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

June 28 Music Series: Preparing Our Hearts for Independence Day 6.28.26
Dear God - As we approach this Fourth of July, we seek Your guidance and blessings. We thank You for the gift of freedom and the opportunities it affords us. Grant us the wisdom to be good stewards of this liberty, that we may foster justice, unity, and compassion within our communities. Bless our nation, our leaders, and all those who have sacrificed to protect our freedoms. May this holiday serve as a reminder of the values that bind us together as one nation under God. Amen. Wishing you a wonderful week leading up to the Fourth of July and a joyful Independence Day from all of us at OSP! As we look ahead to the 250th anniversary of the United States, we invite you to enjoy this special music episode in celebration of our nation's history, spirit, and enduring hope!
10 min
June 23 Dad Is a Verb - Ryan Malawy 6.21.26
Think about all the people who helped shape you into the person you are today. Chances are, it wasn't just one person. It may have been a parent, a teacher, a coach, a neighbor, an uncle, or a family friend. In their own way, each stepped into your life with presence, encouragement, and loving guidance, reminding you that you didn't have to face life alone.
It's in these moments that we realize God often works through a whole community of people. His love becomes tangible through those who show up, invest in us, and help us become who we are meant to be.
And since we recently celebrated Father's Day, our attention turns especially to those who have played the role of a father. We are reminded that there are many ways to be a dad. In fact, you might say that dad is a verb. Fatherhood is not simply a title or a matter of biology. It's something you do. It's showing up. It's offering guidance, encouragement, and steadfast love. It's being present.
Because the people who shape us most are often the ones who gave us life and the ones who gave us their time, their presence, and their love. Fatherhood is more than biology—it's a way of loving. In other words, it's choosing to "dad."
This past Sunday, Ryan Malawy offered a special reflection at Mass on the many ways one can be a father and the profound impact father figures—whether dads, foster parents, stepfathers, grandfathers, mentors, neighbors, or friends—can have on the lives of those they love and guide.
11 min
June 21Music Series: Happy Father's Day 6.21.26
The Old St. Pat's Music Series Is Brought To You By The Old St. Pat's Choir
Today's music series features a musical medley as a special tribute to all Dads, Stepdads, Grandfathers, and all Father figures!
The featured songs today are:
Our Father (The Lord's Prayer)

You Raise Me Up (Lovland/Graham)
6 min
June 16 A Glimpse of Something Holy - Fr. Pat McGrath 6.14.26
Do you ever find yourself unexpectedly emotional when listening to a beautiful song? Maybe it's at a concert when thousands of voices join together, and suddenly you feel something stirring deep within you.
Or perhaps you've gotten teary-eyed watching a loved one walk across a graduation stage, hearing a moving speech, or witnessing an act of kindness that seemed to restore your faith in humanity.
Maybe it happens while standing before a breathtaking piece of art, watching a sunset over the water, or stepping into a sacred space that leaves you speechless. In those moments, it's almost as if a part of your soul has been recognized—seen in a way that words can't quite explain.
Beauty has a remarkable power to stop us in our tracks. It bypasses our defenses, reaches beyond logic, and speaks directly to the soul. It reminds us that we are part of something larger than ourselves—a story filled with wonder, meaning, and grace. Sometimes our hearts recognize a truth before our minds can fully understand it.
And perhaps that's why beauty can bring us to tears. Not because we're sad, but because for a brief moment we catch a glimpse of something holy, we catch a glimpse of God.
In today's episode, Father Pat McGrath explores how beauty awakens compassion, reveals the dignity of every person, and opens our eyes to God's presence in the world around us.
So the next time something beautiful brings tears to your eyes, pay attention. It just might be God speaking to your soul.
17 min
June 09 So Much Can Happen at the Table - Fr. Tom Hurley 6.7.26
Think about the last time you gathered around a table with family or friends.
Maybe it was a holiday meal. Maybe it was dinner after a long day. Maybe it was coffee with a friend. Whatever the occasion, chances are it involved more than food. Around the table, stories were shared. Laughter erupted. Memories were made. And perhaps there were even difficult conversations, tears, or moments of healing.
There's something powerful about a table. It brings us together. It unites.
We arrive hungry, but we leave with more than a full stomach. We leave feeling connected. Nourished. Reminded that we belong to something bigger than ourselves.
In many ways, that's what happens every time we gather for the Eucharist.
We come carrying the joys, worries, questions, and challenges of our lives. We bring our successes and failures, our celebrations and sorrows. And at the table of the Lord, we hear Jesus say, "I am the bread of life." We are fed by His presence, strengthened by His love, and reminded that we do not walk this journey alone.
But the Eucharist is not simply something we receive. It is something that transforms us.
Just as a family meal strengthens us physically, the Eucharist nourishes us spiritually and sends us back into the world with purpose and inner peace. We are fed so that we can feed others. We are comforted so that we can offer comfort. We are loved so that we can become love in action.
Today, Father Tom Hurley reflects on the beautiful connection between the tables of our everyday lives and the altar table and he challenges us to see the Eucharist as the source of spiritual life - nourishing, strengthening, and renewing us so that we can become nourishment, comfort, and support for others.
18 min
June 07Music Series: One Bread One Body, Holy Is Your Name, Go Light Your World 6.7.26
The Old St. Pat's Music Series Is Brought To You By The Old St. Pat's Choir
The featured songs today are:
One Bread One Body

