The Inner Life

Fr. Marcel Taillon joins Patrick to discuss Morality

• What is Morality?
• (5:05) Natural Law.
• (17:49) Sara - Currently not in a state of grace...haven't been for 2 years. Divorced...very messy. Filing for an annulment. I'm in a relationship now. Praying that God helps me to see what my path forward is.

(24:15) Break 1

• (25:39) Paul - Had a friend who was raised Jewish and came to the church. 3 step process. Had to know the love of God, be catechized, and then the moral demands of faith. I think we put up the immoral part of people's lives sometimes...many live far from God and we want to address them about their immoral parts first.
• (29:18) Tina - Went through a divorce and want to know how to move forward from it. a lot of lies and deceit. Trying to draw closer to God and walk with him. Had a lot of anger and hate. How do I regain forgiveness in my heart?

(38:36) Break 2

• What is the connection between moral laws and civil laws?

Check out this Awesome Encore Show from January 20, 2026

Msgr. Robert Dempsey joins Patrick in studio to discuss the Beauty of the Liturgy

• (4:58) What does liturgy mean?
• How is the liturgy primarily an act of God?
• What is worship?
• (13:55) Alex - People responding verbally during the Mass. Sometimes they respond loudly and other times softly. Is there anything official on this?

(21:29) Break 1

• Natalia - How verifiable is it (the liturgy) that it hasn't changed from the original? Even going back to the Old Testament (translations).
• (27:06) Email about who put together the Mass as we now celebrate it?
• (31:11) Patrick - New pastor that refuses to continue with the use of incense during Mass. How can I speak to him about this?
• Henry - Our new priest, during the peace offering goes into the Lamb of God and doesn't allow for the sign of peace. Wanted your opinion/more info on this.

(39:06) Break 2

• Can you use incense during the liturgy of the hours at home?
• (45:15) Jim - The liturgy and how it's celebrated. Sometimes it seems so far off the rubrics. What is the right response for me internally in that situation? Do I offer it up?

Fr. Spencer Howe joins Patrick to discuss Saints of England

• (4:00) Why is England such a rich Catholic site?
• Who was Saint Alban?
• (9:10) – James - I was raised in an episcopal church. I wondered why they reject so much about the church and why do they refer to them as saints?
• Tom - Literature of Shakespeare. Every time I ask questions...the answers I get are defensive and that had nothing to do with Catholicism. Everything that had to do with it usually made a mockery of the king. Wouldn't it be also making a mockery of the religion? is there hidden references to religion in it?

(18:30) Break 1

• Madeline - St. Edmund Campion. He's my favorite saint. He's a powerhouse.
• (24:51) What is the Aylesford Priory?

(37:32) Break 2

• (39:39) Anita - John Henry Newman. He represented truth. Risked it all and approached it on an intellectual level. Fell in love with the Lord.
• How did G.K. Chesterton influence the Catholic Faith?

Resources:

• Relevant Radio Pilgrimage to England with Patrick Conley & Fr. Spencer Howe
  • https://app.nativitypilgrimage.com/trip/?trip=55805

Fr. Carter Griffin joins Patrick to discuss Fighting for Chastity

• The beginnings of the fight for Chastity?
• (4:29) what is the connection between war and chastity?
• (9:23) How is discouragement combated in fight sin? 
• How is sexuality a gift?
• (15:06) Harmony - I was separated and still separated for 15 years. It didn't work out. Said I need to be abstinent. Asked God for help. First two years were hard. It's been 15 years of chastity and still going strong.

(20:33) Break 1

• Annie - In the catechism...widows...single for years. having difficulty through that and when I'm lonely, I get tempted about that. Is there resources on this? I'm really struggling.
• (30:56)  in what ways does impurity damage masculinity?

(36:52) Break 2

• What are other battle fronts for Chastity?
• (44:36) Tony - I was introduced to porn at 8. With it most of my life. Being free from it now and it's great. Took a long time to figure it out.
• How can we help our young people grow in chastity in their life?

Resources:

• Reclaimed: Win the War of Freedom, Self-Mastery, and Holy Purity
  • https://scepterpublishers.org/products/reclaimed-win-the-war-of-freedom-self-mastery-and-holy-purity?srsltid=AfmBOop65ZyDTDQVxQtcy7OI_IStWBK6anpbeBEYClhkTNCMHVm7ibLe

Fr. Patrick Hyde joins Patrick to discuss Faith and Sports

• (4:53) What is the connection between athletics and the pursuit of holiness?
• (12:23) Mary - Sports and spiritual life. I'm working out right now and listen with my air pods. I've always found that when people talk about body building, I've always thought about it as we as a church are building a body. It is made up of many people and we're all working to build together.
• How can Sports become too all consuming for families?

