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 209: Summary of the Anointing of the Sick (2024)
July 27th, 2024 | 13 mins 8 secs
death, forgiveness, healing, heaven, hope, sickness, strength
This summary of the Catechism’s teaching about the Anointing of the Sick is concise and rich. This holy anointing brings us hope and courage as we endure illness and the difficulties of old age. While we pray for healing of body and soul, this sacrament also prepares us for death. Fr. Mike ends this episode by explaining three practices of the Church that help her members prepare for death. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1526-1532.
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Day 208: Completing the Earthly Pilgrimage (2024)
July 26th, 2024 | 16 mins 36 secs
death, healing, heaven, life, pilgrimage, resurrection, sickness
The effects of the Anointing of the Sick are numerous and deeply transformative. In times of great need and temptation, this sacrament brings us strength, courage, peace, and the forgiveness of sins. Fr. Mike explains that these effects aren’t only for the individual recipient but for the whole ecclesial community. We learn that when a person approaches the threshold of death, joining this anointing with Reconciliation and the Eucharist as viaticum constitute “the sacraments that complete the earthly pilgrimage.” Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1520-1525.
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Day 207: Celebrating the Anointing of the Sick (2024)
July 25th, 2024 | 11 mins 8 secs
anointing, death, eucharist, healing, illness, sacrament, sickness
The Anointing of the Sick is not just for those on the verge of death but for any faithful suffering from a grave illness. Fr. Mike explains that because of this, we don’t have to put this sacrament off to the very end; instead, we can enjoy the graces it confers as often as is fitting throughout a lifetime. This section also discusses how we can celebrate the Anointing of the Sick. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1514-1519.
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Day 206: Healing the Sick (2024)
July 24th, 2024 | 18 mins 31 secs
anointing, healing, hope, physician, redemption, sacrament, sickness
By taking up our cross and following Christ, we gain a new way of seeing sickness and frailty. Along with this newness of vision, the Church is given the command from her founder to heal the sick. Since its beginning, the Church has anointed the sick among us, praying for their healing and salvation. Amid their sufferings, the suffering can endure, uniting themselves to Christ’s own afflictions for the sake of the Church. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1506-1513.
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Day 205: Christ the Physician (2024)
July 23rd, 2024 | 21 mins 46 secs
comfort, compassion, healing, illness, physician, redemption, sickness, suffering
Sickness and suffering bring us face-to-face with our fragility and limitations. While they might cause some to lose hope and become bitter, we can also endure them in such a way as to grow in maturity and trust in God. Jesus not only heals the sick in the Gospels but also plunges into suffering’s depths. In this redemptive work, we know Jesus as the physician of soul and body. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1499-1505.
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Day 204: Summary of Sacrament of Reconciliation (2024)
July 22nd, 2024 | 12 mins 57 secs
confessing sins, forgiveness of sin, healing, mercy, penance, reconciliation, sacrament of confession
In today’s nugget day, Fr. Mike reviews the major themes of the sacrament of Reconciliation. Fr. Mike emphasizes the six spiritual effects of this sacrament and reminds us of the great gift of Confession because, as the Catechism states, “to the eyes of faith, no evil is graver than sin.” We conclude today’s article with humble gratitude for God’s unfathomable mercy. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1485-1498.
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Day 203: The Purpose of Indulgences (2024)
July 21st, 2024 | 23 mins 31 secs
celebration of confession, communion of saints, confession, forgiveness of sins, general absolution, indulgences, partial indulgence, plenary indulgence, reconciliation
Fr. Mike expands on the purpose of indulgences and clarifies why the Church has the authority to provide indulgences. We also learn about the role of the Communion of Saints in our strive for holiness and the different liturgical forms and elements of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1474-1484.
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Day 202: How Confession Heals (2024)
July 20th, 2024 | 24 mins 36 secs
confession, double consequences of sin, eternal consequence, eternal punishment, forgiveness of sins, healing, indulgences, reconciliation, restoration, temporal consequence, temporal punishment
What happens to us when we go to Confession? Fr. Mike explains the powerful ways the Sacrament of Reconciliation spiritually restores and perfects us. We also learn about the eternal and temporal consequences of sin, and finally, Fr. Mike discusses the four aspects to an indulgence and how these aspects require our cooperation with God's grace. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1468-1473.
