In Podcasts, The Inner Life

How to Defend the Faith – The Inner Life – October 10, 2025

Patrick Conleyby Patrick Conley

Fr. Allen Hoffa joins Patrick to discuss Apologetics: How to Defend the Faith

  • What is apologetics?
  • (13:02) John – Question about the blessed mother. Very detailed in 2 gospels. Where did this detailed info come from? Was it primarily dictated from the Blessed Mother?

(22:00) Break 2

  • Duke – How do we know about the afterlife? Does our soul go to heaven or reincarnated?
  • (27:01) Leslie – My son just left the church after several years after trying to convince son to become Catholic. Joined whatever his girlfriend is with. What do you do with that? How do you bring him back?
  • Ed – Cradle Catholic. Recently finding my faith. Went to Catholic school and now reading scripture and bible and getting back to faith. Watching the Chosen and brother was asking me questions. Asked about Jesus being Jewish and why was he Jewish. Trying to talk to people with kindness and love.

(36:36) Break 2

  • How do you approach apologetics with each group of people?
  • (43:47) Mary Lou – I do apologetics a lot as a hairdresser. I was evangelized into the church ‘quietly.’ 5 people displayed holy, lovely, reverent attitude toward God. I’d have to ask them to give me more. Someone gave me a copy of a Thomas Merton book, and that was it…it was a conversion. Very happy ever since.
  • Margaret-Mary – Now that I’ll be 84 in December, this is the time in my life that I live in a Baptist community in NC. I am very proud of my Catholic faith. I’m professing Catholicism as I reach heaven. I was in religious life for 5 years. Was married and have children. Apologetics scared me. I understand it now and the Holy spirit is guiding me now that I have time to listen to RR and discern my faith.

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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.