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Meet the Priests of Old St. Patrick’s Church

Father Tom Hurley

Father Jack Wall

A lifetime Chicagoan, Fr. Wall was ordained at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary on May 2, 1968, after receiving his MA, STL in Theology from the University of St. Mary of the Lake. From 1968 to 1972, Fr. Wall was the associate pastor of St. Ita’s Parish in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood. He also served on the faculty of Niles College and the Seminary of Loyola University, from 1972 to 1979. In addition, Fr. Wall was the vocation director for the Archdiocese of Chicago from 1979 to 1985. In October 1983, Fr. Wall became pastor of Old St. Patrick’s Church, the second parish founded in the city of Chicago and the city’s oldest public building. Since taking on his role as pastor, Fr. Wall has successfully revitalized this urban church. He is now pastor emeritus of Old St. Patrick's Church and president of the Catholic Extension Society. Father Wall continues to preside at Old St. Patrick's Church.

Father John Cusick

Fr. Cusick, a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago was ordained in 1970. After his ordination, he served as associate pastor of Mary, Seat of Wisdom Parish in Park Ridge, Illinois. From 1977 to 1985, he was a faculty member of Niles College of Loyola University, the college seminary program for the Archdiocese of Chicago. As a faculty member, he taught Theology, was a residence hall director, and for five years (1980 to 1985) was the director of recruitment and admissions for the college seminary. Since 1985, he has been the director of the Young Adult Ministry for the Archdiocese of Chicago. He authored First Steps—a Guide to Encourage Young Men to Consider the Catholic Priesthood. He co-authored (along with his colleague, Kate DeVries) The Basic Guide to Young Adult Ministry. In May 2004, Governor Rod Blagojevich appointed Fr. John Cusick to the Executive Ethics Commission of the State of Illinois. Fr. Cusick regularly presides at Old St. Patrick’s Church Masses.

Father Paul Novak

Rev. William (Bill) O’Shea

Visiting Priest

Rev. William O’Shea has been a visiting priest for Old St. Pat’s Church since 2007. He was ordained on May 25, 1963 and celebrated his first Mass at his home parish, St. Philip Neri in South Shore, Chicago. He has known about Old St. Pat’s since the 1960’s when he would visit a classmate assigned here. Additionally, he was a classmate of Rev. Jack Wall and Rev. John Cusick in the Doctor of Ministry program facilitated by John Shea in the late 70’s.

For 44 years, he served as a priest in the Diocese of Joliet, teaching at both Immaculate Conception High School in Elmhurst, and Rosary College in River Forest. Most recently, he served for 14 years as pastor of St. Margaret Mary in Naperville, which was included in the list of 300 Excellent Catholic Parishes in the United States along with Old St. Pat’s. He feels fortunate to have been invited to celebrate the Sunday Eucharist at Old St. Pat’s.

Rev. Pat McGrath

Visiting Priest

Rev. Pat McGrath has been a visiting priest at Old St. Pat’s since his ordination, which was held here on Saturday, July 29, 2006. He celebrated his first Mass at Old St. Pat’s on July 30, 2006 at the 9:30 a.m. service. In 2000, he entered the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and professed his perpetual vows in 2002. As a Jesuit, he has lived and worked in Detroit, New Orleans, Washington, D.C., and Chicago. His first assignment after his ordination was as a provincial assistant for Secondary Education, which allowed him to work with the five Jesuit high schools of the Chicago Province. In March 2009, Fr. McGrath was elected as the new president of Loyola Academy, Chicago.