Confession – March 4, 2024

Father Tom Wilson joined Patrick for a conversation about the sacrament of Penance. Topics included: the greatness of confession (3:32), caller: confession changed my life and I was free from a particular sin (8:47), why some are reluctant to go to confession (13:55), caller: I hadn’t gone in 30 years, but I went when my son had his first confession (22:06), frequency of confession (22:06), caller: I finally went after 30 years (24:33), sacramental validity (29:03), caller: was my confession valid? I wasn’t given a penance (31:08), the Scriptural basis for confession (35:52), caller: why do we have the Confiteor (37:40), caller: the priest doesn’t let me say the Act of Contrition; is my confession valid? (41:06), caller: why do we have penance in confession? (44:23). 

Patrick Conley was born, raised, and baptized in Wisconsin in a Protestant tradition. After meeting his wife, Kendra, through an Evangelical ministry at the University of Minnesota, they entered the Catholic Church in 2010. They listened to Relevant Radio, specifically The Inner Life, while preparing to enter the Church. Conley now holds a degree in theology from Oxford University and has served the Church in both academic theology and grassroots pastoral ministry. Conley teaches religion classes in a Catholic elementary school, serves as his parish Director of Religious Education, and is in formation for the permanent diaconate. He also hosts Practicing Catholic on Relevant Radio, exclusive to the Minneapolis area’s airwaves, and is a traveling presenter for the Catherine of Siena Institute apostolate. He lives in rural Wisconsin with his wife and their bulldogs, Georgie and Bingley.