Old St. Pat's Podcast

Old St. Patrick's Church, Father Bryan Massingale, Fr. Bryan Massingale
  • 5.0 (14)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Weekly

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 membership of about 4,000 households and innumerable friends. As we grow, we continually redefine what it means to be an urban church. We are committed to remaining open to new visions and possibilities, seeking broader horizons as we journey into our future. We encourage you to encounter the God who loves you, engage in a community that welcomes you, and serve the world that needs you. This podcast aims to welcome all into a Catholic experience like no other. Welcome to the Old St. Pat's Podcast.

  1. 6d ago

    The School of Humility - Fr. Pat McGrath 9.27.26

    Have you ever walked into a party with so much on your mind that you were physically there—but weren't really present? Maybe you were rehearsing what you wanted to say in your head while someone else was trying to tell you something important. Or you were so focused on getting noticed that you missed someone else quietly feeling left out. Or maybe you were so busy trying to impress the person in front of you that you didn't notice you were disappointing the person beside you. It happens to all of us. Sometimes our worries, our insecurities, our fears, or simply everything happening inside of us can take up so much space that we have a little less room for the people around us. And that's where humility comes in. Humility isn't thinking less of yourself. It's simply becoming a little less focused on yourself—and a little more available to the people in front of you. Instead of immediately thinking, “How could they do this to me?” humility creates enough space to wonder, “I wonder what's happening for them?” And perhaps that's why Pope Leo has spoken about the Church as a “school of humility”—a place where we practice this together, learning to step outside of ourselves so we can encounter one another more deeply. Today, Father Pat McGrath invites us to enroll at the school of humility. Not to make ourselves smaller, but to become a little more open, a little more curious, and a little more available—to God, to one another, and to love.

  2. Sep 22

    Compare and Despair - Fr. Pat McGrath 9.20.26

    Our human nature has a funny way of keeping score. We compare our pay, the number of likes on our post, our professional opportunities, our clothes, where we live —even the love we think we're receiving—and when something seems out of balance, we can hear that little voice inside say, “Hey…that’s not fair.” And underneath that feeling of unfairness can be something even more tender: Maybe I’m falling behind. Maybe I’m not enough. Maybe they’re more valued than I am. Maybe I’m not loved as much. There’s a reason they say, “Compare and despair.” Because the more we measure ourselves against others, the harder it can be to recognize the extravagant love that is already being given to us. And perhaps that’s why God’s generosity can be so difficult for us to understand. God doesn’t love according to our earthly calculations of who deserves what. God’s mercy is bigger than our scorekeeping. His love is wildly generous. Today, Father Pat McGrath invites us to wrestle with that truth—and then take it one step further: having received God’s extravagant love and forgiveness, to then imitate that same generosity with others.

  3. Sep 15

    Become Forgiveness - Fr. Jack Wall 9.13.26

    Have you ever noticed how the past can sometimes feel strangely present? Someone says something that hurt you ten years ago—and suddenly, there you are again. You can hear their voice, feel the sting, and remember exactly what happened. So how do we forgive when the hurt still feels so real? Maybe forgiveness begins by turning toward the part of us inside that is still hurting and saying: “I see you and you don’t have to carry this alone anymore.” Because forgiveness isn't about forgetting, pretending it didn't happen, or putting yourself in a position to be hurt again. Forgiveness can have boundaries. It's saying, “What happened wasn't okay—and I'm still choosing love.” When we can offer compassion to the wounded parts of ourselves, we can begin to loosen our grip, make room for healing, and even find greater compassion for the wounded parts of others. Because forgiveness isn't a single moment when we suddenly say, “I'm over it.” It's a journey of remembering and releasing, protecting ourselves while opening our hearts again and discovering that the hurt doesn't have to define us. Today, Father Jack Wall teaches us that if we want to know forgiveness, we must become forgiveness—and that means doing the inner work so that our hearts of peace and love can become bigger than the hurt.

