The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast

Drawing from the wisdom of the saints, Fr. Mike explains why prayer should be in the center of our lives, while offering some helpful pointers on how to make that so, especially during distractions.

J.R.R. Tolkien’s short story "Leaf by Niggle", reveals that minutia matters: even the little things we do have can have great significance. In this episode, Fr. Mike Schmitz explores how the author of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings shows that having a more complete vision for life can affect our attention to detail. Reflecting on this, Father Mike shows us how the hope of heaven can give eternally deeper meaning to even the most minute tasks in our lives.

What is it that makes a hero? In this episode, Fr. Mike Schmitz offers a definition we can all live up to. Using the Wonder Woman movie as an example, he explains how a hero, or heroine, is characterized more by his or her praiseworthy human qualities than by any super-human ones.

Never before was there and never again will there be a moment quite like the present, yet so often we find ourselves wishing we were in another time in our lives, wishing we could be enjoying the achievement of our future goals or the past times when things were better for us. In this video, Fr. Mike challenges us to notice the “sacrament of the present moment” and see what graces God wants us to enjoy right now.

Football has recently become a forum to look at where patriotism and protest intersect. The last thing most NFL fans want is for the NFL to get political, yet with the recent National Anthem protests around the league, that seems to be what’s happening. How do we take a stance that is Christian and respectful amidst such deep-rooted tension? In this episode, Fr. Mike lays out a game plan for us, and it starts with looking within.

Balance in life is something many of us strive for while not having much insight on how to achieve it. In this episode, Fr. Mike Schmitz provides three principles that can help, advising that when we seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33), everything else tends to fall into place.

Hope, in the Christian sense, is often misunderstood. It is not the same as optimism or presumption. It is not the blind faith that we will go to heaven or the escapist way to avoid the troubles of this world. It’s not the virtue we need to see the present moment with more positivity. It’s more personal than that. In this episode, Fr. Mike Schmitz explains exactly why.

Did you know we have the ability to write our own stories? So often we consider ourselves victims of our own passions, constantly giving in to them while thinking they’re too strong. In this video, Fr. Mike empowers us to live out the vow we make in our Act of Contrition to “avoid the near occasions of sin.” Who knows where the path of life may lead if we simply choose a path other than the one upon which we know temptation lurks?

Jesus commanded us not to judge… but not to judge what? If we look at the words of Jesus, we find he’s actually telling us that even though we can’t judge the heart, we should judge actions – it’s important to make distinctions between right and wrong! Father Mike also reminds us why, with the mercy of God available to us, we don’t need to be afraid of judgment.

How do you carry your burdens in life? In this episode, Father Mike discusses a tendency to make our life harder based on the "work beneath the work." Our approach to difficulties doesn't have to make them even tougher.

Common wisdom tells us we become the people we spend the most time with, so choose your friends wisely. In this video, Fr. Mike expands upon that advice to encourage Catholics to spend more time with God in prayer, and surround ourselves with people who practice Christian virtue.

Inspired by the diligence of professional athletes and St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, Fr. Mike encourages us to approach our prayer life—and life in general—with a goal and sense of purpose. Getting physically in shape requires more than just a casual workout, and getting spiritually in shape requires more than going through the motions of our religion.

Fr. Mike explains why hope is the best remedy for suicidal thoughts. If you know someone struggling with such thoughts, don’t hesitate to reach out to them with reasons to have hope. If someone you know or love has committed suicide, pray for them and don’t lose hope for their soul. If you struggle with suicidal thoughts, don’t be ashamed to seek help. Fr. Mike shares these words of encouragement and more in this episode.

You may be familiar with the expression, “Hate the sin, not the sinner.” Fr. Mike would agree, especially when it comes to ourselves. We are quick to point out the sin we observe around us, but not as quick to examine our own souls. Along with this challenge to look inward, in this video Fr. Mike explains why we must hate sin in order to love God. Fr. Mike is also a presenter in these faith formation programs from Ascension: Belonging: Baptism in the Family of God Chosen: This is Your Catholic Faith Altaration: The Mystery of the Mass Revealed YOU: Life, Love and the Theology of the Body

Fr. Mike addresses some of the disagreements his audience expressed regarding last week’s video on mixed martial arts. Showing that he wasn’t singling out MMA, he gets to the root of the issue and asks, “Does the entertainment I choose help or harm my commitment to be like Jesus?”

Sometimes the forms of entertainment we choose to watch raise important moral questions. In this episode, Fr. Mike puts the sport of mixed martial arts on trial for its glorification of unnecessary violence. He distinguishes between the ability to defend yourself and forcing someone into submission through physical strength. Drawing from Christ’s example of meekness, Fr. Mike explains how martial arts as a discipline can be noble while mixed martial arts as entertainment is not.

In Matthew 17:20,​ Jesus tells us if we have faith as small as a mustard seed we could move mountains. The problem is most of us don’t put our faith to use. In this video, Fr. Mike invites us to make use of the gifts God has already given us. In doing so, we may become so overjoyed by our natural gifts that we can’t help but share them with others. Fr. Mike is also a presenter in these faith formation programs from Ascension:

The Book of Eli (Denzel Washington) and The Road (Viggo Mortensen) provide powerful illustrations for Fr. Mike’s talk about hope this week. These two dystopian stories demonstrate how hope can give us the strength to put everything on the line for something or someone we love, even when we know we may not see the fruits of our sacrifice. Fr. Mike is also a presenter in these faith formation programs from Ascension: Belonging: Baptism in the Family of God Chosen: This is Your Catholic Faith Altaration: The Mystery of the Mass Revealed

Fr. Mike Schmitz wants to straighten out some confusion regarding Catholics’ veneration of saints. In this episode, he explains how—far from being icons to worship—statues and paintings of the saints are reminders of what God can do in someone’s life, so honoring the saints doesn’t take away from the glory we give God. It actually brings him greater glory. You may also like the article “Why Pray to Mary and the Saints?” on The Great Adventure Blog.

Leaving our coffee cups outside - there are a few reasons for this. Fr. Mike reminds us that we all have a vital role to play in the Mass, and it’s probably more significant than any of us realized!