Holy Is Your Name

Go Light Your World
15 min
June 02 Created for Connection - Fr. Jack Wall 5.31.26
Have you ever felt lonely? Not just physically alone, but disconnected and unseen. Like you're moving through life without a real sense of belonging.
It's a curious paradox of modern life. We can live in a city of millions yet still feel isolated. We can spend our days on video calls, emails, and text messages and go hours—or even days—without a meaningful face-to-face conversation.
We live in an age of unprecedented connection, and yet many people are experiencing unprecedented loneliness. Why? Perhaps it's because, deep down, we were never meant to live as isolated individuals.
At our very core, we are relational beings. We were created to be connected to God and to one another.
Think about the moments when you feel most alive. Chances are they involve relationships: sharing a meal with friends, helping someone in need, laughing with family, encouraging a coworker, mentoring a young person, or simply sitting with someone who needs to be heard. There is something about giving love, receiving love, and being known by others that awakens us to our deepest selves.
We discover who we are, not by focusing only on ourselves, but by giving ourselves away in love.
Not out of obligation, guilt, or trying to earn approval. But rather, because we already know we are loved by God. When we recognize ourselves as beloved, love naturally begins to overflow.
So today, Father Jack invites us to look at the people right in front of us and recognize that every relationship is an opportunity to love and to become who we were created to be.
13 min
May 31Music Series: Go Be Justine, For the Healing of the World, In the Breaking of the Bread 5.31.26
The Old St. Pat's Music Series Is Brought To You By The Old St. Pat's Choir
The featured songs today are:
Go Be Justine

For the Healing of the World

In the Breaking of the Bread
12 min
May 26 From Fear to Peace - Fr. Pat McGrath 5.24.26
What is one thing in your life right now that you are not doing because you are afraid? Maybe you are afraid of failing. Afraid of what others might think. Afraid of being judged, rejected, or not being enough. Maybe you are afraid of letting someone down, getting hurt, or stepping into something uncertain. Fear has a way of locking us up. It convinces us to stay quiet, small, and hidden. But think about the moments in your life when you did push past the fear. What helped you move forward? Maybe it was encouragement from someone you trusted. Maybe it was focusing less on yourself and more on the people you could help. Maybe it was remembering the joy, healing, or goodness that could come if you took the risk anyway.
Courage is not the absence of fear. Often, courage is simply recognizing that something else is more important than fear.
Fear is part of the human experience. Even the disciples at Pentecost were afraid. They literally locked themselves in a room — confused, anxious, and uncertain about what would come next. But then Jesus entered into that fear and spoke peace. He breathed the Holy Spirit upon them and sent them out on a mission so the world could hear the Good News of the Gospel.
And it is a good thing they left that room. Because their courage changed lives. Their willingness to move forward despite fear allowed others to encounter hope, healing, and the love of God.
Whatever fear you may be carrying today, remember this: fear does not have to have the final word. You can still feel afraid and move forward anyway. And when you do, both you and the people around you can be blessed by your courage. It can strengthen you, stretch you, and help you grow into the person God is calling you to be.
In today’s episode, Father Pat McGrath reminds us that the question is not whether fear exists. The question is whether we will allow the Holy Spirit to move us beyond it and into the life and mission God is calling us to live.
15 min
May 19 Divine Empathy - Fr. Ed Foley 5.17.26
Have you ever had the chance to care for someone? Maybe professionally as a nurse or doctor, or maybe in a personal way — caring for a sick child, helping a spouse recover after surgery, or supporting a bedridden friend. When someone is unable to care for themselves fully, you become their hands and feet. You bring the medicine, prepare the meals, offer comfort, run errands, and help them heal. Their well-being depends, in part, on your willingness to show up with love, compassion, and empathy.
And often, the most healing part of care is not the task itself, but the feeling that someone truly sees your pain and is there for you. That is the power of empathy. It reminds us that we are not alone in our suffering. At the heart of the Ascension that we celebrated this past Sunday is this beautiful truth that Jesus does not leave humanity behind. Instead, He carries the full human experience — our grief, fear, heartbreak, joy, and hope — into the very heart of God. The Ascension is not about distance from humanity, but divine empathy embracing it forever.
In many ways, that is exactly what the Feast of the Ascension asks of us. Jesus’ physical body is no longer here on earth. And so now, we are called to become His hands and feet, His voice, His compassion, and His presence in the world. We are the ones called to carry out acts of mercy, pursue justice, spread kindness, and remind people they are deeply loved by God — especially in moments when God can feel absent or far away.
And imperfect as we are, we are the ones entrusted to continue His mission. So today Fr. Ed Foley reminds us that Jesus is counting on us to be His healing presence in the world.
19 min

About Old St. Pat's Podcast

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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…