In Podcasts, The Inner Life

Ask Me Anything – The Inner Life – April 20, 2026

Patrick Conleyby Patrick Conley

Father John Paul Erickson joins Patrick for another installment of Ask Me Anything about the Catholic Faith.

  • How is Faith a Journey?
  • (5:59) how do you navigate change in your life?
  • (13:43) Martin – Honoring your mother and the challenges of having to deal with her not being honest with respect to her care.
  • (18:28) Amy – Planning my demise from this world. Devout Catholic and single. I do want to have a catholic ceremony. My remains are going to be cremated. Organization places remains in a vessel in the ocean to provide for other eco systems. Is it against the church to do this?

(23:13) Break 1

  • Charlene – I noticed in the Mass the priest looks at the missal…after all these years, I’m sure they’ve memorized it. Are they required to read from it or can they just say it from memorization?
  • (25:54) Theresa – How can the church be the true church as you say when people have to go to purgatory when Jesus died for our sins?
  • (32:19) Bonita – My older brother died and it’s going to affect my family. Looking for some advice in dealing with it.
  • Email from Betty health care provider asked me to not receive communion for health reasons
  • (37:17) Deanna – What is the reason for breaking off a piece of the host and putting in the chalice?

(39:50) Break 2

  • (41:13) David – Trying to understand cremation teaching. What is wrong with keeping cremation in the house that you can visit everyday?
  • (45:08) Email from Adrian – What is the proper response to a political leader who disagrees with Church authority?
  • Email from Connie – How do I argue for the existence of God?

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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.