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Day 201: The Confessor’s Role (2024)
July 19th, 2024 | 16 mins 20 secs
confession, confessor, forgiveness of sins, mercy, minister of reconciliation, penance, priest, priesthood, reconciliation, sacramental seal
If God is the one who forgives our sins, why do we need priests as confessors? The Catechism teaches us today about the role of the priest as the minister of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We learn that priests ought to be "servants" of God's mercy rather than "masters" of God's mercy. Fr. Mike invites us to pray for all priests' hearts, encouraging gentle, loving, and truthful confessors. Lastly, Fr. Mike clarifies the purpose of excommunication and the sacramental seal. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 1461-1467.
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Day 200: The Confession of Sins (2024)
July 18th, 2024 | 23 mins 51 secs
absolution, confession of sins, forgiveness of sins, healing, mercy, penance, reconciliation, restitution, wounds
When we confess our sins, we’re not telling God something he doesn’t know; we’re giving God access to something he doesn’t have: permission to heal our wounds. Today we learn why the act of confessing our sins is an essential part of the sacrament of Reconciliation. Fr. Mike also clarifies the difference between absolution, penance, and satisfaction. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1455-1460.
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Day 199: The Sacrament of Forgiveness (2024)
July 17th, 2024 | 27 mins 4 secs
contrition, examination of conscience, penance, reconciliation, sacraments, sacraments of healing
Together, with Fr. Mike, we continue our examination of the sacrament of Reconciliation. Specifically, we explore the origins and structure of the sacrament that we use today. Fr. Mike emphasizes that although some of the ways we celebrate the sacrament of Reconciliation have changed, the essential elements have always remained the same. He also explores the importance of understanding the differences between perfect and imperfect contrition. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1446-1454.
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Day 198: Reconciliation with God (2024)
July 16th, 2024 | 15 mins 35 secs
conversion, forgiveness, healing, penance, reconciliation, sacraments, sacraments of healing, sin
We continue our examination of the sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. Fr. Mike emphasizes that sin, above all else, is an offense against God and his Church. It damages our communion with both. He also unpacks how important it is that God has extended his ability to forgive sins to his apostles and their successors. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1440-1445.
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Day 197: Forms of Penance (2024)
July 15th, 2024 | 18 mins 54 secs
almsgiving, conversion, fasting, friday, penance, prayer, reconciliation, sacrament, sacraments of healing, the prodigal son
Together, with Fr. Mike, we continue our examination of the sacrament of Reconciliation and Penance. In particular, we explore the different forms of penance, such as prayer, fasting, almsgiving, as well as other things people can do that orient their hearts towards conversion. Fr. Mike emphasizes the importance of taking up our own personal cross, accepting the suffering that is given to us by the Lord to carry with him each and every day. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1434-1439.
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Day 196: Conversion of the Baptized (2024)
July 14th, 2024 | 18 mins 27 secs
conversion, interior conversion, penance, reconciliation, repentance, sacraments, sacraments of healing
We continue our examination of the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. Fr. Mike explores that interior conversion, or conversion of the heart, is a radical reorientation of our whole life. Conversion is so much more than just going through the motions or checking off the boxes. He emphasizes that interior conversion and repentance requires an active hatred for sin. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1427-1433.
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Day 195: Penance and Reconciliation (2024)
July 13th, 2024 | 20 mins 31 secs
confession, conversion, forgiveness, healing, pardon, penance, reconciliation, sacraments, sacraments of healing
Together, with Fr. Mike, we begin the chapter on the sacraments of healing, starting with the sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. Fr. Mike emphasizes that Christ has given the Church the power of the Holy Spirit to continue his earthly ministry of healing and redemption with the sacraments of Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick. He also points out that through Reconciliation, we not only receive God’s forgiveness, but are also reconciled to the Church. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1420-1426.
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Day 194: Summary of the Sacrament of the Eucharist (2024)
July 12th, 2024 | 15 mins 35 secs
adoration, blood of christ, body of christ, communicant, consecration, eucharist, eucharistic, grace, holy communion, in brief, in-brief, john 6, living bread, mystical body, new covenant, nugget day, reparation, sacrament of sacraments, sacrifice, species of bread and wine, state of grace, thanksgiving, transubstantial, transubstantiation
The Catechism has spent considerable time unpacking Holy Communion—the “sacrament of sacraments”—with us, and now she summarizes the most essential truths that we must internalize and move forward with. Fr. Mike takes this “nugget day” to tell us that God desires to feed us. He has given us his Son so that we might be filled with him and made whole again, in unity with him for all of eternity. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1406-1419.