Celebrating 100 Years
Archbishop Christopher Cardone, O.P., archbishop of the Solomon Islands and a friar of the Province of St. Joseph, helps St. Gertrude Parish kickoff the Centennial Year with Mass. Photo by Ron Diesslin.
Celebrating 100 Years
By Michelle Dushensky
St. Gertrude Parish has been a beacon in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati for decades. Last November, the parish celebrated its 100th anniversary, wrapping up a year of festivities that began October 2022, with a kickoff Mass celebrated by Archbishop Christopher Cardone, O.P., archbishop of the Solomon Islands, a friar of the Province of St. Joseph and a former parochial vicar at St. Gertrude Parish.
Like most Catholic parishes, St. Gertrude has a humble beginning. In November 1923, “St. Gertrude’s Mission” was just a small group of Catholic families celebrating Mass each week in a private residence at the corner of Naomi and Miami avenues. Today, the parish is pastored by the Dominican Friars of the Province of St. Joseph and home to 1,800 families, a distinguished church building and campus, an abundance of opportunities to attend Mass and receive the sacraments, over 300 students, and the novitiate for the Province of St. Joseph.
St. Gertrude Parish held a variety of special events over the past year: a showing of an episode of The Chosen (with a surprise appearance from actor Jonathan Roumie), a talk entitled “Understanding this Catholic Moment” by Catholic intellectual George Weigel, an evening of live music performed by nationally acclaimed music group The Vigil Project, a pig roast, a father/son event with presentation from Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz, a historic Corpus Christi procession through downtown Madeira, and a black-tie Gala fundraiser.
Fr. John Paul Walker, O.P., pastor of St. Gertrude’s gives hearty approval for the parish’s Centennial Year pig roast. Photo by George Kimura.
The year culminated with a two-fold celebration: a solemn Mass celebrated by Archbishop Schnurr, archbishop of Cincinnati, followed by a candlelight procession around the parish (on the feast of St. Gertrude the Great and the founding of the parish); and a festive gathering in the Parish Center, featuring authentic German food, live music, and plenty of fun!
“Our centennial year was a year of profound grace,” said Fr. John Paul Walker, O.P., pastor of St. Gertrude Parish. “It gave us the opportunity to look back and thank God for the 100 years of blessings already bestowed upon us. It brought our parish together and more united us with one another—and, more importantly, with the Lord. It gave us the opportunity to reflect upon where we are now as a parish and what God is calling us to be in the future, so that we can embrace the great mission to which we are called.”
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