The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)

Day 310: The Gift of a Child (2024)

November 5th, 2024  |  20 mins 5 secs

10 commandments, 6th commandment, abraham, article 6, article six, artificial insemination fertilization, child, children, commandments, conjugal act, dignity, donation of sperm or ovum, embrio, families, family, fruit, fruitful, gift, how we live, jacob, life in christ, love of neighbor, marriage, parenthood, part 3, part three, procreate, rachel, right, sexual act, sixth commandment, sterile, surrogate uterus, ten commandments

Children are a gift from God. Children have integrity and rights. With these key principles in mind, Fr. Mike reviews the Catechism’s teachings about marriage, family, child bearing, sterility, and adoption. Because “a child is not something owed to one but is a gift”, we must protect the dignity of the child at the forefront of all decisions. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2373-2379.

Day 309: Faithful and Fruitful Marriage (2024)

November 4th, 2024  |  27 mins 10 secs

children, contraception, faithful, fidelity, gift, life, marriage

Married love has an “innate language” of total and mutual self-giving. This language expresses itself in the marital act of sexual intimacy. Marital love mirrors God’s love. It is free, total, faithful, and fruitful. Fr. Mike explains that in the face of this reality, contraception and infidelity directly contradict the marital covenant between a man and a woman. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2364-2372.

Day 308: Same-Sex Attraction (2024)

November 3rd, 2024  |  32 mins 32 secs

chastity, children, homosexuality, love, marriage, sexuality

Fr. Mike guides us through the Catechism’s discussion of same-sex attraction. He highlights that all of the Church’s teachings on sexuality stem from her embrace of God’s intended and revealed purpose for sex. Fr. Mike stresses that this understanding of sexuality is core to our understanding of ourselves and the world in which we live. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2357-2363.

Day 307: Offenses Against Chastity (2024)

November 2nd, 2024  |  24 mins 40 secs

dignity, evil, healing, lust, sex, sexuality

What is God's intended purpose for our sexuality? We confront several significant transgressions that hinder this design. These offenses include lust, the consumption of pornography, and engagement in prostitution. Fr. Mike offers us a poignant reminder that despite these sins, our intrinsic human dignity remains unblemished and worthy of reverence. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 2351-2356.

Day 306: Gift of Self (2024)

November 1st, 2024  |  21 mins 51 secs

celibacy, chastity, engagement, friendship, marriage, self, sex

What are the different types of chastity? We learn chastity is "a school of the gift of the person." Mastering ourselves enables us to gift ourselves to another. Fr. Mike explains that chastity bears fruit in the form of true friendship. He explains that God calls everyone to this virtue, no matter his vocation. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 2346-2350.

Day 305: The Call to Chastity (2024)

October 31st, 2024  |  25 mins 8 secs

chastity, integrity, prayer, purity, sex, sexuality

We are all called to the virtue of chastity, which integrates our sexuality within the fullness of our person. Chastity trains us in freedom, teaching us how to direct and guide our desires. Fr. Mike explains that this virtue requires sustained effort and leads to self-mastery and peace. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2337-2345.

Day 304: Male and Female (2024)

October 30th, 2024  |  17 mins 42 secs

complementarity of the sexes, human body, human sexuality, male and female, male and female he created them, man and woman, sexual identity, sixth commandment, two sexes, you shall not commit adultery

Why did God create us male and female? We begin our journey through the sixth commandment by learning about the meaning of human sexuality and the complementarity between men and women. Fr. Mike underscores the significance of the body in revealing our sexuality and our vocation to love. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2331-2336.

Day 303: Summary of the Fifth Commandment (2024)

October 29th, 2024  |  14 mins 26 secs

abortion, arms, ethic of life, euthanasia, fifth commandment, homicide, murder, peace, respect for human life, sanctity of human life, scandal, suicide, thou shalt not kill, war, you shall not kill

The Church offers us a consistent ethic of life from the moment of conception until death. In today’s “Nugget Day,” we review the main takeaways from our readings about the fifth commandment. Fr. Mike reiterates that the Church’s teachings on the value of human life stem from the truth that every human life is sacred; God wills each person for his own sake. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2318-2330.

Day 302: War (2024)

October 28th, 2024  |  18 mins 17 secs

armed conflict, avoiding war, battle, church teaching on war, destruction of life, legitimate defense, military, national defense, soldiers, violence, war

The Church urges us to pray and work for peace to avoid the evils and injustices of war. Because we live in a broken world, the Church also offers guidance on approaching war. Fr. Mike breaks down just war theory and the criteria of legitimate defense by military force under principles of moral law. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2307-2317.

