From the Army to the Altar

What happens when an Army officer hears the call to the priesthood? Jim and Meghan welcome Father Colin Patrick, Parochial Vicar at St. Brigid Catholic Church, to share his inspiring journey from military service to the altar. With humor, humility, and a deep love for Christ, Father Colin reflects on his vocation story, devotion to St. Thérèse, and the joys and struggles of serving Catholic families today. His story is a reminder that God works powerfully through both big moments and small daily graces.

What’s in this episode:

• Why Father Colin calls his “master class” Hummer Bee
• Running with fellow seminarians and parishioners as a way of building community
• Stories from his time in the U.S. Army and the unexpected lessons he carried into priesthood
• A dramatic training accident that shifted his perspective on vocation and service
• The bittersweet call to leave parish life to serve as a military chaplain
• How families today struggle with anxiety, technology, and isolation, and where the Church brings hope
• Father Colin’s devotion to St. Thérèse and the story of a missing relic
• Relics, their meaning in the Church, and how he came to possess first-class relics of saints
• The influence of his grandmother’s prayer life and devotion to Mary on his vocation
• One resource every Catholic family should know: The family dinner table at least once a week, phones set aside
• Book he’s currently reading: Peace Like a River by Leif Enger
• Favorite book: He Leadeth Me by Walter Ciszek
• Advice to his younger self: Keep your head up because God loves you, even when you don’t feel it
• Final wisdom for listeners: Cling to prayer, to each other, and enjoy the blessings of daily life

Resources Mentioned:

Peace Like a River by Leif Enger – Novel with themes of faith, family, and perseverance

He Leadeth Me by Walter Ciszek – Spiritual reflections from a Jesuit priest imprisoned in Russia

With God in Russia by Walter Ciszek – Memoir of survival and faith in Soviet prison camps

Life Teen – Catholic youth ministry shaping teen discipleship