St. Patrick Catholic Parish Podcast
St. Patrick Catholic Parish Podcast
St. Patrick Catholic Parish
Homilies, Chapel Chats, and more from the largest Catholic parish in Brighton, Michigan.
Why the Proud Don't Receive Much from God | Fr. Mathias Thelen
In this homily given on the 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time (July 5, 2026), Father Mathias preaches on why God hides himself from the proud but reveals himself to the humble. Because the proud are self-focused and self-reliant, they are not open to reality, they are not open to change. As such they become blind to God and what he offers us. But the humble are open to reality, they know they need God and are open to receiving from God. If Jesus wants us to come to him to ...
Jul 6
9 min
Why You Should Love Jesus More Than Your Family (And How to Do It) | Fr. Mathias Thelen
In this homily given on the 13th Sunday of Ordinary Time (June 28, 2026), Father Mathias preaches on one of the most difficult teachings of Jesus: whoever loves parents or children more than him is not worthy of him. The human race is divided on its response to Jesus. Some accept him and follow him, others do not. That creates tension in families and causes temptations to compromise and love family members more than Jesus. Father Mathias offers two reminders to help renew our mi...
Jun 29
10 min
What a Father Does | Fr. Joshua Fons
On Father's Day, June 21st, 2026, Fr. Joshua Fons gave his last homily at St. Patrick's. (He will be moving to East Lansing to serve the student parish for Michigan State) In this powerful homily, he unpacks the mission and vocation of every father, and what makes fatherhood so essential. Fathers teach us our place in the great story, they show us how to live in this world, how to love, and what to fear. They invite us to step into our own role in the story. Especially in a culture that is st...
Jun 22
14 min
Why We Should Sing At Mass No Matter How We Feel | Fr. Mathias Thelen
In this homily given on the 11th Sunday of Ordinary Time (June 14 , 2026), Father Mathias preaches on Psalm 100 and why we are to sing a joyful song of praise to the Lord at Mass. After outlining why singing at Mass is one way we actively participate in divine worship of God at Mass, Fr Mathias outlines several common reasons why we might resist singing to the Lord at Mass: we mistakenly believe singing is optional, we might not know or like the music, the music might not be good, we're not c...
Jun 16
11 min
What the Lord is Doing in the Desert | Fr. Joshua Fons
On the Feast of Corpus Christi, June 7th, 2026, Fr. Joshua Fons invites us to walk with the Israelites in the Desert. What seemed like a time of hardship, was actually a training ground in trust, a time when they had to learn that they had a God who cared for them and provided for them. The Lord does the same with us, he allows us to wander in the desert so that we can encounter his provision, particularly through the Holy Eucharist. We have to come to realize that we cannot live on bread alo...
Jun 8
12 min
That Voice of Condemnation in Your Head is Not From God | Fr. Mathias Thelen
In this homily given on Trinity Sunday May 31st, 2026, Father Mathias preaches on the fact that God, who is Father Son and Holy Spirit is love itself. Drawing from the Gospel, Father reminds us that God is for us and not against us; he has come to save us from our sins, not to condemn us. Father challenges to avoid a false spirituality of fear that has crept back into the Church masquerading as a traditional Catholic spirituality. He ends his homily offering a few reminders...
Jun 1
12 min
What Pentecost Can Teach the Church Today | Fr. Joshua Fons
On the Feast of Pentecost, May 24th, 2026 Fr. Joshua Fons challenges us to look to Pentecost for the source of the Church's renewal. Pentecost is part of our tradition, in fact, it is the very start of our Church. To ignore Pentecost is to ignore what Christ has given to us: the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit who gives us the courage and strength to live out the Church's mission: making disciples of all nations.
May 26
12 min
The Holy Spirit Is Not a Side-Issue for Jesus (or For Us) | Fr. Mathias Thelen
In this homily given on Ascension Sunday (May 17, 2025), Fr Mathias preaches on one of the reasons why Jesus ascends into heaven: to obtain the promise of the Father and baptize us in the Holy Spirit. This is what he died to do: to immerse us into the very life of God and to bear witness to him. Essentially, Jesus wants everyone to be baptized in the Holy Spirit As Catholics we believe we receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit in the sacraments of baptism and confirmation. But we also...
May 18
12 min
Motherhood is a Gift | Fr. Joshua Fons
On Mother's Day, May 10th, 2026, Fr. Joshua speaks to the moms of the parish, inviting them to reflect on the gift of their Vocation. In particular, the ways we are tempted to not see our Vocation as a gift from God, but rather as a burden, a reward, or a waste. From that place, Christ wants to bring renewal. The key to that renewal lies in the words of St. Peter "Beloved, sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts." A fruitful vocation starts with knowing that we are beloved of God, and then res...
May 11
10 min
How to Offer Pleasing Worship to God | Fr. Mathias Thelen
In this homily given on Sunday May 3, 2025, Fr Mathias preaches on the common priesthood that belongs to all baptized Christians and applies it to the lay faithful. Indeed, exercising our common priesthood is central to how we worship God. Father offers two tips on how to do this well: 1) Do everything in your life as an offering of love to God. 2) Unite your offerings of the week to the offering of Christ at Sunday Mass
May 4
13 min
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