Shows / The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
In Ascension’s The Catechism in a Year podcast, Fr. Mike Schmitz guides you through the entire Catechism of the Catholic Church in 365 episodes, providing explanation, insight, and encouragement along the way. Unlike any other Catechism podcast, The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) podcast follows a reading plan inspired by Ascension’s Foundations of Faith approach, a color-coded approach that reveals the structure of the Catechism, making it easier to read and understand. With this…
Episodes
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 129: Many Vocations (2026)
This "In Brief" section reviews all that we have learned in recent episodes. In the Church, “the faithful" refers to clerics and the laity with various…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 128: Unique Calls to Holiness (2026)
The Lord calls everyone to live a life of surrender, and we have been looking at the various ways God calls people to grow in holiness. Religious life includes…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 127: Consecrated Life (2026)
There are many ways that God calls people to lives of holiness. Just as he calls lay people to holiness, he also calls individuals to consecrated life…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 126: Prophetic and Kingly Offices (2026)
In addition to Christ's priestly office, lay people are called to participate in Christ's prophetic and kingly offices. They take part in Christ's prophetic…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 125: Vocation of the Laity (2026)
The term "laity" refers to all the faithful, except those in Holy Orders and those who belong to a religious state approved by the Church. We learn about the…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 124: Teaching, Sanctifying, and Governing (2026)
There are three offices that belong to the episcopal college: the teaching office, the sanctifying office, and the governing office. Fr. Mike gives us an…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 123: The Pope (2026)
Who is the Pope? Today, we focus on the role of the Pope in the Catholic Church as the Vicar of Christ and pastor of the entire Church. The Catechism teaches…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 122: Christ’s Faithful (2026)
There are three primary roles among Christ’s faithful: the hierarchy, the laity, and consecrated life. Fr. Mike explains the difference between these three…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 121: The Apostolate (2026)
For the Church to remain truly apostolic, she must exercise the apostolate, which is the mission “to spread the Kingdom of Christ over all the earth.” Today’s…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 120: The Apostolic Church (2026)
The fourth mark of the Catholic Church is her "apostolic" nature. Fr. Mike explains the three ways the Church is apostolic and discusses how this…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 119: The Church’s Missionary Mandate (2026)
Together, with Fr. Mike, we explore the many aspects of the Church’s missionary mandate. Fr. Mike emphasizes the importance of engaging and living out Christ’s…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 118: The Church and Non-Christians (2026)
Fr. Mike examines the relationship between the Church and non-Christian religions. He discusses that while there is some degree of goodness and truth in every…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 117: The Church Is Catholic (2026)
We continue our examination of the four marks of the Church with today’s mark: catholic. Fr. Mike explains that “catholic” means that the Church is universal…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 116: The Church Is Holy (2026)
Fr. Mike examines the next characteristic of the Church, the Church is holy, and he emphasizes two important ideas. The first is that the Church is unfailingly…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 115: Wounds to Unity (2026)
Together, with Fr. Mike, we examine the wounds to the unity of Christ’s one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church. The Catechism emphasizes that people on both…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 114: The Church Is One (2026)
In this new paragraph—"The Church is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic”—the Catechism explains how and why the Church is “One”. Fr. Mike highlights the many…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 113: The Temple of the Holy Spirit (2026)
“What the soul is to the human body, the Holy Spirit is to the Body of Christ, which is the Church.” The Catechism uncovers how the Holy Spirit truly builds up…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 112: The Church Is the Bride (2026)
Christ is the head of the Church. The Catechism describes Jesus’ relationship to his Church as “a personal relationship…expressed by the image of bridegroom…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 111: The Church as the Body of Christ (2026)
“The Church is communion with Jesus.” The Catechism shows us what it means for the Church to be considered the “body of Christ”. Fr. Mike explains how being…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 110: The People of God (2026)
God draws people to himself and makes them his own. The Catechism shows us what makes God’s people different from everyone else, and what it is that unites…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 109: Mystery of Union With God (2026)
Do we love the Church? Some of us might struggle with that idea, but Fr. Mike explains that if we are to love and live in accordance with the heart of Jesus…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 108: Revealed by the Holy Spirit (2026)
Jesus Christ established the Church, but the Holy Spirit continually sanctifies the Church with wisdom, guidance, and charismatic gifts. The Church’s mission…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 107: Origin of the Church (2026)
The origin of the Church is just one of the ways we can come to know the depth of God’s love for us. From the very beginning, the Church, as a gathering of the…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 106: Symbols of the Church (2026)
There are many different symbols of the Church that can help us to understand it. We learn some of these symbols today, including a sheepfold, a cultivated…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 105: Christ’s Church and its Mission (2026)
The Church has no other light than Christ's, and the Holy Spirit is the source of all its holiness. We believe that the Church is "holy," "catholic," "one,"…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 104: The Holy Spirit and the Church (2026)
As we conclude this article on the Holy Spirit, the Catechism teaches us today about the relationship between the Holy Spirit and the Church. Fr. Mike breaks…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 103: The Power of Pentecost (2026)
Pentecost marks the beginning of the age of the Church, the time in which the Kingdom is inherited but not fully consummated. Today, we dive into the meaning…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 102: The Holy Spirit’s Mission (2026)
The working of the Holy Spirit in and through Mary and the Son is a pivotal part of God's plan of salvation. The Catechism today reveals to us how the Holy…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 101: Expecting the Messiah (2026)
