As the grandson of Chicago Bears founder George Halas, Patrick McCaskey grew up around football. He started going to games when he was 5, sitting and watching his grandfather coach. When he was 7, he began going to Bears training camps and learned how to play all the positions. In high school, he played linebacker and quarterback. But he also had another passion.
“When I was a high school sophomore, my writing teacher said to me, ‘McCaskey, you have a unique writing talent. You should develop it.’ But I had to get to practice,” McCaskey said. “When I was growing up, football was my priority. After I had to stop playing football, writing became my priority.”
Halas left the team to his family when he died, and McCaskey began working for the Bears in 1974. But McCaskey, who lives in Lake Forest and works as a lector and parish board member at Church of St. Mary, also has found time to write five books. He’ll be signing copies of his latest, “Pilgrimage,” on June 17 at the Lake Forest Bookstore.
“I think that we’re all on a pilgrimage,” McCaskey said. “We have a mandate to love God and help each other on our way.”
The third book in McCaskey’s “Sports and Faith” series, “Pilgrimage” examines the trips people make to Christian holy places. But it also follows pilgrimages McCaskey himself has made, visiting Washington, D.C. in 2008 to see Pope Benedict XVI and 2015 to see Pope Francis. It also looks at pilgrimages of a less traditionally religious variety like the funerals McCaskey has been to all over the United States for former Bears coaches and players and trips he took to historic sites associated with his favorite writers including Carl Sandburg, Scott Sanders, James Thurber, Mark Twain and E. B. White.
More Top Picks Best Noise Canceling Headphones For Flights
“All these pilgrimages have been very important to me,” McCaskey said. “They helped to develop my faith and my work ethic for the Bears. I tried to be a reliable employee. Whatever I get to do, I give 100 percent.”
McCaskey said he finds inspiration for his books through working and praying every day. He’s currently working on a collection of stories and poems on sports and faith that he plans to release in early February following the 2018 Super Bowl.
“I think that we can learn about sports through being people of faith,” he said. “Sports are a draw and then faith can be taught and shared as people are drawn to sports.”
The Bears co-owner also has lofty goals for his team.
“Every year I think we’re going to win every game,” he said. “All we have to do is score a touchdown every quarter. It won’t be boring because we’ll score different ways. Sometimes on offense, sometimes on defense and sometimes special teams.”
When the season doesn’t play out that way, McCaskey said he goes back to church. He tries to go to Mass every day.
“Regardless of what happens on the field, I try to be a man of faith and a man of prayer,” he said.
Meet and greet book signing with Patrick McCaskey
When: 1-2:30 p.m. June 17
Where: Lake Forest Book Store, 662 N. Western Ave.
Information: Register at 847-234-4420; www.lakeforestbookstore.com