Bears leader speaks at Catholic center

A group of about two dozen people gathered at the St. Paul’s Catholic Center Monday night to hear Chicago Bears board member and Senior Director Patrick McCaskey discuss his life and how faith has affected him throughout.

McCaskey said that faith is a critical part of his career and his life.

The Bears have mass and chapel services before every game. McCaskey said he had offered the pope $100 and two tickets to come and celebrate mass with the team before games, but so far the pope has not shown up.

“I started going to Chicago Bears games when I was five,” McCaskey said, sharing memories of sitting beside the team’s bench as his grandfather coached.
Though he didn’t plan on coming to IU originally, McCaskey said he was glad that he did. Upon arrival, he took up running for the track team at IU.

“At the beginning of the season, I was the worst runner on the B Team,” he said. “At the end of the season, I was the best runner on the B Team.”
McCaskey lived in McNutt Quad in the beginning of his time at IU. Later he moved into Alpha Epsilon Phi.

Before the speech began, McCaskey reached out to his audience. As people entered the church, McCaskey shook hands and spoke with attendees. McCaskey was selling his latest book, “Pillars of the NFL,” within the church’s narthex.

He has written two other books “Bear with Me: A Family History of George Halas and the Chicago Bears” and “Sports and Faith: Stories of the Devoted and the Devout.”

McCaskey said he originally chose IU for its optometry school. Later, he changed his mind and his major.

“I was an English major here because I wanted to be a writer,” he said.

Following his speech, McCaskey held a question and answer section with his audience that turned into a conversation where people shared fond memories of the Bears and asked questions about football, faith and life.

Mary Rose, a community member, told McCaskey that she was familiar with St. Joe’s College, the Bear’s former training ground.

Howard Theis, another community member, announced to McCaskey that he was a Green Bay Packers fan.

McCaskey replied, “Don’t be discouraged. Some of the greatest Christians start out as atheists.”

Senior Pierce Cavanaugh asked why McCaskey would come to speak at IU.
McCaskey spent seven semesters at IU, and he said coming back to speak after having accomplished so much is a huge honor.

“I’m thrilled to be here,” he said.

Cavanaugh said after the speech that McCaskey represented a plain Catholic guy in a high visibility position.

He also thanked McCaskey for coming all the way from his Lake Forest home to Bloomington to speak.

McCaskey said that his faith has been a huge part of his successes.

“The football business is an emotional roller coaster, and God is constant,” McCaskey said.