Fr. Mike continues to explore the joint mission of the Word and Spirit in the Old and New Testaments. Together, we unpack how the Holy Spirit has been moving…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 100: God’s Word and Spirit (2026)
Together with Fr. Mike, we unpack the joint mission of God’s Word and the Spirit in the Old and New Testaments. Fr. Mike emphasizes the Spirit’s role in…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 99: Symbols of the Holy Spirit (2026)
Fr. Mike explores the different symbols the faithful use when discussing the Holy Spirit, such as fire, water, and anointing. We examine how these symbols help…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 98: The Son and the Spirit (2026)
Fr. Mike continues to examine the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit’s mission. We explore the joint mission of the Son and the Holy Spirit. When the Son and the…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 97: Introduction to the Holy Spirit
Together, with Fr. Mike, we begin our examination of the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit, and how God reveals himself as the Holy Spirit in…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 96: The Church’s Ultimate Trial (2026)
The Catechism concludes the section on The Son with an examination of the final trial and judgment that will happen before Christ’s Second Coming. This final…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 95: Christ’s Reign on Earth (2026)
Together, with Fr. Mike, we explore Christ’s reign on earth. We examine the reality of Christ’s reign as both “already” and “not yet.” For, even though Christ…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 94: Christ’s Ascension into Heaven (2026)
The Catechism unpacks the line from the Creed, “He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.” Fr. Mike highlights the…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 93: The Meaning of the Resurrection (2026)
The Catechism wraps up its discussion surrounding Article 5 of the Creed (“He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead”) and asks the…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 92: The Man of Heaven (2026)
The Catechism demonstrates how Christ’s resurrection is “essentially different” from other cases of resurrection in the Bible and shows us how his rising from…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 91: Christ Rose from the Dead (2026)
The Catechism tackles Jesus’ bodily resurrection from the dead which is the “the crowning truth of our faith in Christ". Fr. Mike makes sure we understand that…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 90: Christ Descended into Hell (2026)
Have you ever said the words from the Creed at Mass, “he descended into hell” and wondered, “Really? Jesus did? Why?” The Catechism shares the secrets of this…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 89: Jesus Christ Was Buried (2026)
When he was crucified, Jesus experienced a real human death, the separation of his soul from his body. Because of his divinity, though, Jesus’ body did not see…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 88: Christ’s Definitive Sacrifice
Christ’s death is the unique and definitive sacrifice. It is both the Paschal Sacrifice that accomplishes redemption and the sacrifice of the New Covenant that…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 87: Christ’s Life as Offering (2026)
Jesus Christ’s entire life was an offering to God the Father, and he freely embraced God’s will and his plan for salvation. We learn that the Eucharist…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 86: God’s Plan of Salvation (2026)
How can we have free will if the Scriptures foretell God’s plan of salvation? This is a great mystery and something we might struggle to understand. Fr. Mike…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 85: The Trial of Christ (2026)
In this reading, we learn that all sinners are the authors of Christ’s Passion. We do not blame the Jews for the Crucifixion of Jesus as we know that it is our…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 84: The Claim of Savior (2026)
Jesus' claim that he is the one true God and the world's savior was the stumbling block for many Jews. Fr. Mike explains why Jesus' invitation to the Jewish…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 83: Jesus and the Temple (2026)
Given that the Temple was at the heart of Jewish life and worship, Jesus’ relationship with the Temple speaks volumes. Fr. Mike highlights Jesus’ reverence for…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 82: Jesus and the Law (2026)
What is Jesus’ relationship with the Old Testament Law? Our Catechism readings today reveal that Jesus is the Author of the Law who provides the definitive…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 81: Christ’s Paschal Mystery (2026)
Fr. Mike begins his examination of the Paschal Mystery of Christ’s passion, death, and ultimate Resurrection. He emphasizes that all of Scripture points to…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 80: Summary of the Mysteries of Christ’s Life (2026)
We have arrived at another nugget day, or In Brief day, for the paragraphs on the mysteries of Christ’s life. On today’s “mystery nugget” day, Fr. Mike…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 79: Jesus’ Transfiguration and Messianic Acts (2026)
Together, with Fr. Mike, we explore both the mystery of Christ’s Transfiguration and the mystery of his messianic entrance into Jerusalem. We examine how the…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 78: Signs of the Kingdom (2026)
Fr. Mike unpacks the signs of the kingdom of God that Christ performed while on Earth. These signs of the kingdom are a way for us to see that Jesus is not…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 77: The Kingdom of God (2026)
Fr. Mike explores Jesus’ mission of establishing the kingdom of God on earth, and who belongs in the kingdom of Heaven: all people. We see how Jesus identifies…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 76: Jesus’ Baptism and Temptation (2026)
Together, with Fr. Mike, we examine the mysteries of Jesus' Baptism and temptation in the wilderness. Fr. Mike unpacks how Jesus’ Baptism is yet another…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 75: Jesus’ Infancy and Hidden Life (2026)
Fr. Mike explores the mystery of Jesus’ infancy and hidden life. We first take a look at Jesus’ Baptism, circumcision, and the Epiphany. Fr. Mike discusses…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 74: The Christmas Mystery (2026)
Diving deeper into Jesus Christ as Mystery, the Catechism describes the deep mystery in the preparations for Christ’s coming—also known as Advent—as well as…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 73: Christ’s Life Is Mystery (2026)
Many of the things we’d like to know about Jesus’ life we don’t know, but remember, as Fr. Mike has told us, a Christian mystery is not “a case to be solved.”…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 72: Mary’s Motherhood (2026)
For those with any lingering doubts or questions, the Catechism offers five reasons for Mary’s perpetual virginity. Fr. Mike digs into each reason and explains…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 71: Mary’s Virginity (2026)
The Catechism tackles a few important issues regarding Mary, the mother of God—her motherhood, her virginal conception of Jesus, and her perpetual virginity…
- The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 70: The Immaculate Conception (2026)
The Catechism introduces us to Mary’s Immaculate Conception and explains why God preserved her “immune from all stain of original sin.” Fr. Mike answers a…