Old St. Pat's Podcast

A clean slate. A fresh start. A new year offers us the chance to begin again. If last year left us caught between future worries and past regrets—quick to criticize, slow to trust, and weighed down by fear—then 2026 invites us to choose a new path. A road marked by reconciliation, purpose, service, and presence. Because faith is not about remaining the same—it is about being changed by what we encounter. Just as the Magi were transformed by meeting Christ in the manger, we too are invited to allow our encounters to reshape how we live. Faith is not about arriving, admiring, and leaving unchanged, but about being moved so deeply that we cannot return the way we came. The Gospel tells us the wise ones went home by a different way. And we, too, are invited—to step off familiar paths and walk new roads marked by peace, generosity, love, and healing. So today, Father Tom Hurley reminds us that the new year is not simply about resolutions—it is also about direction: choosing, again and again, to go by a different way, carrying the wisdom, peace, love, and holiness of Christ into the year ahead.

As 2025 winds down, what if next year isn’t about doing more… but becoming someone new? Someone braver, kinder, more patient… or maybe a little more forgiving? Is it time to soften, to heal, to let go of fear and step into trust? Who is it that you are being called to be in 2026? This question sits at the heart of today’s episode—and at the heart of the Christmas story itself. Because Christmas isn’t just about remembering something that happened long ago; it’s an invitation to step inside the story and let it shape us personally, here and now.

When we listen to the story of the Holy Family—from the vulnerability of a manger to the uncertainty of life as refugees—their fear, their trust, and their resilience—we begin to see how God works. Not through violence, ego, or power struggles, but through vulnerability. Through love. Through the quiet, persistent hope embodied in a child. And when we truly enter that story, it begins to change us—softening our hearts, challenging our cynicism, and inviting us toward something new. In the midst of darkness, fear, and fatigue, Christ longs to be born anew in us—as light, as healing, as hope. And even if we’re not sure we’re ready, we’re still invited to stand near the manger, to listen, to watch, and to let grace do its work. Today, Father Pat McGrath invites us not just to reflect—but to respond, to step into the new year willing to become who we are being called to be—so that, little by little, we might bring more love in the world in 2026.

What if the thing you’re avoiding right now is actually the doorway to new life? Maybe it’s that inner Scrooge whispering “Bah humbug”, convincing you to play it safe, keep your distance, and protect yourself from the messy, unpredictability of life. In the story we all know this time of year, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, Ebenezer Scrooge isn’t transformed by staying in his comfort zone. He’s changed because he has the courage to face the shadows of his past, see the truth of his present, and imagine a future that could be brighter, warmer, and more generous. Christmas becomes the moment he steps out of fear — out of his bah humbug attitude — and into love, courage, and connection. That same invitation echoes through the Advent story. It’s not a denial of fear or discomfort, but a call to bravery: to face what’s hard, trust what’s unfolding, and believe that something good can still be born. Today, Claire Noonan delivers a special Advent reflection and explores how the Advent journey continues to call us to enter into the Christmas story — and to hear, once again, the quiet but persistent reminder: Do not be afraid.

How do you use AI to make your life easier? Have you used it to help compose emails, put together a meal plan, or organize a busy week?

There’s no question—it can be a helpful tool. AI moves fast, processes information quickly, and helps us get more done. But for all its power, there’s something it still can’t do. AI can’t doubt. It can’t be unsure. And it can’t practice humility.

As humans, doubt and uncertainty aren’t flaws—they’re pathways to wisdom. They slow us down just enough to help us reflect, listen, and grow. In a world moving at lightning speed—filled with transactions, notifications, and opinions—we’re reminded that we aren’t robots. We’re people, with emotions, stories, wounds, and souls. We need love. We need empathy. We need humility—and the willingness to be unsure. It’s a reminder that the ethical development of AI—and the spiritual development of humanity—depends on something technology can’t manufacture: humility. So today, Father Foley invites us to reflect on this truth: if AI is a powerful force in our world, then we, too, can choose to be a force—of joy, hope, humility, and love—capable of doing truly great things.

“My way or the highway.” “I’m right, you’re wrong.” “Because I said so.” We’ve all heard these lines before and maybe we’ve even spoken them ourselves. They’re the kinds of phrases that signal closed mindedness, a hardened heart, and a spirit unwilling to listen. And in a world that feels increasingly divided this kind of posture doesn’t just end conversations… it deepens wounds. It breeds anger, resentment, and the belief that life is a zero-sum game where someone must win and someone must lose.

It causes frustration and when we’re frustrated, it’s easy to vent to a friend or complain to a coworker. And while venting might offer temporary relief, it rarely transforms the situation — or us. But what if, instead of leaping straight to defensiveness or irritation, we paused long enough to get curious? What if we wondered why someone acts the way they do, or what experiences shaped their perspective?

That tiny shift — from judgment to curiosity — can be revealing. It can soften our edges. It can remind us that most people aren’t out to hurt us; they’re simply navigating life with the tools they have, just like we are. God calls us to love one another, and love isn’t possible without three essential ingredients: kindness, the willingness to receive people exactly as they are, and curiosity. All three ask us to loosen our grip on pride. In this season of Advent, Father Pat McGrath invites us to notice where pride may be crowding out connection — and to carve out space for humility: the humility to listen and to discover that the person on the other side of the argument isn’t so different from us after all.