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

Episode Archive

Episode Archive

485 episodes of The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) since the first episode, which aired on October 7th, 2022.

  • Day 50: The Dignity of Man (2024)

    February 19th, 2024  |  16 mins 29 secs
    brethren, charity, communion, dignity of life, dignity of man, friendship of god, god created man, human race, image of god, imago dei, male and female, man, paragraph 6, racism, self-knowledge, self-possession, sexism, solidarity, unity of persons

    “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27). The Catechism teaches us about man’s God-given dignity and unique place in creation. Fr. Mike explains the unity that exists between all persons, and how this necessitates a “law of human solidarity and charity.” Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 355-361.

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    Day 49: We Are Created For Worship (2024)

    February 18th, 2024  |  20 mins 13 secs
    creation, creatures, earth, heaven, rest, sabbath, worship

    There is a solidarity among all of God’s creatures because all are oriented to give glory to God. We learn that God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh day, sanctifying it and blessing it. Fr. Mike tells us that all creatures were made with a view to the Sabbath, created for the worship and adoration of God. We are all called to the sacred task of worshiping God and nothing else should take precedence over it. We end with an “In Brief” review of all we have learned in recent sessions about the physical world, the spiritual world, angels, and creation. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 344-354.

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    Day 48: Creation in Order (2024)

    February 17th, 2024  |  18 mins 59 secs
    corporeal, creation, creatures, dominion, earth, heaven, hierarchy, human beings, interdependence, stewardship, universe, visible

    God created all of the visible world in richness, diversity, and order, and everything owes its existence to God. Because all of creation comes from God, every creature has its own goodness and perfection and God wills the interdependence of all creatures. Father Mike helps us to see that God gave us the world for our use, but not for our abuse. Human beings are made in the image and likeness of God and we are charged with caring for the natural world and all of its creatures. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 337-343.

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    Day 47: The Angels (2024)

    February 16th, 2024  |  17 mins 58 secs
    angels, church, corporeal, creation, creatures, earth, gloria, heaven, intercession, jesus christ, liturgy, saints, spiritual, spiritual world, worship

    The angels belong to Christ as they were made through him and for him, and he has made them messengers of his saving plan. We learn that angels have been present throughout the history of salvation, and the life of Christ is surrounded by the adoration and service of angels. Fr. Mike explains how in the liturgy, we join the angels in praising God, and all of human life is surrounded by angels’ care and protection. He reminds us that all angels and saints have the power to intercede for us before God. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 331-336.

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    Day 46: Heaven and Earth (2024)

    February 15th, 2024  |  18 mins 12 secs
    angels, corporeal, creation, earth, heaven, spiritual, spiritual world

    God created heaven and earth — all that we see and all that we don’t see. We learn that the earth is filled with men and many things we can see, but our faith tells us that there are many things on earth that we cannot see, including the presence of God and angels. Fr. Mike explains how human beings are spiritual and corporeal creatures, but angels are immortal, purely spiritual creatures. He tells us more about the role of angels and how, possessing intellect and will, they too are created to glorify God. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 325-330.

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    Day 45: Summary of Creation (2024)

    February 14th, 2024  |  13 mins 45 secs
    creation, creator, evil, sacrifice, suffering, surrender, transform, trust, universe

    In this “In Brief” section of the Catechism, we review that only God has the power to create, that is, to call into existence something from nothing. God made man and the entire universe as a manifestation of his love, and he keeps the world and all of us in existence by his will. Fr. Mike discusses one of the greatest mysteries of our faith: God bringing good out of evil. He says we won’t fully understand this mystery until we are united with God in heaven. In a broken world, we are called to trust in the goodness of God. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 315-324.

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    Day 44: The Scandal of Evil (2024)

    February 13th, 2024  |  17 mins 45 secs
    brokenness, evil, fallen world, physical evil moral evil, saints, scandal of evil, sin, suffering

    If God is a good Father and creates a good world, why does evil exist? The Catechism addresses this profound and often painful question. Fr. Mike helps us understand how to reconcile sin, evil, and suffering with God’s loving Providence. He assures us that while God does not remove evil, he does redeem it, offering himself as the solution. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 309-314.

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    Day 43: Creation Is Good (2024)

    February 12th, 2024  |  20 mins 7 secs
    create, creation, divine providence, freedom, god creates, good, goodness of creation, human nature, order, primary causey, salvation, secondary causes, universe, world

    How does God create? We read today about the reality that God creates an ordered and good world. Moreover, he is continually present in his creation, upholding and sustaining it. We also learn that God grants human beings the dignity of being causes, giving us the incredible power to share in his Divine Providence freely. Finally, Fr. Mike reminds us that because we can participate in God’s plan, our suffering is not meaningless. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 299-308.

