In Podcasts, The Inner Life

Temptation – The Iner Life – August 4, 2025

Patrick Conleyby Patrick Conley

Fr. John Paul Erickson joins Patrick to discuss Temptation

  • (4:53) why did Jesus have to face temptation?
  • What is the difference between temptation and concupiscence?

(22:00) Break 1

  • How does temptation start?
  • (28:46) How do we know if a strong pull is a temptation or a legitimate call of the Holy Spirit?
  • (37:11) Eli – How I use my imagination to combat my temptations with lust. Whenever I have a thought, I use my imagination to burn that away as if it was catching on fire.

(41:52) Break 2

  • Mary – Negative images. One thing that has helped me is having an image of Jesus’s eyes. When I have that image, and how they’re filling up in tears…that curtails my desire to let that sin go.
  • (44:50) Rachel – I have given up a smart phone. Only have a flip phone…no internet. cuts out my battle with impurity online.
  • Donna – The very real temptation of overeating…gluttony. How difficult for me it is to fast from food.

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Patrick Conley

Patrick Conley

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.