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…

  1. Read the ENTIRE Catechism of the Catholic Church in 365 days
  2. Understand the essentials of the Catholic Faith and why they matter
  3. Understand how Church teaching is rooted in Sacred Scripture
  4. Absorb over 2,000 years of Sacred Tradition
  5. 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

  • Day 99: Symbols of the Holy Spirit

    April 9th, 2023  |  19 mins 32 secs
    anointing, cloud, dove, finger of god, fire, hands, holy spirit, seal, symbols, water

    Fr. Mike explores the different symbols the faithful use when discussing the Holy Spirit, such as fire, water, and anointing. We examine how these symbols help us more fully apprehend the person of the Holy Spirit. Fr. Mike unpacks the meaning of each symbol, as well as each symbol's connection to the Old Testament. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 694-701.

  • Day 98: The Son and the Spirit

    April 8th, 2023  |  14 mins 54 secs
    advocate, breath, consoler, holy spirit, joint mission, paraclete, son, word

    Fr. Mike continues to examine the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit’s mission. We explore the joint mission of the Son and the Holy Spirit. When the Son and the Spirit act, they act together. Fr. Mike emphasizes that though the Son and the Spirit are two distinct persons, they are inseparable. We also examine the proper name of the Holy Spirit and the different titles we use for the Holy Spirit. Today’s readings from the Catechism are paragraphs 689-693.

  •

    Day 97: Introduction to the Holy Spirit

    April 7th, 2023  |  17 mins
    divine economy, holy spirit, holy trinity, st. gregory of nazianzus, st. irenaeus

    Together, with Fr. Mike, we begin our examination of the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit, and how God reveals himself as the Holy Spirit in our lives. Fr. Mike emphasizes the words of St. Irenaeus that, “in order to be touched by Christ, we must first be touched by the Holy Spirit.” We also explore eight ways the Catechism lays out for us to be able to understand the Holy Spirit. Today’s readings are Catechism Paragraphs 683-688.

  •

    Day 96: The Church’s Ultimate Trial

    April 6th, 2023  |  21 mins 22 secs
    antichrist, end of days, final judgment, judgement, kingdom of god, trial

    The Catechism concludes the section on The Son with an examination of the final trial and judgment that will happen before Christ’s Second Coming. This final trial will involve the "supreme religious deception" of the Antichrist, a deception that has already been present at various times in human history. Fr. Mike emphasizes that apostasy is a dramatic turning away from what we hold to be true. He reminds us that no other person can usher in the Messianic Age other than Christ. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 675-682.

  •

    Day 95: Christ’s Reign on Earth

    April 5th, 2023  |  22 mins 50 secs
    church, kingdom, kingdom of god, last days, reign

    Together, with Fr. Mike, we explore Christ’s reign on earth. We examine the reality of Christ’s reign as both “already” and “not yet.” For, even though Christ reigns on earth, we are still waiting for the fulfillment of his kingdom. Because, while the Church is Christ’s kingdom on earth, it is endowed with a “sanctity that is real but imperfect.” Fr. Mike also reiterates that Jesus Christ is truly the fulfillment of every promise made to Israel in the Old Testament. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 668-674.

  •

    Day 94: Christ’s Ascension into Heaven

    April 4th, 2023  |  16 mins 37 secs
    access to the father, article 6, ascending to the father, ascension into heaven, christ’s ascension, jesus ascension, jesus high priest, jesus’ ascension, jesus’s ascension, principal actor of the liturgy, right hand of god the father, the ascension, the mediator

    The Catechism unpacks the line from the Creed, “He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.” Fr. Mike highlights the reality that we do not have direct access to the Father without his Son, Jesus. Christ’s ascension into heaven means, “the irreversible entry of his humanity into divine glory,” uniting our humanity with God’s divinity in a remarkable way—which finds its earthly culmination in the Holy Mass. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 659-667.

  •

    Day 93: The Meaning of the Resurrection

    April 3rd, 2023  |  15 mins 37 secs
    christ raised from the dead, christ’s resurrection, filial adoption, first-born from the dead, in accordance with the scriptures, in brief, jesus rose from the dead, jesus’ divinity, jesus’ resurrection, justification, paschal mystery, the resurrection

    The Catechism wraps up its discussion surrounding Article 5 of the Creed (“He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead”) and asks the question, “What does Jesus’ resurrection mean for me?” Fr. Mike points out that Christ’s resurrection proves—definitively—that he is the only begotten Son of God. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 651-658.

  •

    Day 92: The Man of Heaven

    April 2nd, 2023  |  17 mins 31 secs
    christ is risen, christ’s body, christ’s humanity, easter, is jesus a ghost, jairus’ daughter, jesus’ risen humanity, lazarus, man of heaven, resurrection as transcendent event, the young man of naim

    The Catechism demonstrates how Christ’s resurrection is “essentially different” from other cases of resurrection in the Bible and shows us how his rising from the dead is a “work of the Holy Trinity.” Fr. Mike emphasizes that Jesus was not merely “resuscitated” from the dead, as Jairus’ daughter or Lazarus, but he rose from the dead glorified, “filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.” Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 645-650.