  • Day 42: The Work of Creation (2024)

    February 11th, 2024  |  17 mins 47 secs
    creation, existence, gods create, holy trinity, love, recreation, trinity, world

    Why did God create? The Catechism today gives us a glimpse into the reason for our existence as we learn about God’s marvelous work of creation. Fr. Mike emphasizes that creation is ultimately a work of the Holy Trinity and a work of love that reveals the glory of God. He also reminds us that creation is not a work of the past; God is constantly forming and breathing new life into our lives and hearts. Today we read Catechism paragraphs 290-298.

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    Day 41: Origins and Ends (2024)

    February 10th, 2024  |  17 mins 7 secs
    deism, dualism, ends, gnosticism, manichaeism, origins, pantheism

    Together with Fr. Mike, we examine some of the different explanations for God’s existence outside of the Catholic understanding, such as Pantheism, Dualism, Manichaeism, and Deism. Fr. Mike explains that while some understanding of man’s origin can be perceived through human reason and the natural world, we also need Revelation, as it answers many questions about creation we could never possibly hope to answer with reason alone. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 285-289.

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    Day 40: God Is the Creator (2024)

    February 9th, 2024  |  18 mins 15 secs
    creation, creator, earth, god, god the father, heaven, origins

    Fr. Mike explores God’s role as “Creator” and the vital importance of understanding God as the Creator of all things: heaven and earth, seen and unseen. Together, we examine the questions of our origins, such as “Where do we come from?” and “Where are we going?” Fr. Mike emphasizes that man is created for a purpose because of the great and eternal love our Father in heaven has for every one of us. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 279-284.

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    Day 39: The Father Almighty (2024)

    February 8th, 2024  |  20 mins 12 secs
    almighty, evil, god, god the almighty, goodness, omnipotence, suffering

    Together, with Fr. Mike, we explore the nature of God as Almighty. Fr. Mike discusses three important points to keep in mind about the reality of God’s power. The first is that God’s power is universal. God rules over everything; it is an infinite power. He is loving, he adopts us as his sons and daughters and shows us his mercy. Fr. Mike concludes with a reflection on God’s mysterious power in relation to the reality of the problem of evil and suffering in our world. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 268-278.

  • Day 38: Summary of the Trinity (2024)

    February 7th, 2024  |  14 mins 46 secs
    divine economy, divine works, father, holy spirit, son, trinitarian, trinitarian mission, trinity, unity

    We have arrived at the “nugget day” or In Brief section for the paragraphs examining the nature of the Father in the Trinity. Fr. Mike reiterates some of the “nuggets” of wisdom from these past few days. He emphasizes the importance of how Baptism allows us to share in the life of the Holy Trinity. We conclude this section with a reflection on this profound call to share in the glory of the Trinity even though it exists “in the obscurity of faith.” Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 261-267.

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    Day 37: The Divine Economy (2024)

    February 6th, 2024  |  14 mins 36 secs
    blessed elizabeth of the holy trinity, divine economy, father, holy spirit, holy trinity, son, trinity

    Fr. Mike continues to unpack the Church’s teachings on the Trinity. Today, we move into an examination of the divine economy or how God has revealed and communicated himself on earth. The divine economy is not just the work of the Father, but rather the work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit together as one. Fr. Mike concludes this episode with a reflection on the impactful words of Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity who asks God to “make our hearts his heaven.” Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 257-260.

  • Day 36: The Nature of the Trinity (2024)

    February 5th, 2024  |  17 mins 40 secs
    divine persons, father, holy spirit, son, three persons, trinity, unity

    Together, with Fr. Mike, we continue our exploration of the Church’s teachings on the nature of the Holy Trinity. We examine three main ideas. The first is the unity of the Trinity, that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all one God. The next is the Divine Persons as distinct from one another: one God, three distinct persons. As Fr. Mike states, “The Son is not the Father, the Father is not the Son, and the Holy Spirit is not either.” Finally, Fr. Mike discusses the relation between each person of the Holy Trinity. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 253-256.

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    Day 35: Formation of Trinitarian Dogma (2024)

    February 4th, 2024  |  15 mins 45 secs
    dogma, father, formation, holy spirit, son, trinitarian, trinity

    Fr. Mike explores the formation of the Church’s dogma on the nature of the Trinity. He unpacks the terms used by the Church in an attempt to explain the nature of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. However, as Fr. Mike reminds us, with the story of St. Augustine and the child on the seaside, the Trinity is a mystery that none of us can fully comprehend. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 249-252.