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 85: The Trial of Christ (2024)
March 25th, 2024 | 18 mins 38 secs
crucifixion, death, forgiveness, jesus, jewish, jews, passion, redemption, sacrifice, sin, vice
In this reading, we learn that all sinners are the authors of Christ’s Passion. We do not blame the Jews for the Crucifixion of Jesus as we know that it is our own sins that caused his Passion and death. Fr. Mike tells us that the Jews are not collectively responsible for Jesus’ death, and they should not be spoken of as rejected or cursed. We’re reminded that when we choose sin and deny Christ by our deeds, we crucify him anew in our hearts. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 595-598.
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Day 84: The Claim of Savior (2024)
March 24th, 2024 | 15 mins
believing jesus, faith in jesus, israel, jesus as savior, jews, one true god, people of israel, pharisees, savior, unbelief
Jesus' claim that he is the one true God and the world's savior was the stumbling block for many Jews. Fr. Mike explains why Jesus' invitation to the Jewish people to have faith in him was a challenging task. We learn that hardness of heart and unbelief led the Pharisees to a tragic misunderstanding of Jesus. We are also at risk of such error, and recognizing our hardness of heart can help us to grow in faith. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 587-594.
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Day 83: Jesus and the Temple (2024)
March 23rd, 2024 | 13 mins 48 secs
destruction of the temple, jesus and the temple, jewish temple, prophecy of the temple, sacrifice, temple, worship
Given that the Temple was at the heart of Jewish life and worship, Jesus’ relationship with the Temple speaks volumes. Fr. Mike highlights Jesus’ reverence for the Temple and unpacks the remarkable implications of Jesus’ prophecy about the destruction of the Temple. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 583-586.
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Day 82: Jesus and the Law (2024)
March 22nd, 2024 | 15 mins 22 secs
jesus and the law, jesus fulfills the law, jewish law, kingdom laws, moral laws, old testament law, temple laws
What is Jesus’ relationship with the Old Testament Law? Our Catechism readings today reveal that Jesus is the Author of the Law who provides the definitive interpretation of the Law. We learn that Jesus did not come to abolish the Law but rather to fulfill the Law in its totality. Fr. Mike also clarifies the difference between Temple Laws, Kingdom Laws, and Moral Laws in Scripture. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 577-582.
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Day 81: Christ’s Paschal Mystery (2024)
March 21st, 2024 | 18 mins 6 secs
death, israel, paschal, paschal mystery, passion, resurrection
Fr. Mike begins his examination of the Paschal Mystery of Christ’s passion, death, and ultimate Resurrection. He emphasizes that all of Scripture points to this Paschal Mystery, and that through our faith, we can try to examine the circumstances of Jesus’ life to fully understand our own redemption. We also explore Jesus’ relationship with Israel and our own relationship with our Jewish forefathers. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 571-576.
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Day 80: Summary of the Mysteries of Christ’s Life (2024)
March 20th, 2024 | 17 mins 8 secs
baptism, hidden life, life of christ, mystery, obedience, transfiguration
We have arrived at another nugget day, or In Brief day, for the paragraphs on the mysteries of Christ’s life. On today’s “mystery nugget” day, Fr. Mike recounts the significance of Christ’s obedience to the Father and our own obedience to God’s will. He also emphasizes the importance of reflecting on the mysteries of Christ’s life by reading and meditating on the Gospels and praying the Rosary. Today’s readings from the Catechism are paragraphs 561-570.
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Day 79: Jesus’ Transfiguration and Messianic Acts (2024)
March 19th, 2024 | 18 mins 28 secs
jerusalem, messiah, messianic, transfiguration
Together, with Fr. Mike, we explore both the mystery of Christ’s Transfiguration and the mystery of his messianic entrance into Jerusalem. We examine how the Transfiguration reveals that Christ’s death was a voluntary act, and that he is truly the “splendor of the Father.” Fr. Mike emphasizes the incredible parallel between Christ’s baptism and Transfiguration. That, on the threshold of his public life, we witness Christ’s baptism, and on the threshold of the Passion, we witness the Transfiguration. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 554-560.
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Day 78: Signs of the Kingdom (2024)
March 18th, 2024 | 20 mins 48 secs
keys of the kingdom, kingdom, kingdom of god, signs, simon peterv, st. peter
Fr. Mike unpacks the signs of the kingdom of God that Christ performed while on Earth. These signs of the kingdom are a way for us to see that Jesus is not just “another prophet” but is, in fact, the Son of God. Fr. Mike reminds us that these miracles and signs can strengthen the faith, but they can also be opportunities for “offense.” We also examine the authority that Christ entrusts to St. Peter, and his unique role within the college of apostles, just like the unique role the Holy Father has within the Church today. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 547-553.
