Spiritual & Religious – May 23, 2024

Father John Paul Erickson joined Patrick for a conversation about being spiritual & religious. Topics included: the virtue of religion (2:52), organized religion (9:29), caller: I am spiritual, but I do go to church (13:34), caller: I used to be spiritual, but not religious; now I have reverted (17:22), being religious, but not spiritual (21:31), caller: giving alms at McDonalds (23:52), caller: what does it mean to be spiritual? (27:51), caller: substance vs. form (33:11), caller: Jesus condemned religiosity (35:07), what if religion is boring? (41:23), caller: how do we evangelize Buddhists? (45:21) and caller: the importance of the Eucharist (48:20). 

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.