Irish Wishing Well

What could be more heartbreakingly beautiful than hearing "Danny Boy" performed in a church that was built by Irish immigrants, who surely had their own stories of love and loss? As part of my holiday celebration, I watched a special St. Patrick’s Day mass at Old St. Patrick’s in Chicago. It originally streamed on March 14. Poignant Irish music and dancing, spiritual guidance and a festive, uplifting spirit, filled the church.

It was part of a celebration of the parish’s 180th anniversary. The service is known as a “civic mass,” which is, “a special Catholic service held to celebrate and pray for community leadership and civic life. It typically brings together local government officials—such as mayors, judges, and police or fire services—alongside the general public to honor the roles they play in the community.”

Indeed, amidst so much green, dignitaries from both Illinois and Ireland were in attendance. St. Patrick’s Day was also the day of a primary, so the intertwining of the religious and cultural holiday and the political felt more immediate. The Illinois contingent included the Mayor of Chicago Brandon Johnson, Senator Dick Durbin, Governor Pritzker and the First Lady, and Congressman Mike Quigley, among others. The politicians from Ireland included James Browne (Fianna Fáil), the Irish Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Pádraig Manning, the Vice Consul and Deputy Head of Mission at the Consulate General of Ireland in Chicago and the Mayor of the County of Cork, Mary Linehan Foley, were also in attendance. The Queen of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Claire Cahill, read the First Reading.

Gaelic Penitential Rite

It was deeply moving to hear the Penitential Rite in Irish. It reads, “A Thiarna, Dean Trocaire. A Chriost, Dean Trocaire. A Thiarna, Dean Trocaire.” The translation is, “Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.”

The Homily

Father Pat McGrath, S.J., Pastor of Old St. Pat’s, said the mass and gave the homily. He said, “We need days like today to remember ancestors like Patrick, the saint, we celebrate - a slave, a refugee, motivated by love, to share the good news of the gospel with people who once enslaved him. We come to celebrate Patrick’s faith that he put into action, not in words, but in deeds, and the love that he shared and the gospel that he preached and the church that he built up.”

Father McGrath talked about our ancestors who guide us and he spoke about the Irish immigrants who built Old St. Pat’s with dreams of a better life. He connected them with today’s immigrants who come to the city of Chicago and the United States seeking a sense of belonging and a chance to “thrive and dream.” He spoke against cynicism, degradation and personal attacks and in favor of “kindness and civility.”

He said, “We claim, we here in this church, we here in our tradition, with our Jewish sisters and brothers, hold deeply the belief that every human being is created in the image and likeness of God and therefore deserves our love, our respect, for their dignity to be honored and it seems, as you know, that we’ve fell into a way of being here where that’s lost on us - that we talk over each other and behind each other but never to each other and rarely listen, but are called to something more, to something more, not just about this project of who we’re called to be as Americans, but who we are at the root of our humanity.”

Father McGrath then talked about aspiring to something more. “We need days like today so we can hear scripture like that gospel passage when Jesus says to his disciples and says to us today, your life is not about profits or power, your life is about service and love and welcome.” The purpose of life, he said, “is to learn how to love, learn how to give yourself away in service and compassion.” Joy - not conditional happiness, which can be shallow - is given from God through love and service.

Prayers and the Rovers

In the Prayers of the Faithful, intercessions were offered so that “Christ’s disciples in Ireland, the United States and throughout the world may faithfully proclaim God’s word and trust and God’s mighty protection.”Prayers were offered for the Shannon Rovers Irish Pipe Band., celebrating their 100th anniversary. Among other prayers was a request for St. Patrick’s intercession for the sick and those who have passed away.

"Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears"

Performed during the Preparation of the Gifts, the heart-rending Irish folk song, written by Brendan Graham is about 15-year-old Annie Moore from Ireland, the first immigrant processed at Ellis Island on January 1, 1892. Some of the lyrics are: “In her little bag she carried /All her past and history/ And her dreams for the future In the land of liberty/And courage is the passport /When your old world disappears/ Cause there's no future in the past /When you're fifteen years.”

Enjoy The Day

At the beginning of his final blessing, Father McGrath said, “I hope it’s a great, joyful celebration filled day for all of you.” The dismissal of the mass included a rousing performance by the Rovers, processing out of the church, with the clergy.. It consisted of bagpipe players and drummers and the color guard, two of whom were holding Irish and American flags.

Songs and Readings

“Danny Boy”

Introductory Rite/Gathering Song - “Diverse in Culture, Nation, Race” (Duck/Irish/arr. Scozzafave)

First Reading, 1 Peter 4: 8-11.

Responsorial Psalm/Psalm 138 - “In The Sight of the Angels” (Irish Trad., arr. Budziak

Lenten Gospel Acclamation/Please Stand - “Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory. (O’Carroll/Walker)

Gospel John 15: 9-13 - “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

Liturgy of the Eucharist/Preparation of the Gifts - “Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears” (Graham)

“Rite of Peace. May the peace of the Lord be with you always.”

Communion: “The Deer’s Cry ~ I Arise Today” (Davey)

Communion: “Be Thou My Vision” (Irish/Fry)

Closing Song : “Canticle of the Turning” (Irish, arr. Cooney)

Another link to the service: https://livestream.oldstpats.org/videos/civic-celebration-of-st-patrick-s-day-03-14-2026-14-37-41