The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Episode Archive
Episode Archive
700 episodes of The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) since the first episode, which aired on October 7th, 2022.
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Day 344: Guides for Prayer
December 10th, 2023 | 18 mins 9 secs
catechesis, family, guides of prayer, holiness, how to pray, learning to pray, prayer, prayer groups, prayer life, praying, priests, religious, saints, teachers of prayer
We are lifelong learners in the school of prayer. The Church offers various guides to help us grow and cultivate our prayer lives. These include the family, the saints, priests, religious brothers and sisters, prayer groups, spiritual directors, and more. These individuals and communities teach us to pray in different ways and inspire us to persevere in prayer. Fr. Mike invites us to reflect on how God calls us to lead others in the Faith. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2683-2690.
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Day 343: Praying Through Mary
December 9th, 2023 | 14 mins 39 secs
ave maria, hail mary, marian prayer, mary, mother of god, mother of jesus, praying through mary, praying to mary, rosary
To love Mary doesn’t mean our hearts belong any less to Jesus. Today, the Catechism explains our Blessed Mother’s role in prayer and why the Catholic Church prays in communion with her. We also explore the origin behind the Hail Mary prayer and other prayers to Mary throughout the Church’s history. Lastly, Fr. Mike reflects on the tenderness and strength of Mary’s motherhood that carries us through the difficulties of our lives. By uniting our prayer to her prayer, we unite our trust with her perfect “Fiat.” Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2673-2682.
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Day 342: Trinitarian Prayer
December 8th, 2023 | 18 mins 42 secs
come holy spirit, invoking the name of jesus, prayer, prayer to jesus, prayer to the father, prayer to the holy spirit, praying, the holy name jesus, the name of jesus, the way of prayer, trinitarian prayer
What is the significance of praying to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit? As we explore the path of prayer, the Catechism elaborates on the concept of trinitarian prayer and underscores the importance of establishing a relationship with each member of the Holy Trinity. Fr. Mike emphasizes that Christ is the focal point of Christian prayer, and he underscores the profound power of invoking the name of Jesus, as it represents his very presence. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 2663-2672.
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Day 341: The Theological Virtues
December 7th, 2023 | 13 mins 58 secs
article 1, article one, at the wellsprings of prayer, chapter 2, chapter two, christian prayer, cure of ars, curé of ars, faith, holy spirit, hope, how we pray, in brief, love, nugget, nuggets, part 4, part four, prayer, prayer in the christian life, scripture, section 1, section one, st john vianney, theological virtues, today, tradition of prayer
The Catechism reveals the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love as additional “wellsprings” of prayer for us to connect with the Father. Fr. Mike explains that we must enter into prayer with faith, pray in hope, and love as God loves us. Fr. Mike also addresses the Catechism's view on praying in the present, not looking at the past or future. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2656-2662.
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Day 340: Scripture and the Liturgy
December 6th, 2023 | 15 mins 7 secs
article 1, article one, at the wellsprings of prayer, chapter 2, chapter two, christian prayer, holy spirit, holy trinity, how we pray, liturgy of the church, living water, matthew, part 4, part four, prayer, prayer in the christian life, scripture, section 1, section one, tradition of prayer, word of god
How do we pray? Prayer is essential for our relationship with the Lord. The Catechism teaches that we must study the Scriptures, learn how to pray, and have the will to pray. Fr. Mike shares two different sources of prayer: the Word of God and the Liturgy of the Church. He explains how the Holy Spirit guides us in prayer and teaches us how to speak with God. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2650-2655.
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Day 339: Prayer of Praise
December 5th, 2023 | 13 mins 20 secs
doxology, faith, praise, prayer, prayer of praise, the eucharist, wonder
We examine both prayers of praise and also the “nuggets” for this section on the forms of prayer. Fr. Mike emphasizes that praise is giving God glory for who he is. He also emphasizes that the Eucharist is the ultimate prayer of praise, and that every time we pray we are joining our lives to the saints and prophets who have gone before us. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2639-2649.
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Day 338: Intercession and Thanksgiving
December 4th, 2023 | 13 mins 4 secs
grief, intercession, love, prayer, praying, saints, thanksgiving
We look at two more forms of prayer: intercession and thanksgiving. Fr. Mike emphasizes that in the age of the Church, intercession, or asking on behalf of another, is participating in Christ’s mediation. He also emphasizes that in all things we must give thanks, even in times of suffering and grief. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2634-2638.
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Day 337: Blessing, Adoration, and Petition
December 3rd, 2023 | 23 mins 13 secs
grief, intercession, love, prayer, praying, saints, thanksgiving
Prayer in the age of the Church takes on many different forms. Together, we examine specifically blessing, adoration, and petition. Fr. Mike emphasizes the beauty that all of our prayers of blessing are a response to God’s blessings for us. He also explores how common and spontaneous prayers of petition to our Father in heaven truly are, but in the age of the Church, our petition is full of hope and not lamentation. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2623-2633.
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Day 336: Jesus Hears Our Prayer
December 2nd, 2023 | 13 mins 55 secs
canticle of mary, fiat, magnificat, prayer, the jesus prayer, the virgin mary
We arrive at the conclusion of the article on how Jesus prays, teaches us to pray, and hears our prayer. Fr. Mike examines the remarkable beauty and simplicity of the “Jesus Prayer.” He also examines Mary's Fiat and Magnificat, and how she can pray and intercede for us. He concludes with an invitation to prayer by saying it is more important to pray than to talk about prayer. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2616-2622.
