Each year on Ash Wednesday, Christians enter the season of Lent—a 40-day time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. This six-week period helps us prepare for the celebration of Jesus' resurrection at Easter. During Lent, we are called not only to read sacred Scripture (prayer), serve (give alms), and practice self-control (fast) but also to an inner conversion of heart by seeking to follow Christ's will more faithfully.
To help you get the most out of Lent 2023 and prepare for Easter in a powerful way, St. Gertrude Church is offering a weekly Wednesday Holy Hour with a short reflection and the opportunity for confession, a powerful evening of live music performed by The Vigil Project, daily confession, Friday Stations of the Cross, and more. We invite you to join us for one, two, or all of these events—a sure way to have a life-changing Lent.
To help you get the most out of Lent 2023 and prepare for Easter in a powerful way, St. Gertrude Church is offering a weekly Wednesday Holy Hour with a short reflection and the opportunity for confession, a powerful evening of live music performed by The Vigil Project, daily confession, Friday Stations of the Cross, and more. We invite you to join us for one, two, or all of these events—a sure way to have a life-changing Lent.
Wednesday Holy Hour + Eucharistic Holiness Series
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March 1, 15, 22, 29 & April 5
St. Gertrude Church | 7:30–8:30 p.m. Listen to a short reflection on the Eucharist from one of our Dominican friars and spend time in Eucharistic adoration. Three priests will be available to hear confessions. Benediction at 8:30 p.m. For more information about the five friars who will be preaching, check out their bios at the bottom of this page. Speaker Schedule |
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March 1
Father John Paul Walker, O.P. - The Eucharist and Charity
Here is a recording of Father John Paul's reflection.
Father John Paul Walker, O.P. - The Eucharist and Charity
Here is a recording of Father John Paul's reflection.
March 15
Father Joseph Alobaidi, O.P. - The Eucharist and Thanksgiving
March 22
Father Joachim Kenney, O.P. - The Eucharist and the Saints
March 29
Father John Langlois, O.P. - The Eucharist and Spiritual Hunger
April 5
Father Michael Dosch, O.P. - The Eucharist and Mercy
Father Joseph Alobaidi, O.P. - The Eucharist and Thanksgiving
March 22
Father Joachim Kenney, O.P. - The Eucharist and the Saints
March 29
Father John Langlois, O.P. - The Eucharist and Spiritual Hunger
April 5
Father Michael Dosch, O.P. - The Eucharist and Mercy
Lenten True Presence Night
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Wednesday, March 8
St. Gertrude Church | 7:30-8:30 p.m. Nationally acclaimed music group The Vigil Project presents an evening of live music, dynamic Lent-themed reflections, and a time of Eucharistic adoration to help you pray more deeply into this season and prepare for Christ’s resurrection at Easter. The Vigil Project is a nonprofit apostolate founded in 2016 by a community of musical artists with a common mission to make Catholic music for Catholic prayer. Featuring a collective of seasoned singer/songwriters and music leaders, TVP exists to invite the Church to a fresh encounter with God and to deep prayer through the experience of beautiful music. |
Learn more about The Vigil Project and listen to their music at thevigilproject.com.
Stations of the Cross
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Fridays | 7 p.m.
St. Gertrude Church Recall and meditate on 14 specific events of Jesus' passion and death for our redemption by praying the Stations of the Cross, offered on the following Fridays during Lent:
Did You Know? George Yostel, a parishioner of St. Gertrude Church, designed and sculpted our bronze Stations of the Cross, which were cast in Munich, Germany. |
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Holy Week & Easter Liturgies
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Sunday, April 2–Sunday, April 9, 2023
St. Gertrude Church April 2 | Palm Sunday 8 a.m., 10 a.m., 12 p.m., 6 p.m. Mass April 6 | Holy Thursday 8 a.m. Office of Readings & Morning Prayer (Church) 7 p.m. Mass of Our Lord's Supper* 10 p.m. Night Prayer (Church) April 7 | Good Friday (No Mass) 8 a.m. Office of Readings & Morning Prayer (Church) 3 p.m. Celebration of Our Lord's Passion (Communion Service)* 7 p.m. Stations of the Cross and Entombment of Christ April 8 | Easter Vigil 8 a.m. Office of Readings & Morning Prayer (Church) 8:45 a.m. Blessing of Easter Baskets 9 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass* April 9 | Easter 8 a.m., 10 a.m., 12 p.m.*, 6 p.m. Mass |
*The following liturgies will be livestreamed on St. Gertrude Church's YouTube channel:
– 7 p.m. Mass of Our Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday
– 3 p.m. Celebration of our Lord's Passion on Good Friday
– 9 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass
– 12 p.m. Mass on Easter
– 7 p.m. Mass of Our Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday
– 3 p.m. Celebration of our Lord's Passion on Good Friday
– 9 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass
– 12 p.m. Mass on Easter
Meet Our Dominican Friars
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Father John Paul Walker, O.P., was raised in the suburbs of Chicago and is the pastor at St. Gertrude Church. He has a B.S. in chemistry from the University of Illinois and an M.S. in chemistry and environmental engineering from Johns Hopkins University. Immediately after his graduate studies, Father John Paul entered the Dominican order and was ordained a priest in 2002. During his 20 years of priesthood, Father John Paul has worked in college campus ministry, taught theology at Providence College, served as the director of Pastoral Formation at the Dominican House of Studies, served as pastor of St. Mary in New Haven, CT, worked with the pro-life movement, had experience in Catholic young adult (20s–30s) ministry, and more.
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Father Joseph Alobaidi, O.P., is a retired professor of Bible theology and languages. He was a research assistant at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland, a Bible professor at The Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception, and a lecturer in Islamic Theology and post Biblical Judaism in Washington, D.C. He is currently a novice instructor.
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Father Joachim Kenney, O.P., grew up around Dominicans at St. Louis Bertrand Parish in Louisville, KY, and joined the Order of Preachers soon after graduating from the University of Louisville. After his ordination in 2017, Father Joachim became the parochial vicar at St. Mary Parish in New Haven, CT, where he learned the ropes of being a priest from Father John Paul until December 2021. While in Connecticut, Father Joachim assisted with Masses and confessions for the Dominican nuns at Our Lady of Grace Monastery and had the opportunity to do part-time ministry at Quinnipiac University for three and a half years. Father Joachim is happy to be part of the St. Gertrude community, working to build the Church in Madeira and Indian Hill.
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Father John Langlois, O.P., was elected the prior of St. Gertrude Church in 2020. Born in Berlin, NH, he entered the Dominican Order in 1985 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1991. He holds a doctorate in Church history, and has spent most of his priestly life teaching, both at Providence College in Providence, RI, and at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C. Immediately before coming to St. Gertrude, he served as president of the Pontifical Faculty at the Dominican House of Studies for seven years.
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Father Michael Mary Dosch, O.P., grew up on the Jersey Shore, graduated as an electrical engineer from the Catholic University of America, then worked for the Federal Aviation Administration for four years before entering the Order of Preachers in 1998. After his ordination in 2005, he was the young parochial vicar at St. Gertrude’s until 2010. After six years as pastor of St. Patrick’s in Columbus, he returned to Madeira as the Novice Master in 2016. His primary responsibility is the formation of the Novices.
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