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 294: Homicide
October 21st, 2023 | 12 mins 11 secs
5th commandment, direct and intentional killing, eugenics, fifth commandment, fratricide, homicide, how we live, indirectly killing, infanticide, intentional homicide, life in christ, love of neighbor, manslaughter, murder, parricide, part 3, part three, the commandments, thou shalt not kill, unintentional killing, you shall not kill
Continuing our examination of the fifth commandment, we look at various ways in which one may sin against this commandment as it relates to homicide. The Catechism addresses three categories of homicide: direct and intentional killing, indirectly killing, and unintentionally killing. Fr. Mike explores this grave topic with resonating examples and explains the varying degrees of moral culpability. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2268-2269.
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Day 293: Legitimate Defense
October 20th, 2023 | 17 mins 9 secs
5th commandment, capital punishment, crime and punishment, criminal justice system, death penalty, fifth commandment, how we live, justice, legitimate defense, life in christ, love of neighbor, love our enemies, love your enemies, love your neighbor as yourself, part 3, part three, protect, punishment, right to life, self-defense, st thomas aquinas, the commandments, thou shalt not kill, you shall not kill
Is there ever a time where legitimate defense is justifiable? The Catechism answers this question and how it relates to honoring the dignity of the human person as we dive deeper into the fifth commandment. We learn about defense of ourselves and others, principles of crime and punishment, and capital punishment. Fr. Mike also explains the Church’s current teaching on the death penalty and why it has changed over time. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2263-2267.
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Day 292: Respect for Human Life
October 19th, 2023 | 15 mins 1 sec
5th commandment, anger, article 5, article five, dignity, dignity of the human being, fifth commandment, forgiveness, hatred, how we live, human life is sacred, innocent, kill, life in christ, love of neighbor, love our enemies, love your enemies, love your neighbor as yourself, murder, part 3, part three, respect for human life, the commandments, the witness of sacred history, thou shalt not kill, vengeance, you shall not kill
We begin exploring the fifth commandment: “you shall not kill." The Catechism reminds us that human life is sacred, and we must not take the life of another innocent human. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus takes this commandment even further as he calls us to avoid anger, hatred, and vengeance in addition to loving our enemies. By forgiving and extending to others the same love and mercy we are willing to extend to ourselves, we are respecting the dignity of that person. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2258-2262.
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Day 291: The Political Community and the Church
October 18th, 2023 | 17 mins 23 secs
4th commandment, article 4, article four, dignity, fourth commandment, how we live, in brief, life in christ, love of neighbor, nugget, part 3, part three, political community, politics, respect, the commandments, totalitarian
We take a look at what the Catechism teaches about the Church in relation to political communities. Every institution has their own vision of what it means to be human, which shapes their policies. Because the Church knows the truth, that every person is made in the image and likeness of God, the Church must weigh in to ensure that the dignity of the human person is at the forefront of political decisions and policies. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2244-2257.
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Day 290: The Duties of Citizens
October 17th, 2023 | 20 mins 48 secs
4th commandment, armed resistance, article 4, article four, authority, civil authorities, country, foreigner, fourth commandment, freedom, how we live, just war, justice, life in christ, love of neighbor, nation, part 3, part three, patriotism, political authorities, solidarity, st paul, the commandments, the duties of citizens, the duty of citizens, truth
As citizens of a nation, we have certain responsibilities in accordance with God’s Law. The Catechism provides parameters for contributing to society, welcoming the foreigner, refusing obedience, and resisting oppression. Fr. Mike helps us better understand our role as co-collaborators in society within the lens of our world today. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2238-2243.
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Day 289: Family, Society, and the Kingdom
October 16th, 2023 | 16 mins 42 secs
citizens, discipleship, family, kingdom, loyalty, priorities, society
While family is important, the Catechism states, “The first vocation of the Christian is to follow Jesus.” This means that parents should support Christ's call for their children. Fr. Mike explains that when we deny Jesus or his teachings for the sake of our families, we are making an idol of the family. We also learn the duties of civil authorities. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2232-2237.
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Day 288: The Duties of Parents
October 15th, 2023 | 28 mins 45 secs
education, evangelization, family, kids, parents, school
Being a parent is far more than just having kids. As the Catechism reminds us, the fruitfulness of married love extends to the moral and spiritual education of a couple’s children. Parents are the primary educators of their children, especially in the ways of virtue and prayer. Fr. Mike reminds us that it is also parents' privilege to evangelize their children. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2221-2231.