(27:00) Break 1

• Should you pray for your favorite team to win?
• (30:20) Kevin - Grew up in St. Louis and was there when Rams went to the Superbowl. Professional sports athletes have the courage to witness like that and it's great to see that. The holy spirit allows this to happen through the medium of sports.  Fr. Patrick Hyde -resident parishioner of St. Paul's.
• What do we do with dreams of doing great things in our life?
• (41:28) How do we deal with controversies in the super bowl?
• What is a good way to view competition?

Fr. Ramil Fajardo joins Patrick to discuss True Piety

• (1:56) what is piety?
• (12:00) How can we distinguish authentic devotion from external practices that may lack interior conversion?
• How can devotions be misshaped?

(26:59) Break 1

• (27:27) Mike - If I'm praying and it's a conversation with God, I recognize my voice, but not sure how it is that I'm interacting with God. What does that look like? It feels dry sometimes.
• Email from LA – shares a good habit developed in prayer.
• (40:43) How do sacramentals remind us of God’s presence?
• (43:58) Didier - Assuming that piety is one of the gifts from the holy spirit, can we say someone who has piety has received the gift from the HS...does he also have the other 6 gifts for the 7 complete gifts of the holy spirit?

Fr. Peter Armenio joins Patrick to discuss Marriage: Part 2

• (2:17) Fear of something better when it comes to dating.
• What does service have to do with Marriage?

(26:59) Break 1

• What is the importance of children in a strong marriage?
• (31:54) What happens when marriage gets boring?
• When should you start looking for outside help in your marriage?

Fr. Matthew Widder joins Patrick to discuss The Presentation of the Lord

• What is happening in our Church today?
• (2:01) Why does Mary get purified if she is perfect?
• (12:57) Nick - Love the presentation. Love the old testament connection. Amazing how Jesus celebrates major accomplishments through the old. Waiting for something...I wait for so much because there's so much to overcome. How the law is given to us...how it is written into our hearts.
• What does the sacrifice mean in the bible?
• (21:49) Michael - I'm a parishioner of Fr. Matthew's parish. I've been going through a lot of stuff and might not be here without Fr. Matthew.

(23:59) Break 1

• What is Candlemas, and how are we called to be light?
• (31:09) What is a world day of consecrated life?
• (38:29) what does Simeon’s prophecy mean in the Bible?
• How can we turn over our trails to the Lord?

Fr. Eric Nielsen joins Patrick to discuss Ministering to the Youth

• (3:31) What makes working with Youth different from ministering to adults?
• Why is ministering t the youth so important for the life of the Church?
• (15:59) threats that young people are facing?

(19:15) Break 1

• How do we have good boundaries for our children?
• (23:26) Lourdes - Resiliency - Fr. is right about it. As a young person, I went to Catholic school and when I complained about getting hit on the knuckles, mom said, 'well, I'm sure you weren't praying the Rosary dear.' But I did well in school.
• The danger of self-esteem.
• Mary - I think it's never too late to turn it around. Even in their 70's my parents shared that they wished they hadn't sweated the little things. It's ok to make mistakes. God loves everyone.
• How do you pray the family rosary?

(36:52) Break 2

• (42:29) Helen - I'm a teacher who teaches theology of the body to teens. We need to get down to the middle schoolers and educating them better about our faith and TOB is a wonderful program that ministers to them.
• Teresa - I have a new family that moved in next door. Little girl is in 4 or 5th grade. She likes me. We haven't related that much, but I noticed she's doing an exercise and I think she's a cheerleader. Doing suggestive gyrations. How can I be there for her without being judgmental?
• (46:10) Theresa - I am a widow with 7 kids. Can't get my kids to go to church. Such a heavy burden on my shoulders. When the father is taken out of the home, it's tragedy. Feel so wounded.

Fr. Rob Kroll joins Patrick to discuss Confession

• Why do we need the Sacrament of Confession?
• What are the parts of confession?
• (14:05) What if someone hasn’t been in confession in a long time?
• (19:30) Kevin - I was in confession the other day. At the end, I had a feeling to say thank you Jesus, and the priest said you're welcome. He's in persona Christi and sometimes we forget that.

(22:27) Break 1

• (23:58) Lynn - Not Catholic yet, going through the OCIA program. Through that process, there's the first confession. Am I supposed to make a list of every sin in my life, or how am I supposed to do that?
• (32:54) Paul - 40 years as a Baptist, I felt the need to go to confession which lead me to RCIA and into the church. How should non-Catholics feel about confession and approach the sacrament?
• (37:51) George - I'm having a little trouble with confession. Every day I can't forgive myself. Am I doing something wrong by doing that?

(43:12) Break 2

• Barbara - I'm in a parish that had a priest who was moved several years back due to behaviors. I wonder sometimes if the confessions or baptisms were valid because of what was going on with him.