The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
A day-by-day walk through the transformative beliefs and teachings of the Catholic Church.
About the show
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 podcast, you’ll finally understand what it means to be Catholic and how the beliefs of the Catholic Faith come together.
Listen and…
- Read the ENTIRE Catechism of the Catholic Church in 365 days
- Understand the essentials of the Catholic Faith and why they matter
- Understand how Church teaching is rooted in Sacred Scripture
- Absorb over 2,000 years of Sacred Tradition
- Encounter God’s plan of sheer goodness for your life
Each 15-20 minute episode includes:
- A guided prayer to help you enter into each episode
- A reading from the Catechism of the Catholic Church
- An explanation from Fr. Mike Schmitz about the reading
The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.
Episodes
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Day 114: The Church Is One (2024)
April 23rd, 2024 | 18 mins 38 secs
apostolic succession, bonds of unity, christ’s church, church of christ, church unity, diversity, division, eastern rite, one holy catholic and apostolic church, paragraph 3, the church is one
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 manifestations of the good that Jesus works through the Church, and he also urges us to cling to the “visible bonds of unity” that Christ offers us. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 811-816.
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Day 113: The Temple of the Holy Spirit (2024)
April 22nd, 2024 | 17 mins 35 secs
advocate, charism, charisms, gift of god, grace of the holy spirit, holy spirit, in brief, living in the spirit, my charism, nugget day, paraclete, spirit of christ, temple of the holy spirit, temple of the living god, the soul of the church
“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 whole Church in the name of Jesus. Fr. Mike dives into the incredibly diverse gifts that the Holy Spirit gives up for the building up of the Kingdom—the charisms. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 797-810.
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Day 112: The Church Is the Bride (2024)
April 21st, 2024 | 16 mins 13 secs
betrothed to christ, body the church, bride of christ, christ and the church, christ the bridegroom, christ the head, christus totus, christ’s reign, church the bride, fullness of christ, head of the body, head of the church, jesus’ reign, one flesh, passover, spotless bride, spotless lamb
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 and bride.” Fr. Mike points out how important this is by reminding us that, underneath all of the doctrine and the dogma, God is madly in love with you. If we always remember this love, everything else will fall into place. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 792-796.
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Day 111: The Church as the Body of Christ (2024)
April 20th, 2024 | 17 mins 28 secs
abide in me, body of christ, christ’s body, church diversity, communion, communion with jesus, diversity of members, mystical body, one body, the church, united in christ, united in jesus
“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 part of the Church makes us “united in him, in his body”—more intimately connected with Jesus than even the Apostles were. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 787-791.
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Day 110: The People of God (2024)
April 19th, 2024 | 18 mins 31 secs
body of christ, god’s chosen people, israelites, kingdom priests, new covenant, old covenant, people of god, priest prophet king, salt and light, temple of the holy spirit
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 them. Fr. Mike hones in on what exactly it is that the People of God do, and exhorts us to start doing that right here, today. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 781-786.
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Day 109: Mystery of Union With God (2024)
April 18th, 2024 | 17 mins 9 secs
bride, bridegroom, grace, holiness, mary, mystery, sacrament, union, unity
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, we must love what he loves. Jesus, the bridegroom, loves his bride, the Church, so we must love the Church. We also learn that the sacraments are not only signs but also the very instruments by which the Holy Spirit gives us the grace of Christ. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 772-780.
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Day 108: Revealed by the Holy Spirit (2024)
April 17th, 2024 | 18 mins 47 secs
divine, guidance, history, holy spirit, human, paradox, revelation, wisdom
Jesus Christ established the Church, but the Holy Spirit continually sanctifies the Church with wisdom, guidance, and charismatic gifts. The Church’s mission is to proclaim and establish the beginning of God’s Kingdom on earth, and we participate in this mission through charity, humility, and self-denial. Fr. Mike helps us understand the seemingly paradoxical idea that the Church is visible and spiritual, both human and Divine. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 767-771.
