Old St. Pat's Podcast

By Old St. Patrick's Church, Father Bryan Massingale, Fr. Bryan MassingaleSociety & Culture Religion & Spirituality Christianity Education Self-Improvement Philosophy

Old St. Pat's Podcast episodes

April 15, 2025 The Passion as Practice - Fr. Joe Simmons, SJ 4.13.25
A lot can happen in a week. And if you’ve been paying attention to the news or reflecting on your own life, you probably know that all too well. In one moment, things are smooth and joyful; in the next, we’re hit with grief, surprise, or uncertainty. It can feel like we’re on a rollercoaster of emotions.
That emotional ride is what we step into during Holy Week. The Passion of our Lord isn’t just a story we tell—it’s a practice. A spiritual rehearsal. Because just like the Passion, life is filled with joy and sorrow, triumph and heartbreak. And by walking with Jesus through this week, we prepare ourselves to navigate the unpredictable terrain of our own lives. This Holy Week, let’s reflect on why Holy Week matters—not just liturgically, but personally. The Passion is elaborate, sad, and beautiful, revealing how Jesus’ deeply human experiences—celebration, betrayal, grief, and love—mirror our own. Today, Father Joe Simmons invites us to consider how Holy Week teaches us to endure, to hope, and to walk forward—together.
13 min
April 13, 2025Music Series: Come Wounded People, The Greater Glory of God, I Am The Bread of Life 4.13.25
The Old St. Pat's Music Series Is Brought To You By The Old St. Pat's Choir
The featured songs today are:
Come Wounded People
The Greater Glory of God
I Am The Bread of Life
10 min
April 08, 2025 Angels, Devils, and the Daily Choice - Fr. Paul Shelton 4.6.25
It’s a powerful realization, isn’t it? To know that we are complex human beings—beautifully flawed, constantly evolving. We’re all a bit like those cartoon characters with the angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other. Every day, we’re faced with a choice. And in that choice lies the tension between good and evil, between judgment and mercy, between who we think we are—and who God is calling us to become.
God invites us to let go of the old way of condemnation and step into something radically different: the Christ way—a way of compassion, forgiveness, and deep understanding.
Today, Fr. Paul Shelton reflects on the complexity of our humanness and the relentless love of a God who never gives up on us. A God who believes we can always choose a better path and extend grace to others—because the truth is, one day we may be the ones in need of the very forgiveness we’re tempted to withhold.
14 min
April 06, 2025Music Series: Gather Us In, Bread of Life, My Chains Are Gone 4.6.25
The Old St. Pat's Music Series Is Brought To You By The Old St. Pat's Choir
The featured songs today are:
Gather Us In
Bread of Life
My Chains Are Gone
11 min
April 01, 2025 Love That Defies Logic - Fr. Ed Foley 3.30.25
On a day dedicated to pranks, tricks, and making each other look a little foolish, have you ever thought of God as a fool? A fool in love?
The world celebrates IQ, emotional intelligence, business acumen, and creativity—but are those the things that truly define a successful life? Society tells us intelligence is about strategy, success, and getting ahead. But wisdom tells a different story.
And God’s wisdom looks nothing like the world’s. It’s a love so relentless, so reckless by human standards, that it keeps forgiving, keeps chasing, keeps embracing—even when it seems downright foolish to do so. And that divine love calls us to do the same—to run toward the lost, the forgotten, the ones the world would rather leave behind.
So today, on this April Fools’ Day, Fr. Ed Foley invites us to reconsider: Who is the real fool? The one who chases after worldly success without regard for human dignity, or the one who loves without limits? Join us as Fr. Foley explores the difference between intelligence and wisdom—and why true wisdom, the kind that prioritizes justice, dignity, and love, is the only kind that really matters.
23 min
March 30, 2025Music Series: I Turn to You Lord, I Will Be the Vine, Lead Me, Guide Me 3.30.25
The Old St. Pat's Music Series Is Brought To You By The Old St. Pat's Choir
The featured songs today are:
I Turn to You, Lord
I Will Be the Vine
Lead Me, Guide Me
11 min
March 25, 2025 Planted with Purpose - Fr. Tom Hurley 3.23.25
Farmers must carefully tend to their crops in order to do a good job. A good seed needs the right environment—sunlight, water, nutrients, and space—to truly thrive. Without the right conditions, even the best seed won’t produce fruit. We are the same way.
Our environment matters. The people around us, the care we receive, the love and patience we’re shown—these shape us. And just like the gardener in Jesus’ parable, God is at work, nurturing us with everything we need to grow, survive, and flourish. He stays with us, not because of what we produce but because we are His. His sons and daughters. So what does that mean for us? It means we need to be patient with one another. Maybe someone isn’t in the right environment to be their best self right now. Perhaps they need time, care, and grace.
Most importantly, it means that our worth isn’t tied to what we do or achieve. We are more than what we produce. Today, Father Tom Hurley brings us a powerful message about God’s patience and care and calls us to cultivate hearts of compassion.
18 min
March 23, 2025Music Series: Be Thou My Vision, There Is A Place, I Will Lift My Eyes 3.23.25
The Old St. Pat's Music Series Is Brought To You By The Old St. Pat's Choir
The featured songs today are:
Be Thou My Vision
There Is A Place
I Will Lift My Eyes
12 min
March 18, 2025 Lent & Listening: What Is God Saying to You? - Fr. Jayme Stayer 3.16.25
In the rush of daily life, it’s easy to be pulled in a thousand directions—distracted, drained, and defined by what we produce. But did you know that silence is the decoy of the Holy Spirit? We allow God’s voice to break through the noise when we embrace stillness. Silence isn’t about doing—it’s about being so we can connect with God. Today, Father Jayme Stayer invites us to slow down, take a deep breath, and truly listen as we journey through Lent. What is God saying to you right now? Let’s quiet our hearts and find out together.
14 min
March 16, 2025Music Series: Gather Us In, Sacred Silence, Jerusalem My Destiny 3.16.25
The Old St. Pat's Music Series Is Brought To You By The Old St. Pat's Choir
The featured songs today are:
Gather Us In
Sacred Silence
Jerusalem My Destiny
10 min

About Old St. Pat's Podcast

From the publisher's feed

Old St. Patrick's is a Roman Catholic community in Chicago's bustling West Loop neighborhood, founded by Irish Immigrants on Easter morning in 1846. Since then we have grown into a home to a…