  4. Sep 13

    Music Series: O Breathe on Me O Breath of God, If Today, On Our Pilgrim Journey 9.13.26

    The Old St. Pat's Music Series Is Brought To You By The Old St. Pat's Choir The featured songs today are: O Breathe on Me, O Breath of GodIf TodayOn Our Pilgrim Journey (Mark Scozzafave)

  5. Sep 8

    Less Correcting, More Connecting - Fr. Christopher Alt 9.6.26

    It can be so easy—and so tempting—to think we know better. He should do this. She should do that. I’m right. You’re wrong. We can find ourselves wanting to correct someone’s choices, their thinking, or the way they’re living their life because we’re convinced we know how things should be. But when we focus on correcting, we leave very little room for conversation or connection. What happens when, instead of trying to correct the person in front of us, we choose to connect with them? We get to understand them a little better. To hear where they’re coming from. To see the story behind their perspective. And maybe even to discover that we have more in common than we realized. Today, Father Christopher Alt reminds us that connection can open the door to forgiveness and reconciliation—and that through God’s grace, we can become vessels of His love here on

  6. Sep 1

    The Lord of the Dance: Following God’s Lead - Fr. Ed Foley 8.30.26

    If life is a dance, God is our ultimate dance partner. And the music playing over the speakers? That’s the Holy Spirit—keeping the rhythm, moving us along, filling the space around us. And the DJ selecting the tunes? That’s Jesus. Sometimes DJ JC puts on a song we absolutely love. And other times, we’re thinking, “Aw, man…this song is way too slow and depressing. Or way too fast and we can’t keep up!” But here’s the thing: God has the playlist. He knows the choreography. And He knows what comes next. He knows when to pull us close. He knows when to send us spinning. And He knows exactly when to catch us. So maybe the question for us today isn’t: “Do I know all the steps?” Maybe it’s: “Do I trust the One leading me?” What if the thing you’re resisting right now—the surrender, the change of direction, the vulnerability, the letting go—is actually part of the choreography God is using to move you into a new place? What if the thing that feels like losing your balance is actually the beginning of your next beautiful move? So today, Father Foley reminds us: we don't necessarily need to understand the entire dance, we just need to learn to follow the lead of the One who knows the choreography.

  7. Aug 25

    When We Stop Trying So Hard - Fr. Michael Simone 8.23.26

    Have you ever had one of those days that you planned down to the last detail? You picked the right restaurant, made sure everyone could make it, and thought through the logistics, the timing, the weather—you even knew what topics of conversation you wanted to bring up…everything that needed to line up for the day to be fun. And then… somehow, it just wasn’t. And then there are those other days. You get a good night’s sleep. You eat a good meal. You meet up with friends. You have a general understanding of the structure of the day but you don’t have much of an agenda. You just let the day unfold—and somehow, you end up laughing harder, feeling more connected, and having way more fun than you ever could have planned. You created space for joy, spontaneity, and connection—and fun became the byproduct. In some ways, spirituality works a lot like that. Sometimes we think we have to figure everything out. We have to pray the right way, understand the right things, have the perfect relationship with God, or somehow make ourselves more spiritual. But what if we don't have to force it? What if our job is simply to create space for God—and then let God do what God does? Prayer. Meditation. Honest reflection. Simply paying attention to what’s happening inside of us. These things don't necessarily produce some immediate, dramatic spiritual breakthrough. But they create the conditions for something to grow. And sometimes, when we stop trying so hard to make something happen, we discover that God has been working all along. Today, Father Michael Simone reminds us that wherever we are on our spiritual journey, we don't have to have it all figured out.

  8. Aug 23

    Music Series: Con Te Partirò, Holy Is Your Name, The Prayer (Instrumental) 8.23.26

    The Old St. Pat's Music Series Is Brought To You By The Old St. Pat's Choir The featured songs today are listed below and sung by Michael St. Peter: Con Te Partirò Holy Is Your Name The Prayer (Instrumental)

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

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 membership of about 4,000 households and innumerable friends. As we grow, we continually redefine what it means to be an urban church. We are committed to remaining open to new visions and possibilities, seeking broader horizons as we journey into our future. We encourage you to encounter the God who loves you, engage in a community that welcomes you, and serve the world that needs you. This podcast aims to welcome all into a Catholic experience like no other. Welcome to the Old St. Pat's Podcast.

Information

  • Creator
    Old St. Patrick's Church, Father Bryan Massingale, Fr. Bryan Massingale
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    600
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2019 Old St. Patrick's Church
  • Show Website
    Old St. Pat's Podcast

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