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Day 107: Origin of the Church (2024)
April 16th, 2024 | 20 mins 28 secs
gift, god’s plan, heart, holy spirit, love, origin, salvation
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 people of God, has been a plan born of the Father’s heart. Fr. Mike explains that Jesus Christ instituted the Church, that salvation comes to us through the Holy Spirit in the Church, and that this was God’s plan from the very beginning of time. The Church is not man-made; the Church is God-made, and it is a great gift to us. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 758-766.
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Day 106: Symbols of the Church (2024)
April 15th, 2024 | 17 mins 26 secs
brokenness, building, church, reform, sheep, symbols, woundedness
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 field, the building of God, the spotless lamb, the bride of Christ, and our mother. Fr. Mike reminds us that, like us, the Church on earth needs constant reform. Jesus loves the Church and gave himself up for her. If we have any hostility or indifference toward the Church, we must check our hearts and pray to love what God loves. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 753-757
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Day 105: Christ’s Church and its Mission (2024)
April 14th, 2024 | 17 mins 2 secs
belief, believers, church, creed, holiness, holy spirit, light
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," and "apostolic." Fr. Mike explains that Jesus has promised to guide the Church in the truth. Members of the Church are called and uniquely belong to the Lord. We also learn that the word 'church' has three inseparable meanings: the liturgical assembly, the local community, and the universal community of believers. The Church draws her life from the body of Christ and so becomes Christ's body. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 748-752.
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Day 104: The Holy Spirit and the Church (2024)
April 13th, 2024 | 17 mins 14 secs
holy spirit, life of the church, mission of christ
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 down the four main ways the Holy Spirit is active in the mission of Christ and how the life of the Church completes that mission. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 737-747.
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Day 103: The Power of Pentecost (2024)
April 12th, 2024 | 14 mins 38 secs
gifts of the holy spirit, holy spirit, outpouring of the spirit, pentecost
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 and significance of Pentecost for our lives. Fr. Mike explains how the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost fulfills Christ’s Passover. On that glorious day, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit fully revealed themselves in the Trinity. We also learn how the Holy Spirit heals our wounded nature and empowers us to love as God loves through the various gifts of the Spirit. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 731-736.
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Day 102: The Holy Spirit’s Mission
April 11th, 2024 | 16 mins 55 secs
blessed virgin mary, holy spirit, mary, mission of the holy spirit, salvation, the son, working of the holy spirit
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 Spirit prepared Mary to fulfill the Father's plan and manifest the Son to humanity. We also learn how the Holy Spirit and the Son work together in a joint mission. Finally, Fr. Mike highlights how Mary's humility is essential to her role as the "masterwork of the mission of the Son and the Spirit in the fullness of time." Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 721-730.
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Day 101: Expecting the Messiah (2024)
April 10th, 2024 | 16 mins 31 secs
holy spirit, isaiah, john the baptist, messiah, prophets, spirit
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 prophets, particularly the prophet Isaiah. We learn how the characteristics of the Messiah are revealed, above all, in the “Servant Songs.” We also examine the Holy Spirit’s role in John the Baptist recognizing Christ as Messiah, even from within the womb. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 711-720.
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Day 100: God’s Word and Spirit (2024)
April 9th, 2024 | 21 mins 30 secs
creation, holy spirit, law, pedagogy, prophets, spirit, theophanies, word
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 creation, the theophanies, and the Law. We conclude today’s reflection with an examination of the prefiguration of the Church in the exile of the people of God in the Old Testament. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 702-710.
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Day 99: Symbols of the Holy Spirit (2024)
April 8th, 2024 | 19 mins 32 secs
anointing, cloud, dove, finger of god, fire, hands, holy spirit, seal, symbols, water
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 us more fully apprehend the person of the Holy Spirit. Fr. Mike unpacks the meaning of each symbol, as well as each symbol's connection to the Old Testament. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 694-701.