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 327: Poverty of Heart
November 23rd, 2023 | 14 mins 47 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
November 22nd, 2023 | 21 mins 9 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
November 21st, 2023 | 22 mins 27 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.
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Day 324: The Ninth Commandment
November 20th, 2023 | 19 mins 18 secs
adultery, adultery in the heart, carnal concupiscence, carnal desires, chastity, concupiscence, covet your neighbor’s house and wife, covetousness, lust, lust of the flesh, pure in heart., purity of heart, sexual desires
What does covetousness mean? Today, we launch into the ninth commandment, which deals with carnal concupiscence. This commandment addresses the tension between the “flesh” and the “spirit.” Fr. Mike emphasizes that purity of heart and temperance are crucial to overcoming lust of the flesh. The more we obey God, the more our hearts see others as God sees them. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2514-2519.
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Day 323: Truth, Beauty, and Sacred Art
November 19th, 2023 | 16 mins 30 secs
artists, beautiful art, beauty, creation, eighth commandment, lying fine arts, music, sacred art, truth, truthfulness
Have you ever been moved by beauty? As we conclude our journey through the eighth commandment, we learn that beautiful art points us to the truth and perfection of God. Lastly, Fr. Mike reminds us that this commandment encourages us to always walk in the light and bear witness to Christ in all we say and do. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2500-2513.
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Day 322: Respect for Truth
November 18th, 2023 | 16 mins 34 secs
gossip, lying, mass media, sacramental seal, secrets, social communication, speaking the truth, tabloids, telling the truth, truth
Charity dictates who we reveal the truth to. We learn today that the “right to the communication of truth is not unconditional.” Fr. Mike explains that this means we ought to examine what facts we reveal to others prudently. Fr. Mike highlights the role of mass media in disseminating the truth and the importance of guarding ourselves against gossip. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2488-2499.
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Day 321: Offenses Against Truth
November 17th, 2023 | 29 mins 26 secs
10 commandments, 8th commandment, adulation, article 8, article eight, boasting, bragging, calumny, charity, commandments, complaisance, detraction, eighth commandment, false witness, flattery, gossip, honor, how we live, humility, irony, judgment, justice, liar, lie, lies, life in christ, love of neighbor, lying, offense, part 3, part three, perjury, rash judgment, reparation, reputation, st. ignatius of loyola, ten commandments, trust, truth, truthful, truthfulness, violation, you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor
What does it mean to live out the truth? This theme carries over as we continue our evaluation of the eighth commandment. We learn the Catechism’s teachings on ways we violate truth, degrees of gravity based on circumstances, and the duty of reparation. Fr. Mike discusses each offense and offers resonating examples to reflect on. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2475-2487.
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Day 320: The Truth
November 16th, 2023 | 21 mins 40 secs
10 commandments, 8th commandment, article 8, article eight, bear false witness, bear witness, candor, commandments, discretion, eighth commandment, god is the source of all truth, honesty, how we live, lie, lies, life in christ, love of neighbor, lying, martyr, martyrdom, martyrium polycarpi, martyrs, objective truth, part 3, part three, sincerity, st. ignatius of antioch, st. paul, subjective truth, ten commandments, truth, truthfulness, witness of the gospel, you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor
We begin our dive into the eighth commandment: “You shall not bear false witness.” The Catechism defines truth, identifies the importance of truth, and reflects on martyrdom. Fr. Mike unpacks all of this information and reminds us that our duty as Christians is to live in the truth and bear witness to the truth in what we say and how we act. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2464-2474.
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Day 319: Summary of the Seventh Commandment
November 15th, 2023 | 14 mins 42 secs
commandments, dignity, human dignity, labor, private property, property, seventh commandments, ten commandments, work
We have reached the In Brief section, or nugget day, on the seventh commandment. Father Mike reiterates that the right to private property comes from our dignity as humans, and the Church has a duty to weigh in on economic or social matters where that dignity is threatened. He challenges us to ask ourselves, do we see Jesus in “the distressing disguise of the poor” and just walk by him, or do we respond to him? Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2450-2463.
