In Podcasts, The Inner Life

Silent Prayer – The Inner Life – December 4, 2025

Patrick Conleyby Patrick Conley

Fr. Michael-Joseph Paris joins Patrick in studio to discuss Silent Prayer

  • What is he language of God?
  • (8:42) Jan – Silence. There is a silence that exists after the guests go home. There is joy when guests come and the silence after they leave is saddening. Can you help me appreciate this more?
  • (13:14) silence as an invitation to prayer
  • (15:39) Judy – I thought I was going to go mad during silent Adoration. I thought I could find comfort but could not. Can you help?

(19:50) Break 1

  • (21:05) Email from MT – Why do sins seem to become really profound when I am in silence and especially before receiving the Eucharist?
  • Maureen – I wonder if the devil is trying to disquiet people in adoration who have trouble with silence?
  • (26:57) Ben – I am a seminarian. I want to share that silence has helped with my vocation and discernment. I would not be here without it.
  • (31:17) Nicole – I wanted to go on a Silent Retreat but now have to cancel. I find it hard to put myself in silence. How can I make a spiritual retreat for myself.

(36:51) Break 2

  • Mark – Talking about silence. My grandfather starting going on silent retreats during the 1950s. We used to go on a yearly silent retreat. Some years I couldn’t wait to talk but other years I couldn’t wait.
  • (43:16) David – Going to Adoration really trained me to be in the Presence of the Lord.
  • What is the correlation of creating space in our hearts for silence and making room for our Lord?

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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.