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 234: Freedom and Responsibility
August 22nd, 2023 | 16 mins 2 secs
article 3, choosing evil, choosing good, definition of free will, definition of freedom, free will, freedom and responsibility, imputability, involuntary, man’s freedom, negative freedom, original sin, positive freedom, religious freedom, slavery of sin, vice, virtue, voluntary
The Catechism gives us an overview of what it means for humans to have freedom, as well as some of the ramifications of that freedom. It introduces us to the countercultural notion that true freedom is to choose the good—the “freedom” to choose evil is merely the abuse of freedom. Fr. Mike ensures that we understand imputability and culpability because questions about intention, ignorance, and other social factors will be the hinges upon which swing the doors of sin. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1730-1738.
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Day 233: The Beatitudes
August 21st, 2023 | 19 mins 40 secs
apostolic catechesis, augustine, beatitudes, confessions, decalogue, discernment, eternal life, in brief, kingdom of god, kingdom of heaven, meek, nuggest day, poor in spirit, pure in heart, sermon on the mount, vocation to beatitude
“The Beatitudes are at the heart of Jesus’ preaching,” the Catechism tells us. Jesus’ proclamation in Chapter 5 of the Gospel of Matthew purifies our hearts, sets a standard for earthly discernment, and directs our actions towards heaven. Fr. Mike invites us to choose God’s ways and forsake our own ways. Today’s readings and paragraphs 1716-1729.
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Day 232: Man Is Made in the Image of God
August 20th, 2023 | 19 mins 46 secs
beatitude, chapter one, dignity of the human person, divine charity, divine image, filial adoption, for its own sake, free will, human solidarity, image and likeness, in brief, life in the spirit, likeness of god, man’s vocation, nugget day, section 1, section one, the image of god, vocation of man
We enter a new chapter examining the dignity of the human person, and Article 1 shows us that we have dignity because we are made in the image and likeness of God. We preserve that dignity when we exercise virtue and charity, and we do violence to it when we commit sin and evil acts. Fr. Mike hones in on the bold statement that we as humans are “the only creature on earth that God has willed for its own sake.” Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1699-1715.
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Day 231: Our Calling
August 19th, 2023 | 19 mins 10 secs
catechesis, catholic morality, children of god, christian morality, dead to sin, ecclesial catechesis, how we live, life in the spirit, man’s vocation, moral teaching, moral theology, morality, of charity, of grace, of sin and forgiveness, of the christian virtues, of the holy spirit, of the human virtues, ourcalling, part 3, part iii, part three, partakers of the divine nature, section one, temple of the holy spirit
As we step into Part Three of the Catechism on How We Live, we begin with an overview of our high calling as sons and daughters of God. Truly our “first and last point of reference” will always be “Jesus Christ himself, who is ‘the way, and the Truth, and the life.’” Fr. Mike identifies for us that when most people say, “I can’t accept what the Church teaches”, it’s rarely about dogma, like the Trinity or the divinity of Christ. More often than not, it’s about Christian morality, and that’s the journey we’re embarking on. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1691-1698.
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Day 230: How We Live (Part 3 Introduction with Dr. Mary Healy)
August 18th, 2023 | 59 mins
3rd part, contraception, dr. mary healy, how we live, intro episode, life in christ, live in the spirit, moral theology, morality, our calling, part 3, part three, sexual ethics, sexual morality, third part
The third part of the Catechism tells us how to live—how God has revealed that we are made to act toward him, toward each other, and toward ourselves. Fr. Mike and Dr. Mary Healy dive deep into moral theology, the state of our culture, and some of the stumbling blocks readers are bound to encounter in this part of the Catechism (as well as how to overcome them).
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Day 229: Christian Funerals
August 17th, 2023 | 20 mins 50 secs
death, funeral, hope, kingdom, mourning, resurrection, reunion
In this final episode of Pillar 2, we learn about the Christian funeral rite. Fr. Mike explains how the new life begun in Baptism comes to greater fulfillment as the Christian passes over from this earthly life into the fullness of the Kingdom. The Church, who has sacramentally nourished her children throughout their earthly pilgrimage, upon their death commends them to the Father and places their bodies in the earth to await the resurrection in hope. Each funeral is to end with a farewell to the beloved dead, knowing that we still share communion in Christ and will reunite in our heavenly home. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1680-1690.
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Day 228: Blessings, Sacramentals, and Popular Piety
August 16th, 2023 | 22 mins 52 secs
blessed, blessing, culture, exorcism, liturgy, pilgrimage, rosary
Sacramentals are sacred signs that resemble the sacraments. Blessings of people, places, and objects are foremost among the various sacramentals found in the life of the Church. Among these blessings are those of exorcism, in both its simple and solemn form. Fr. Mike notes that sacramentals and the many forms of popular piety, such as the Rosary, are noble expressions of faith that prepare us to participate in the Liturgy but can never replace the Liturgy. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1667-1679.