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Day 318: Love for the Poor
November 14th, 2023 | 21 mins 39 secs
charity, commandments, corporal works of mercy, love, poor, seventh commandment, spiritual works of mercy, st. lawrence, ten commandments, the beatitudes, works of mercy
The Church’s charity for the poor is a “part of her constant tradition.” Fr. Mike unpacks how the poor are the “true treasure of the Church.” He emphasizes that when we give to the poor what they need, we satisfy the requirements of justice. He also reiterates the importance of mercy and showing mercy to others. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2443-2449.
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Day 317: International Justice and Solidarity
November 13th, 2023 | 14 mins 39 secs
direct aid, economics, financial, international justice, international solidarity, justice, nations, politics, religion, rich nations, solidarity
Internationally, there is often a large gap in the resources between countries. The Catechism explains the justice and solidarity that should exist among all nations, rich and poor. Rich nations have a duty of solidarity, charity, and justice to support nations who are unable to fully ensure their own development. Fr. Mike emphasizes that direct aid is not all the Church advocates for, but that we also have a duty to help reform these nations. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2437-2442.
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Day 316: Labor and Social Justice
November 12th, 2023 | 19 mins 18 secs
commandments, economic activity, economic life, economics, employment, just wage, justice, labor, seventh commandment, social justice, strike, ten commandments, unemployment, work
Work is both a gift and a duty. Today, we explore how labor can impact man’s dignity and unite us to Jesus, the carpenter. Fr. Mike emphasizes that work should not be ordered towards economic gain, but rather, it should be ordered toward man’s dignity and the human community. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2426-2436.
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Day 315: The Church’s Social Doctrine
November 11th, 2023 | 21 mins 10 secs
animals, capitalism, commandments, communism, creation, economics, pets, seventh commandment, social doctrine, socialism, ten commandments
Together, with Fr. Mike, we examine both our respect for the integrity of creation as well as the Church’s broader social doctrine. Fr. Mike emphasizes that we owe animals kindness because they have been entrusted to our stewardship, but also that we must have a balanced relationship with them. He then goes on to examine the Church’s Social Doctrine in our postmodern world, focusing on capitalism, socialism, and communism. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2415-2425.
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Day 314: Goods of Others
November 10th, 2023 | 22 mins 25 secs
10 commandments, 7th commandment, article 7, article seven, commandments, commutative justice, contracts, distributive justice, enslavement of human beings, gambling, games of chance, goods, how we live, justice, legal justice, life in christ, love of neighbor, part 3, part three, private property, promises, reparation for injustice, respect for persons and their goods, respect for the goods of others, seventh commandment, solidarity, temperance, ten commandments, the right to private property, theft, universal destination of goods, wagers, you shall not steal
What does it mean to have respect for the goods of others? Fr. Mike unpacks the Catechism’s answer to this question and what it teaches about the seventh commandment in regards to respect for persons and their goods. We learn that it comes down to the dignity of persons and the virtues of temperance, justice, and solidarity. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2407-2414.
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Day 313: Ownership of Goods
November 9th, 2023 | 21 mins 22 secs
10 commandments, 7th commandment, article 7, article seven, catholic social teachings, charity, commandments, goods, how we live, justice, life in christ, love of neighbor, ownership, part 3, part three, private property, seventh commandment, steward, ten commandments, the right to private property, universal destination of goods, you shall not steal
Beginning our look at the seventh commandment, the Catechism focuses on the universal destination of goods and the private ownership of goods. Fr. Mike helps us understand that at first glance, these concepts may seem contradictory, but upon closer inspection, they are paradoxical. Each concept is necessary, and they must be held “in tension”. We have the right to private property, and at the same time, we should have the mindset that we are stewards of our earthly possessions and talents with the intention of using them to benefit others. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2401-2406.
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Day 312: Polygamy, Incest, and Free Union
November 8th, 2023 | 20 mins
10 commandments, 6th commandment, article 6, article six, cohabitation, commandments, free union, how we live, husband, incest, life in christ, love of neighbor, marriage, nugget, offense, part 3, part three, polygamy, sexual abuse, sin, sixth commandment, st paul, ten commandments, wife
The Catechism continues on with other offenses against the dignity of marriage and concludes our look at the sixth commandment. Polygamy, incest, sexual abuse, and free union are reviewed in detail. Fr. Mike highlights that these sins are grave, but God gives hope to all of us experiencing wounds or guilt. We have the opportunity to change in order to live in accordance with the Gospel. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2387-2400.