The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast

Change is always hard. Transitions in life are difficult. Goodbyes are never easy. Endings are rarely joyful. But today, Fr. Mike suggests that beginnings are even more crucial. He encourages us to take 3 steps whenever we start over, and to let each one of ourselves “be a beginner.” Be patient with yourself. Don’t freak out. And be willing to ask for help. Fr. Mike has way more to say about trusting God, and a great place to start is his book Untroubled by the Unknown: Trusting God in Every Moment (https://tinyurl.com/25xulter). We hope it's a blessing to you!

It's easy to fall into a routine and lose sight of the little miracles all around us. Unfortunately, it is even easy to fall into a routine and lose sight of the greatest miracle of all, happening right in front of us. Today, Fr. Mike discusses the greatest gift God has ever given man: himself. Christ offered his body at the Last Supper, he sacrificed it on the Cross, and he continues to give himself to us at each and every Mass. Fr. Mike explains the shocking reality of what it means to eat Jesus' body and drink Jesus' blood. This flesh, the Incarnate Word of God, redeemed the world. His body and blood are what save our fallen human nature and they are what give us life. This miracle, occurring each time we go to Mass, gives us an opportunity to partake in redemption, unite with our Savior, and live a sacramental life.

Do you take yourself too seriously? Are you unwilling to acknowledge your faults and weaknesses to others- or even to yourself? Today Fr. Mike shares with us some lessons in humility and being willing to laugh at yourself.

Learn more about Fr. Mike Schmitz and Fr. Josh Johnson's Pocket Guide to the Sacrament of Reconciliation: https://tinyurl.com/yhwfakge

As Americans we are known for our celebration of liberty and our focus on "our rights." We even have a landmark statue which embodies this value we hold so dearly. But what if our pursuit of liberty alone isn't enough? Today Fr. Mike challenges us to take responsibility as citizens of this great nation to pursue a growth in virtue, character and religious faith on which our freedom as a democracy hinges upon.

In response to countless requests, Ascension is launching The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) on January 1, 2023! https://tinyurl.com/29o6p2o4 With this podcast, Catholics will: Read the entire Catechism of the Catholic Church in 365 days Understand the essentials of the Catholic Faith and why they matter See how Church teaching is rooted in Sacred Scripture Absorb over 2,000 years of Sacred Tradition Encounter God’s plan of sheer goodness Transform their relationship with the Church that Christ founded. If you have ever wanted to understand what it means to be Catholic and allow those truths to shape your life—this podcast is for you! We can’t wait to start this incredible journey with you. This podcast is free and always will be. It is only because of the generosity of our listeners that we have been able to consider tackling such a monumental project. But, we have limited resources. With funding from generous supporters like you, we can do even more than simply create the podcast: https://tinyu

Jesus tells in the Gospels, "Love your neighbor as yourself." But what if you struggle to love yourself? How can we pour ourselves out for others if we are not first filled up? Today, Fr. Mike challenges us properly order our love for others, namely wiling the good of the other by first willing our own good and setting clear boundaries so that we can love more fully.

Why do less than 30% of Catholics believe in the Real Presence? It seems like many have forgotten that Jesus gave his flesh for the life of the world. Today, Fr. Mike reminds us of the gift of the Eucharist and shares the way it transformed his own life. It is the heart of our faith, our spiritual nourishment, the bread that we live for, and the teaching worth dying for.

Is Judas in Hell? The overwhelming consensus over time is that he must be. But has the Church proclaimed that he definitely is? Surprisingly... no. Why? Jesus teaches us that, while we can evaluate “a tree by its fruits,” it is left to God alone to make a final judgement upon someone’s heart and determine their destination. Everyone has the grace and the opportunity to say “yes” to God. The sobering flipside to this reality is that hell is real—and it’s not something that only really, really bad people choose. “Wide is the road that leads to destruction.” Today, Fr. Mike invites us to ponder our final destination, and whether or not we are truly doing God’s will.

Are there things in my life that are incompatible with holiness? We all wish to be saints—God's people with him forever in heaven. But do we will it? Do we choose it? Fr. Mike wants you to know that today is the day. This is the moment. There's only one reason you're not a saint yet.

Have you heard the phrase, "Ora et Labora" before? What about the maxim, "Pray as if everything depends on God. And work as if everything depends on you." Today Fr. Mike breaks down the Benedictine charism of prayer AND work and offers us some food for thought when tempted to fall into fatalism or quietism and remove our will from the equation.

"Love your neighbor as yourself." We all know the drill. Jesus calls us to love even our enemies. But loving people can be so HARD. Today Fr. Mike offers us some 3 practical tips and a word of challenge to lean into loving those we find difficult to love and care for.

Are you feeling tired and spiritually exhausted? Do you feel like throwing in the towel on everything? Today Fr. Mike offers us a way to evaluate our spiritual practices, service, and prayer based on our relationship, identity, and mission (RIM) to know what we can remove and keep from our Catholic spiritual life.

Most of us are familiar with the 5 Love Languages; gift-giving acts of service, physical touch, words of affirmation, and quality time. But which of these is how God gives and receives love? Today Fr. Mike shares with us how God often loves us not in the way we might expect or prefer but in the way that most draws us into union with him.

What happened? Did Fr. Mike change his mind on tattoos? Today Fr. Mike reveals his recent tattoo, why he got it, and why he’s not really happy about it.

Today Fr. Mike unpacks the three Transcendentals; Truth, Goodness, and Beauty, and why and how our hearts can be misled by emotion and feelings at times which distorts these fundamental realities.

Today Fr. Mike had the chance to interview Mark Wahlberg about his amazing new movie, "Father Stu," which follows the incredible true story of Fr. Stuart Long, a "boxer-turned-priest who inspired countless people during his journey from self-destruction to redemption."

If you're Catholic, you know the drill: we sin, we break our relationship with God, and then he offers us the incomprehensible mercy to restore that relationship with him. You can see this beautiful grace most Saturday afternoons at parishes around the world in the Sacrament of Reconciliation—or, Confession. But have you heard of "general absolution"? Is it a way to skip the confession line and get "bulk forgiveness"? Today, Fr. Mike dispels the confusion around general absolution and redirects us to the true source of reconciliation that Christ has given his Church.

Will Smith slapping Chris Rock. Vladimir Putin and Russia invading Ukraine. COVID ripping through the world. What do these all have in common? The rules get broken. We all know the rules. The lights turn on. The toilet flushes. We all play nice. But that’s not "how things work". That’s "how things have been working". Today, Fr. Mike tells you what to do when you get slapped in the face by a broken world.

When we receive criticism from someone it's easy to think that we can either put up our fists and fight it or let it defeat us. But are those really the only two options? Today, Fr. Mike walks us through the third option when being criticized and how to receive a negative comment well and with charity.