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Day 287: The Gratitude of Children
October 14th, 2023 | 20 mins 52 secs
children, duties, gratitude, kids, parents, respect
Gratitude is the proper response of children toward their parents. Out of this gratitude comes respect. When we are children at home, this respect includes “true docility and obedience.” Fr. Mike emphasizes respect for parents doesn’t expire when we leave home as adults. Grown children are responsible for caring for and supporting their parents in their old age. As Fr. Mike stresses, this can be the simple but often overlooked phone call to mom or dad. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2214-2220.
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Day 286: The Family and Society
October 13th, 2023 | 18 mins 11 secs
community, family, freedom, relationships, rights, society
The family is the foundational element of society. Fr. Mike explains how families initiate us into societal life and act as the foundation of freedom and community. Because of its indispensable importance, we learn that civil authorities are responsible for supporting and honoring the family. Familial relationships also enlighten those found in society; we see our neighbor not as an anonymous individual but as “someone.” Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2207-2213.
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Day 285: The Nature of the Family
October 12th, 2023 | 17 mins 18 secs
children, evangelization, husbands, marriage, trinity, wives
In learning the core and fundamental definition of the family, we read today that a family is formed by a “man and a woman united in marriage, together with their children.” The Christian family is a communion of faith, hope, and love and an image of the Trinity. Fr. Mike shares how important he believes friendship and family are in spreading the Good News of the Gospel. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2201-2206.
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Day 284: The Fourth Commandment
October 11th, 2023 | 22 mins 27 secs
children, family, honor your mother and father, honoring parents, loving parents, parents, respecting authority, respecting parents, the fourth commandment
The fourth commandment addresses the most universal human relationship: our relationship with our parents. Why does God command us to honor our father and our mother? Fr. Mike explains why this commandment sets the foundation for all the other commandments. He shares the 3 levels of respect and what it looks like to honor our parents despite their brokenness and imperfections. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2196-2200.
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Day 283: The Day of Rest
October 10th, 2023 | 22 mins 48 secs
day of rest, holy leisure, not working on sundays, resting on sunday, sabbath, sunday
We all tend to make an idol of work. The Catechism teaches us that Sunday is a day of grace and rest from work. Fr. Mike explains what holy leisure looks like, emphasizing the importance of spending time with family, serving the poor, and taking time to meditate and pray. Resting on the Sabbath reminds us that our freedom and identity are found in the Lord. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2184-2195.
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Day 282: The Sunday Obligation
October 9th, 2023 | 22 mins 51 secs
church on sundays, eucharist, paschal mystery, sabbath, skipping mass, sunday mass, sunday obligation, worship
Why are Catholics obligated to attend Mass every Sunday? The Catechism teaches us today about the centrality of the Sunday celebration of the Eucharist in the life of the Church. Fr. Mike emphasizes that Sunday Mass is at the heart of our worship because it is the participation in the representation of the Paschal Mystery. He invites us to honor the Sunday obligation out of love for Jesus. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2177-2183.
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Day 281: Keep Holy the Lord’s Day
October 8th, 2023 | 20 mins 54 secs
10 commandments, 3rd commandment, article 3, article three, commandments, how we live, life in christ, love of god, outward, part 3, part three, public, regular, rest, st ignatius of antioch, st justin martyr, sunday, ten commandments, the lord’s day, the sabbath day, the seventh day, third commandment, visible, worship
We begin exploring the third commandment and learn about rest and worship concerning the Lord’s Day. The Catechism points out that God models what he wants for us as he also rested on the seventh day. Fr. Mike explains the importance of prioritizing rest for ourselves because we are free and no longer enslaved people. The Catechism describes how we are to keep the Lord’s Day holy with “outward, visible, public, and regular worship ‘as a sign of his universal beneficence to all.’” Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2168-2176.
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Day 280: The Christian Name
October 7th, 2023 | 16 mins 48 secs
10 commandments, 2nd commandment, article 2, article two, baptism, baptismal name, christian, christian name, commandments, how we live, in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit, life in christ, love of god, nugget, nuggets, part 3, part three, second commandment, sign of the cross, ten commandments, the lord’s name
What does it mean to bear the Christian name? The Catechism reminds us that in Baptism, we are given our Christian name, which is sacred. Our name represents the dignity of each of us and depicts how God loves us each uniquely. Fr. Mike explains that each time we make the Sign of the Cross, we call upon the Lord to bear witness to what we are about to do. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2156-2167.
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Day 279: False Oaths
October 6th, 2023 | 16 mins 10 secs
commandments, false oaths, oaths, perjury, second commandment, ten commandments
Together, with Fr. Mike, we continue our examination of the second commandment. Fr. Mike emphasizes that an oath engages the Lord’s name, and the Lord is the Lord of truth. We, therefore, have a duty as Christians to respect God’s name in matters of truth. He also emphasizes that everything we say is either in conformity to truth or in opposition to truth. Today’s readings are paragraphs 2150-2155.