 am to 7:30 pm for prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. The full schedule is:

• 7:30 am – Daily Mass
• 8:00 am – Rosary and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
• 3:00 pm – Stations of the Cross (traditional)
• 6:00 pm – Musical Meditation: Music, Stillness, Solidarity
• 6:30 pm – Stations of the Cross (social justice-themed: Way of the Cross for Our Time)
• 7:00 pm – Bilingual Rosary
• 7:30 pm – Benediction and Closing of Exposition

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. 

"Brewed at St. Gertrude" Gathering This Sunday, March 22

Please join us on Sunday, March 22, for a parish hospitality event, "Brewed at St. Gertrude!" Following the 10:30 am church and gym masses, come to the Social Hall for 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! 

"Catholic Social Teaching in the Past and the Present Moment" Follow-Up Discussion Planned for This Sunday, March 22

All are invited to a follow-up discussion of Catholic Social Teaching in the Past and the Present Moment on Sunday, March 22. It will be held just after the Brewed at St. Gertrude gathering in the Social Hall.

This engaging program will feature two of our own parishioners—Heidi Schlumpf, senior correspondent for Commonweal, and Michelle Nickerson, a Professor of History at Loyola University Chicago, —both published authors and past speakers at St. Gertrude’s.

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

Lenten Communal Sacrament of Reconciliation This Monday, March 23 (in Evanston)

There is a Bilingual Lenten Reconciliation Service 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.

On Saturdays from 4:15-4:45 pm, except for Holy Saturday, private confession is available. 

Lenten Simple Supper and Lenten Spirituality Session - Thursday, March 26

Lent is better together! Join us for a simple meal, meaningful conversation, and community. The final Simple Supper on Thursday, March 26 at 6:00 pm will be held in the Social Hall (1401 W. Granville Ave.)and will be hosted by Northside Catholic Academy.

The final Lenten Spirituality Sessions will be on Thursday, March 26 in the Social Hall from 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm following our Simple Supper

We will discuss Almsgiving: The Third Pillar of Lent. A panel of four parishioners – Mary Kate Cahill, Rich Goode, Krista Chinchilla-Patzke, and Bob Backis will reflect on the question of what it means to engage in almsgiving. Is almsgiving focused on just sharing our financial resources or is there a deeper meaning to this spiritual practice. What does almsgiving mean in our society and in our country in which so many live in fear, express a poverty of loneliness, lack of meaning, purpose, love, and community. We will have an opportunity to reflect on our own practice of almsgiving and its place in our conversion of heart and the transformation of the world.

Care for Real Collection is March 27-28

SNAP is the most effective way to address food insecurity in the United States. As SNAP eligibility requirements change, many of our neighbors are at risk of losing their benefits. This is especially true for seniors and others who do not have an exemption and are now required to work or volunteer 80 hours per month and report this to the state.

As a result of these new requirements and the difficulty meeting them, Care for Real anticipates an increase in need for their services.  The Chicago Sun-Times covers these challenges in this article: Older Chicagoans at high risk of losing SNAP food assistance as new work rules kick in

St. Gertrude has a collection drive for our neighbors in need on March 27-28 and again April 4-5. Visit https://linktr.ee/cfrchicagoforinformation 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.  

Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership (CSPL) Meeting Planned for Saturday, April 11

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, April 11, 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! 

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.

What are the Scrutinies?



At this weekend’s Sunday Vigil (Saturday, March 21 at 5:00 pm), we continue the “Scrutinies.” These are special rites for the women and men who have been meeting weekly to explore their faith and their movement into the Catholic Church on Holy Saturday.

On the third, fourth, and fifth Sundays of Lent each year, we call these candidates and catechumens forward and invite them to reflect upon their past lives and commit themselves to repentance as they continue this spiritual journey to a new life. We celebrate these rites publicly in order for all of us, already baptized and confirmed Catholics, to reflect upon our own lives and how we have or have not lived up to the promises made at our own baptisms.

And, like these searchers, we also are invited to reject whatever has been sinful in our lives, leading us away from the Lord. We ask God’s help to cleanse us of our sins and follow the true path of Our Lord’s Gospel.

Growing in Faith

The readings for the Fifth Sunday of Lent speak about belief and trust—something we all have to grapple with in our daily lives. In my own life, as I navigate the challenges of losing loved ones, coping with what I endured while growing up, being a mother, and living in an increasingly cruel world, I have questioned God: Why do we lose our loved ones?

I feel like Martha, who says to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” I am sure we have all asked this question. I know I did when my sister lost her husband to cancer—the hardest thing I have ever seen her go through.

What I have learned is to let God show you the way. This is where belief and trust come in. When it comes to our lives and our relationship with God, we must allow Him to show us the right signs—and we must listen. It can be challenging, because we do not always recognize those signs, but we must not give up.

God has shown me signs to turn my life around: by blessing me with two beautiful daughters, and by giving me a near-death experience that offered me a second chance to be the best mother I can be. We have to seek peace and silence in order to understand the signs God is showing us and to believe in what He is doing.

For God has said, “I have promised, and I will do it!”

~ Jasmine Ott

New Parishioner

• Ezekiel Tsieh

Rest in Peace

• Carolyn Carlson, mother of Laurel Thomas (Chris)
• Alice Czech, mother of Anthony and the late Timothy, wife of the late William; wake at Barr Funeral Home on March 23 from 3:00-8:00 pm; Funeral March 24 at 11:00 am at St. Gertrude

Ministers of the Word

• Saturday, March 21 at 5:00 pm - Joseph McMahon, Patrick Reardon
• Sunday, March 22 at 8:00 am - Jennifer Kiedaisch, Hallie Burhoe 
• Sunday, March 22 at 10:30 am - Troy McMillan, Theo Fletcher  

Eucharistic Ministers

• Saturday, March 21 at 5:00 pm - Anthony Myers
• Sunday, March 22 at 8:00 am - Kathy Wall 
• Sunday, March 22 at 10:30 am - Ellen Pierce, Annie Hasselbeck , Stephen Hasselbeck

Altar Servers

• Saturday, March 21 at 5:00 pm - cross bearer: Ethan Craft; acolytes: Owen Craft, Ethan Craft  
• Sunday, March 22 at 10:30 am - cross bearer: Diarmuid McKeown; acolytes: Carter Dant, Wyatt Dant 

Upcoming Mass Intentions

• Monday, March 23: 7:30 am - Communion Service
• Tuesday, March 24: 7:30 am - Sheridan Gorman+; 11:00 am - funeral for Alice Czech
• Wednesday, March 25: 7:30 am - Jack Taylor+
• Thursday, March 26: 7:30 am - Caprice Boylan+
• Friday, March 27: 7:30 am - Michael Browne+; 10:00 am -funeral for Michael Browne
• Saturday, March 28: 10:00 am - funeral for Marie Isaily; 5:00 pm - Marie Isaily+
• Palm Sunday, March 29: 8:00 am - The Marren and Gracey family; 10:30 am - Parishioners of St. Gertrude

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.