Day 301: Peace (2024)

October 27th, 2024  |  17 mins 54 secs

10 commandments, 5th commandment, anger, article 5, article five, charity, commandments, dignity, fifth commandment, hatred, high call, how we live, justice, kill, life in christ, love, love of neighbor, mortal sin, part 3, part three, peace, peacemakers, prince of peace, respect, revenge, st augustine, st thomas aquinas, ten commandments, vengeance

Peace is not simply an absence of war. Fr. Mike breaks down the Catechism’s teachings about peace as the "work of justice and the effect of charity.” We learn that to cultivate true peace, we must do more than avoid anger, hatred, and harm to our neighbor; we must actively work toward becoming agents of peace. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2302-2306.

Day 300: Science, Bodily Integrity, and the Dead (2024)

October 27th, 2024  |  24 mins 43 secs

10 commandments, 5th commandment, amputation, article 5, article five, autopsies, autopsy, bodily integrity, commandments, corporal work of mercy, cremation, death, dignity, experimentation, experiments, fifth commandment, hostage, how we live, kidnapping, life in christ, love of neighbor, mutilation, organ donation, organ transplant, part 3, part three, public health, respect, science, scientific research, sterilization, technology, ten commandments, terrorism, torture

The Catechism looks at matters relating to scientific research, bodily integrity, and the dead with the lens of the dignity of the human person. Fr. Mike helps us navigate the Catechism’s teachings by acknowledging science and technology as a good while emphasizing restrictions and conditions to ensure respect for the dignity of persons. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2292-2301.

Day 299: Respect for Health (2024)

October 25th, 2024  |  14 mins 24 secs

alcohol, commandments, drugs, fifth commandments, food, health, temperance, ten commandments, tobacco

Our health is a gift from God, and so we have a responsibility to care for it. Fr. Mike emphasizes the importance of caring for our health while also explaining that we cannot idolize our health and bodies as an absolute good. If we do idolize health, it can greatly distort the way we view the dignity of those around us. He also unpacks the virtue of temperance, defining it as, “doing the right thing, in the right way, at the right time.” Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2288-2291.

Day 297: The Cross of Suicide (2024)

October 23rd, 2024  |  20 mins 39 secs

commandments, death, fifth commandment, salutary repentence, suicide, ten commandments

"The cross of suicide is a violation of the fifth commandment that, tragically, many of us have been impacted by in our world today. Fr. Mike explains that we are stewards of the life that God has entrusted to us, not owners. Our lives are precious gifts, and we have a responsibility to care for them. He also emphasizes that we should not lose hope for the eternal salvation of those who take their own lives. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2280-2283.

Listener discretion advised. This episode contains references to suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, please contact someone you can trust and/or contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 (available 24 hours everyday). You are loved, you are beautiful, and you are absolutely irreplaceable."

Day 298: Respect for Others (2024)

October 23rd, 2024  |  20 mins 49 secs

commandments, dignity, fifth commandment, integrity, respect, scandal, ten commandments, virtue

We have seen how harming ourselves or others physically is a violation of the fifth commandment, but how can causing harm to another’s virtue or integrity violate this commandment? Fr. Mike unpacks what scandal is and exactly how it is a violation of the fifth commandment. He emphasizes the gravity of scandal when it comes from those who, by nature, teach, and how vital it is for all of us, but especially teachers, to avoid contributing to scandal. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2284-2287.

Day 296: The Sin of Euthanasia (2024)

October 22nd, 2024  |  21 mins 50 secs

commandments, dying, euthanasia, fifth commandment, handicapped, medical procedures, palliative care, sick, ten commandments

We continue our examination of the fifth commandment, taking a closer look at the sin of euthanasia. Fr. Mike emphasizes that whatever the motive, the action of ending a life in order to eliminate suffering is still a sin. He also emphasizes that palliative care, however, is an important and special form of charity and love. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2276-2279.

Day 295: The Wound of Abortion (2024)

October 21st, 2024  |  16 mins 37 secs

abortion, commandments, crisis pregnancy, excommunication, fifth commandment, forgiveness, mercy, ten commandments

Together, with Fr. Mike, we examine the wound of abortion. Fr. Mike emphasizes that all human life deserves protection, especially the unborn, but he also emphasizes the importance of God’s mercy. He explains that those who have procured an abortion are excommunicated, subject to the conditions established by Canon Law. However, the excommunication does not limit the scope of God’s mercy, but rather highlights the gravity of the sin. Fr. Mike concludes by highlighting that if abortion is a part of your story, you are encouraged to take the step towards confession and forgiveness, to be met with mercy and love and be welcomed home. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2270-2275.