Born to James and Hellen Harkins in Havertown, Pennsylvania, James "Conrad" Harkins first felt the call to the priesthood at the age of 14. Influenced by a high school friend, Conrad began exploring the spirituality of the Franciscan Friars. His interest in the Franciscans grew stronger as he read Franciscan literature and realized the order allowed for a great variety of vocational directions. He considered joining a foreign mission, teaching high school, and working on television and radio. Ultimately, his studies at St. Bonaventure University blossomed his deep interest in church history and led Conrad to become a church historian and teacher. 

On Feb. 25, 1961, Conrad Harkins was ordained a priest in the Franciscan Order of the Friars Minor (OFM) at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Washington, D.C.. Fr. Conrad spent his early years teaching secondary education and, after completing his doctorate in Medieval History at the University of Toronto, took on a faculty position at St. Bonaventure University. There, Fr. Conrad flourished as a spiritual advisor and historian. He published numerous articles on church history and wrote a short book on St. Francis of Assisi. Fr. Conrad also served several years as the director of the Franciscan Institute. 

Father Conrad joined  Franciscan University in 1996, where he taught Medieval and Franciscan history. In 2002, he became the spiritual advisor for the Lion of Judah Household, a position he served in until 2014. He accompanied the men of LOJ on numerous retreats, perpetually made himself available to the students for their spiritual needs, and maintained a servant's heart. During his time at Franciscan, he was appointed Vice Postulator for the Cause of the Georgia Martyrs. Retiring in 2014, Fr. Conrad resided with the friars of Holy Name Province in Ringwood, NJ until his death on August 31, 2020.