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Day 335: Jesus Teaches Us to Pray
December 1st, 2023 | 18 mins 52 secs
christian prayer, conversion of heart, faith, jesus prays, parables, prayer, sermon on the mount, teaching, watchfulness
At the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches us to pray through his own prayer to the Father. As we watch Jesus pray, his prayer becomes our template for our own prayer. Fr. Mike emphasizes that our prayer should not just be external, but rather should be an internal conversion of heart. This internal conversion of heart involves many aspects such as, reconciliation, loving our enemies, praying to the Father in secret, and prayerful forgiveness. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2607-2615.
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Day 334: How Jesus Prayed
November 30th, 2023 | 19 mins 35 secs
article 2, article two, chapter 1, chapter one, christian prayer, father, filial prayer, how we pray, jesus prays, part 4, part four, prayer, prayer in the christian life, revelation of prayer, scripture, section 1, section one, solitude, son, st.luke, universal call to prayer, word who became flesh and dwells among us
We look at how Jesus prays in this section of the Catechism. It is revealed how Jesus learned to pray, the frequency of his prayers, and where he prayed. Jesus brought his needs to the Father including his last words and final “loud cry”. Through his example of filial prayer, we are able to pray to the Father as sons and daughters. We can ask him for anything as all of our thoughts, desires, troubles, fears, and needs are already with the Lord. “The Father accepts them and, beyond all hope, answers them by raising his Son.” Today’s readings are paragraphs 2598-2606.
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Day 333: The Psalms
November 29th, 2023 | 13 mins 15 secs
article 1, article one, chapter 1, chapter one, christian prayer, how we pray, in brief, nugget, old testament, part 4, part four, praise, prayer, prayer in the christian life, psalms, psalter, revelation of prayer, scripture, section 1, section one, universal call to prayer
The Psalms are essential and powerful prayers. Through praying the Psalms, we are giving praise to God and expressing our belief while simultaneously nourishing our faith. In the Psalms, we are reminded of God’s love, faithfulness, and presence, even in the dark moments of our lives. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2590-2597.
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Day 332: Prayer Converts Our Heart
November 28th, 2023 | 18 mins 41 secs
article 1, article one, chapter 1, chapter one, christian prayer, conversion of heart, david, elijah, eucharistic epiclesis, how we pray, messiah, old testament, part 4, part four, praises, prayer, prayer in the christian life, prayer of the assembly, prophets, psalm, psalmist, psalms, revelation of prayer, scripture, section 1, section one, st ambrose, st james, the psalter, the word of god, universal call to prayer, widow of zarephath
The Catechism discusses the significance of prayer beginning with the prophets and their observations about the Temple and ritualism. It is noteworthy that while we must worship the Lord externally, this must be in tandem with prayer and cannot remain external. With Fr. Mike’s insight, we see that our thinking affects how we act, and our behaviors can influence beliefs. Taking this to heart, if we ever feel that we are just “going through the motions”, we should persist and continue praying. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2581-2589.
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Day 331: The Foundations of Prayer
November 27th, 2023 | 19 mins 28 secs
abraham, amalekites, article 1, article one, chapter 1, chapter one, christian prayer, covenant, david, eli, hannah, how we pray, isaac, jacob, king, mediator, messiah, miriam, moses, old testament, part 4, part four, prayer, prayer in the christian life, promise, psalm, psalms, revelation of prayer, samuel, scripture, section 1, section one, solomon, temple of jerusalem, universal call to prayer
Do we know how to pray? The Catechism depicts Moses learning how to pray and uses this as an example of prayer and relationship with God. The Catechism goes on to talk about David and his experiences with prayer and the Psalms. As Fr. Mike points out, “humility is the foundation of prayer,” and we need honesty, trust, and a willingness to engage in order to pray and approach God as he is. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2574-2580.
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Day 330: The Revelation of Prayer
November 26th, 2023 | 20 mins 48 secs
abel, abraham, article 1, article one, chapter 1, chapter one, christian prayer, covenant, creation, enoch, enosh, esau, faith, genesis, god calls man, how we pray, israel, jacob, noah, old testament, part 4, part four, prayer, prayer in the christian life, promise, revelation of prayer, scripture, section 1, section one, source of prayer, universal call to prayer
As the Catechism reveals, we are made for worship and called to a relationship with the Lord through prayer. God is the initiator and wants us to walk with him as he “tirelessly calls each person to the mysterious encounter known as prayer.” Fr. Mike reminds us that just like Abraham in the Old Testament, the more we get to know the Lord through prayer, the more we become like him. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2566-2573.
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Day 329: The Gift of Prayer
November 25th, 2023 | 20 mins 51 secs
faith, gift, heart, humility, mind, mystery, prayer
St. Thérèse said that “prayer is a surge of the heart.” Do we pray from our pride or from a place of humility? The Catechism tells us that “humility is the foundation of prayer.” In humility we can feel God’s thirst for us, accept his gift of prayer, and pray to him from our heart. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2558-2565.