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 340: Scripture and the Liturgy (2024)
December 5th, 2024 | 15 mins 45 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 (2024)
December 4th, 2024 | 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 (2024)
December 3rd, 2024 | 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 (2024)
December 2nd, 2024 | 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 (2024)
December 1st, 2024 | 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 (2024)
November 30th, 2024 | 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 (2024)
November 29th, 2024 | 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 Catechism paragraphs 2598-2606.
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Day 333: The Psalms (2024)
November 28th, 2024 | 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 (2024)
November 27th, 2024 | 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 (2024)
November 26th, 2024 | 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 (2024)
November 25th, 2024 | 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 (2024)
November 24th, 2024 | 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.
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Day 328: How We Pray (Part 4 Intro w/ Sr. Miriam James Heidland) (2024)
November 23rd, 2024 | 56 mins 54 secs
4th part, battle of prayer, fourth part, how to pray, how we pray, intimacy with jesus, learn to pray, obstacles to prayer, our father, part 4, part four, prayer, relationship with god, sr. miriam james heidland solt
In this fourth and final pillar of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we learn how to take everything we’ve absorbed this year and apply it to our relationship with God through prayer. Sr. Miriam James Heidland, SOLT joins Fr. Mike Schmitz to talk about how to pray, some common obstacles to prayer, and some of the incredible fruits of prayer that await us if we put the next thirty-seven days of guidance into action.
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Day 327: Poverty of Heart (2024)
November 22nd, 2024 | 14 mins 2 secs
desire, god, heart, poverty, presence, transformation, wealth
Where should we find consolation? It's essential to remember that our ultimate goal and true source of happiness is God. With this in mind, Fr. Mike emphasizes the need to detach ourselves from worldly possessions and strive to be channels of God's grace. By doing so, when we receive blessings, we can in turn become a blessing to others. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2544-2557.
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Day 326: Envy and Jealousy (2024)
November 21st, 2024 | 20 mins 26 secs
desire, envy, greed, heart, humility, jealousy, satisfaction
Envy is “the diabolical sin,” says St. Augustine. Christians should better understand this capital sin, its manifestations, and the temptation toward envy of God and neighbor. In this episode, Fr. Mike considers jealousy and envy, noting man's desire to covet and lust. He explains that the tenth commandment develops and completes the ninth. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2534-2543.
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Day 325: Battling for Purity (2024)
November 20th, 2024 | 21 mins 43 secs
heart, love, lust, modesty, pornography, purity
As Fr. Mike suggests, the battle for purity is never more difficult than in our own day. With God’s grace, we can prevail and find freedom from our temptations. Fr. Mike explains that we win this battle through chastity, purity of intention, purity of vision, and prayerful reliance on the Lord. He tells us how to pray for a pure gaze that allows us to see our brothers and sisters as God sees them. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2520-2533.