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Day 227: Summary of the Sacrament of Matrimony
August 15th, 2023 | 13 mins 29 secs
education, family, home, kids, love, marriage, wedding
This summary of the Catechism's teaching on the sacrament of Matrimony pulls together several beautiful themes regarding marriage and family. Fr. Mike emphasizes the family as the Domestic Church, that community where parents and children grow in charity, forgiveness, prayer, and self-giving. We're reminded that the communion of love shared by husband and wife in marriage is a sacramental sign of the union between Christ and his Church. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 1659 through 1666.
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Day 226: The Supreme Gift of Marriage
August 14th, 2023 | 15 mins 40 secs
family, home, infertility, kids, love, marriage, single
“Children are the supreme gift of marriage,” says Vatican II. Marriage is directed by its very nature toward the procreation of children. Beyond this, parents are the primary educators of their children, responsible for their holistic formation. Sadly, many couples suffer from infertility. Even in their struggle, they can provide a powerful witness of love, sacrifice, and fidelity. In all this and more, we see the family as the Domestic Church. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1652-1658.
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Day 225: Total Fidelity in Marriage
August 13th, 2023 | 20 mins 13 secs
covenant, divorce, fidelity, love, marriage, reconciliation, separation
“Love seeks to be definitive,” the Catechism tells us in this section on marital fidelity. The faithfulness of husband and wife in the sacrament of Matrimony is a sign of God’s irrevocable covenant with humanity. This fidelity is both beautiful and challenging. Fr. Mike addresses painful situations of separation and divorce and how the whole ecclesial community should respond with truthful love. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1646 through 1651.
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Day 224: The Grace of the Sacrament of Marriage
August 12th, 2023 | 21 mins 19 secs
catholic marriage, conjugal love, faithfulness, fertility, grace of marriage, husband, indissoluble bond, marriage bond, marriage roles, married love, matrimony, one flesh, spouses, unity in marriage, wives
The grace of the Sacrament of Marriage provides husbands and wives the strength to love one another with supernatural, tender, and fruitful love. Fr. Mike covers the characteristics of the marriage bond and the different roles of husbands and wives. He explains what it means to “be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.” We also learn that indissolubility, faithfulness, and openness to fertility are requirements of conjugal love. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1638-1645.
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Day 223: Differences in Religion in Marriage
August 11th, 2023 | 17 mins 35 secs
catholic marriage, differences in religion in marriage, disparity of cult, marriage, marrying non-catholics, mixed marriages
Can a Catholic marry a baptized non-Catholic or a non-baptized person? Fr. Mike breaks down the Church’s teaching on mixed marriages and disparity of cult. The Catechism teaches us that while a difference in religion “does not constitute an insurmountable obstacle for marriage,” it can often be a source of tension in marriage and present significant challenges when raising a family. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1625-1632.
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Day 222: Matrimonial Consent
August 10th, 2023 | 22 mins 45 secs
annulling marriage, annulment, catholic marriage, marriage, marriage formation, marriage preparation, married in a church, martial embrace, matrimonial consent
Matrimonial consent is an indispensable element of the Sacrament of Marriage. Fr. Mike explains why it is essential for those entering marriage to express their consent freely and why in the Church’s eyes, “if consent is lacking, there is no marriage.” Fr. Mike also guides us through the Church’s teaching on annulment and clarifies why it can be complex. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1625-1632.
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Day 221: The Celebration of Marriage
August 9th, 2023 | 16 mins 8 secs
catholic marriage, catholic wedding, celebration of marriage, celibacy, eunuchs, marriage liturgy, marriage prayers, matrimony, sacrament of marriage, virginity for the sake of the kingdom
What does a Catholic wedding look like? Today, we dive into the liturgical celebration of marriage and learn that the celebration must be valid, worthy, and fruitful. Additionally, we briefly cover virginity for the sake of the Kingdom and how this particular call highlights the beauty and goodness of marriage. Fr. Mike emphasizes that those who are called to a life of celibacy can truly live joyful and fulfilling lives. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1618-1624.
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Day 220: Marriage in the New Covenant
August 8th, 2023 | 22 mins 7 secs
catholic marriage, christian marriage, covenant of marriage, jesus teaching on marriage, marriage, marriage bond, marriage in the bible, new covenant, sacrament of marriage, union of man and woman
How is the meaning of marriage different in the New Covenant? The Catechism teaches us today that Christ elevates the gift of marriage to a sacrament and restores the original order of this powerful union between man and woman. Fr. Mike explains why marriage looked different in the Old Covenant and how God was preparing his chosen people throughout time to accept Christ’s law of marriage. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1609-1617.
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Day 219: Marriage in God’s Plan
August 7th, 2023 | 20 mins 50 secs
education, family, holy matrimony, marriage, offspring, partnership, procreation, sacraments, spouses
Together, with Fr. Mike, we begin the section on the sacrament of holy Matrimony. We unpack two elements of the sacrament, namely marriage in the order of creation and marriage under the regime of sin. Fr. Mike emphasizes that marriage is a partnership between man and woman that is oriented towards the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1601-1608.