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Day 77: The Kingdom of God (2024)
March 17th, 2024 | 18 mins 6 secs
god, jesus, kingdom, kingdom of god, kingdom of heaven
Fr. Mike explores Jesus’ mission of establishing the kingdom of God on earth, and who belongs in the kingdom of Heaven: all people. We see how Jesus identifies himself with the poor, lowly, and those who the world says are not important. If we do not welcome them, we cannot enter the kingdom. Fr. Mike challenges us to examine the fact that in order to gain entry into the kingdom, “one must give everything. Words are not enough; deeds are required.” Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 541-546.
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Day 76: Jesus’ Baptism and Temptation (2024)
March 16th, 2024 | 20 mins 13 secs
baptism, baptism in the jordan, john the baptist, life of jesus, temptation, temptation in the desert
Together, with Fr. Mike, we examine the mysteries of Jesus' Baptism and temptation in the wilderness. Fr. Mike unpacks how Jesus’ Baptism is yet another Epiphany or manifestation of Christ as Messiah. We also explore Christ’s acceptance of his mission as God’s suffering servant. Fr. Mike emphasizes that Jesus’ temptations in the desert mirror the temptations of Adam in the garden, but, unlike Adam, Jesus does not succumb to these temptations. He remains faithful to the Father. Through this obedience to the Divine Will, he conquers the Devil, and in our own obedience, we are participating in this victory. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 535-540.
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Day 75: Jesus’ Infancy and Hidden Life (2024)
March 15th, 2024 | 24 mins 21 secs
epiphany, hidden life, holy family, joseph, mary, presentation in the temple
Fr. Mike explores the mystery of Jesus’ infancy and hidden life. We first take a look at Jesus’ Baptism, circumcision, and the Epiphany. Fr. Mike discusses that Jesus’ circumcision shows us that salvation comes from the Jews. The Epiphany shows us that salvation does not stop there, it extends to all of us. Later, we examine Jesus’ hidden life. Fr. Mike emphasizes the importance of Jesus’ obedience to not just his Father in Heaven, but to his earthly father and mother as well, and how we can imitate that obedience. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 527-534.
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Day 74: The Christmas Mystery (2024)
March 14th, 2024 | 18 mins 25 secs
advent, birth of jesus, christ birth, mysteries of jesus’ infancy and hidden life, preparing for christmas, st. john the baptist, the nativity
Diving deeper into Jesus Christ as Mystery, the Catechism describes the deep mystery in the preparations for Christ’s coming—also known as Advent—as well as the mystery of his first coming in Christmas. Fr. Mike points to one of the last sentences of today’s readings—”Only when Christ is formed in us will the mystery of Christmas be fulfilled in us”—and reminds us that Jesus is the star of the story, not us. Our goal is to become children in relation to God. “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 522-526.
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Day 73: Christ’s Life Is Mystery (2024)
March 13th, 2024 | 21 mins 41 secs
incarnation, jesus early life, jesus hidden life, mystery, mystery of christ, paschal mystery, recapitulation, redemption, revelation, the mysteries of christ’s life
Many of the things we’d like to know about Jesus’ life we don’t know, but remember, as Fr. Mike has told us, a Christian mystery is not “a case to be solved.” It’s a beauty to bathe in. The Catechism explains the three characteristics common to each of Christ’s mysteries: revelation, redemption, and recapitulation. Fr. Mike shows how we are to participate in the mysteries of Christ. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 512-521.
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Day 72: Mary’s Motherhood (2024)
March 12th, 2024 | 14 mins 8 secs
blessed mother, ever virgin, ever-virgin, in brief, in-brief, mary mother of god, mary’s motherhood, mary’s virginity, new eve, perpetual virginity, theotokos, virginal motherhood
For those with any lingering doubts or questions, the Catechism offers five reasons for Mary’s perpetual virginity. Fr. Mike digs into each reason and explains what each of them means for us as spiritual sons and daughters of our Immaculate Mother. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 502-511.
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Day 71: Mary’s Virginity (2024)
March 11th, 2024 | 16 mins 28 secs
aeiparthenos, blessed virgin mary, brothers and sisters, brothers of jesus, divine motherhood, ever virgin, ever-virgin, holy spirit, mary, mary mother of god, mary’s virginity, mother of jesus, perpetual virginity, theotokos
The Catechism tackles a few important issues regarding Mary, the mother of God—her motherhood, her virginal conception of Jesus, and her perpetual virginity. Fr. Mike reminds us that, regardless of the opinions of translators and modern theologians, our Faith steers us towards a correct understanding of our Blessed Mother. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 495-501.
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Day 70: The Immaculate Conception (2024)
March 10th, 2024 | 13 mins 23 secs
annunciation, blessed virgin mary, fiat, full of grace, immaculate conception, mary, mary mother of god, mother mary, mother of jesus, original sin, singular grace, theotokos
The Catechism introduces us to Mary’s Immaculate Conception and explains why God preserved her “immune from all stain of original sin.” Fr. Mike answers a common question asked in response to this revelation: “Why didn’t God just preserve us all from original sin?” His answer might surprise you. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 490-494.