  •

    Day 91: Christ Rose from the Dead

    April 1st, 2023  |  17 mins 53 secs
    christ’s passion, death and resurrection, doubting thomas, easter, easter evening, easter morning, empty tomb, good friday, on the third day he rose again from the dead, paschal, passion, resurrection of christ, resurrection of jesus, risen one, the eleven, the passion, the twelve

    The Catechism tackles “the crowning truth of our faith in Christ,” “the central truth by the first Christian community,” Jesus’ bodily resurrection from the dead. Fr. Mike makes sure we understand that Christ’ resurrection cannot be interpreted as a legend or a metaphor, but as a true, historical fact. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 638-644.

  •

    Day 90: Christ Descended into Hell

    March 31st, 2023  |  14 mins 54 secs
    abode of the dead, abraham’s bosom, christ descent into hell, damnation, hades, he descended into hell, jesus descended into hell, lazarus, on the third day he rose again from the dead, sheol, the damned

    Have you ever said the words from the Creed at Mass, “he descended into hell” and wondered, “Really? Jesus did? Why?” The Catechism shares the secrets of this line from the Creed and shows us how Jesus’ descent into hell “brings the Gospel message of salvation to complete fulfillment.” Fr. Mike makes it clear to us that Jesus did not come to save only the righteous who happened to be alive during his time here on earth, but he came to save all those righteous men and women who came before him and would come after him. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 631-637.

  •

    Day 89: Jesus Christ Was Buried

    March 30th, 2023  |  14 mins 1 sec
    ascension, bible, body, burial, catechism, catechism in a year, catechism of the catholic church, catholic, catholic church, catholic doctrine, catholic faith, catholic teachings, catholicism, death, father mike, father mike schmitz, foundations of faith, fr mike, fr mike schmitz, jesus, new life, resurrection, scripture, soul, tomb, tradition

    In this reading, we learn that when he was crucified, Jesus experienced a real human death, the separation of his soul from his body.

  • Day 88: Christ’s Definitive Sacrifice

    March 29th, 2023  |  18 mins 25 secs
    ascension, atonement, bible, catechism, catechism in a year, catechism of the catholic church, catholic, catholic church, catholic doctrine, catholic faith, catholic teachings, catholicism, cross, crucifixion, death, father mike, father mike schmitz, foundations of faith, fr mike, fr mike schmitz, jesus, love, obedience, redemption, sacrifice, scripture, suffering, tradition

    We learn that Christ’s death is the unique and definitive sacrifice. It is both the Paschal Sacrifice that accomplishes redemption and the sacrifice of the New Covenant that restores man’s communion with God.

  •

    Day 87: Christ’s Life as Offering

    March 28th, 2023  |  13 mins 52 secs
    ascension, atonement, bible, catechism, catechism in a year, catechism of the catholic church, catholic, catholic church, catholic doctrine, catholic faith, catholic teachings, catholicism, death, eternal life, eucharist.jesus, father mike, father mike schmitz, forgiveness, foundations of faith, fr mike, fr mike schmitz, free will, humanity, obedience, offering, redemption, sacrifice, salvation, scripture, sin, suffering, tradition

    Jesus Christ’s entire life was an offering to God the Father, and he freely embraced God’s will and his plan for salvation. We learn that the Eucharist memorializes Jesus’ free offering of himself.

  •

    Day 86: God’s Plan of Salvation

    March 27th, 2023  |  21 mins 22 secs
    ascension, bible, catechism, catechism in a year, catechism of the catholic church, catholic, catholic church, catholic doctrine, catholic faith, catholic teachings, catholicism, father mike, father mike schmitz, forgiveness, foundations of faith, fr mike, fr mike schmitz, jesus, mercy, prayer, redemption, salvation, saved, scripture, sin, tradition

    We learn that Jesus suffered a violent death in accordance with the definite plan of God. Fr. Mike explains what it means to say God’s plan of predestination includes each person’s free will and response to the Father’s grace.

  • Day 85: The Trial of Christ

    March 26th, 2023  |  18 mins 38 secs
    ascension, bible, catechism, catechism in a year, catechism of the catholic church, catholic, catholic church, catholic doctrine, catholic faith, catholic teachings, catholicism, crucifixion, death, father mike, father mike schmitz, forgiveness, foundations of faith, fr mike, jesus, jewish, jews, passion, redemption, sacrifice, scripture, sin, tradition, 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.

  •

    Day 84: The Claim of Savior

    March 25th, 2023  |  15 mins
    ascension, believing jesus, bible, catechism, catechism in a year, catechism of the catholic church, catholic, catholic church, catholic doctrine, catholic faith, catholic teachings, catholicism, faith in jesus, father mike, father mike schmitz, foundations of faith, fr mike, fr mike schmitz, israel, jesus, jesus as savior, jews, one true god, people of israel, pharisees, savior, scripture, tradition, 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.