The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)

Day 144: How We Worship (Part 2 Introduction with Bishop Andrew Cozzens) (2024)

May 23rd, 2024  |  46 mins 12 secs

bishop andrew cozzens, healing, how we worship, initiation, part 2, pillar 2, service, the celebration, the celebration of the christian mystery, the liturgy, the mystery, the sacraments

Part 2 of the Catechism—the Second Pillar—is about “how we worship” through the Liturgy and the sacraments. Fr. Mike sits down with Bishop Andrew Cozzens to discuss the significance of the way we worship God and how Jesus meets us in the sacraments.

Day 120: The Apostolic Church (2024)

April 29th, 2024  |  16 mins 11 secs

apostles, apostolic church, apostolic succession, bishops, peter, pope, priests, successors

The fourth mark of the Catholic Church is her "apostolic" nature. Fr. Mike explains the three ways the Church is apostolic and discusses how this characteristic shapes the unique structure and Tradition of the Catholic Church. He also encourages us to pray for our local bishops, who continue to shepherd us in the Faith today as the Apostles' successors. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 857-862.

Day 11: Sources of Divine Revelation (2024)

January 11th, 2024  |  19 mins 25 secs

apostles, apostolic tradition, bible, bishops, church, divine revelation, faith, magisterium, pope, sacred scripture, sacred tradition, teaching of the church, word of god

Fr. Mike breaks down the Catechism’s teaching that divine revelation consists of both Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition and emphasizes why both sources are of equal importance in the Faith. He also clarifies the difference between Apostolic Tradition and ecclesial traditions. Lastly, Fr. Mike encourages us to receive with docility the teachings and directives of the Magisterium of the Church, trusting in the authority of the Pope and the bishops. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 80-87.

Day 10: The Apostolic Tradition (2024)

January 10th, 2024  |  16 mins 48 secs

apostolic succession, catholic church, divine teaching, faith, god’s word, handing on the faith, holy spirit, revelation, scripture, teaching authority, tradition

The Gospel was handed on in two ways — orally and in writing. Both Scripture and Tradition are sources of Divine Revelation. Fr. Mike describes how the first apostles left bishops as their successors, passing down to them their teaching authority, and this apostolic succession is preserved until the end of time. The passing on of the Faith isn’t something reserved for bishops but something we are all called to participate in. Through the Holy Spirit, God’s Word is present and active in the Church today. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 74-79.

BONUS: How Do We Trust in Church Authority? (with Bishop Cozzens) (2024)

December 29th, 2023  |  33 mins 14 secs

"In this special bonus episode, Bishop Andrew Cozzens joins Fr. Mike Schmitz to talk about his role as a bishop of the Catholic Church, his involvement in the Catechism in a Year podcast, and why we can continue to trust in the authority of the Church despite the brokenness of its leaders at times. Bishop Andrew Cozzens is the Bishop of the Diocese of Crookston in northern Minnesota.  He currently serves as the chair of the
USCCB Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis where he has been tasked by the Bishops with leading a three-year National Eucharistic Revival."

Day 215: Deacons and the Diaconate

August 3rd, 2023  |  13 mins 31 secs

bishop, deacons, diaconate, holy orders, ordination, permanent diaconate

Together, with Fr. Mike, we examine the ordination of deacons and the diaconate. Fr. Mike unpacks each of the essential elements of the rite of the ordination of deacons as well as each of the tasks of the deacon. He emphasizes that only a validly ordained bishop can validly confer the sacrament of Holy Orders. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1569-1576.

Day 214: Priests and the Presbyterate

August 2nd, 2023  |  18 mins 45 secs

co-workers, episcopal college, eucharistic assembly, eucharistic cult, holy orders, ordination, presbyterate, presbyterium, priest, priesthood, rite of ordination, sacerdotal, sacerdotal college, sacrament, sacrament of order, sacramental brotherhood, synaxis, the gospel

The Catechism moves on from bishops—the episcopacy—to priests in the presbyterate, who share in the bishop’s ministry “in a subordinate degree”, to be “co-workers”. Fr. Mike dives deep into the service-leadership that priests are called to. “[A priest’s] whole life must be configured and must be conformed to Jesus Christ the high priest.” Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1562-1568.

Day 213: Bishops and the Episcopacy

August 1st, 2023  |  16 mins 37 secs

acme, bishop, bishop of rome, college, collegial, consecration, deacon, diaconate, episcopacy, episcopal, hierarchical communion, high priesthood, holy orders, in eius persona agant, minister, ministry, ordination, presbyterate, priest, sacerdos, sacrament, summa, three degrees

There are three degrees within the sacrament of Holy Orders: the episcopacy (bishops), the presbyterate (priests), and the diaconate (deacons). The Catechism begins unpacking ordination with the bishops. Fr. Mike speaks on the special role that bishops play in the life of the Church. Today’s readings are from Catechism paragraphs 1554-1561.

Day 212: In Persona Christi

July 31st, 2023  |  20 mins 3 secs

baptismal priesthood, bishop, boys adrift, caput et membra, common priesthood, hierarchical priesthood, high priest, holy orders, in persona christi capitis, king, mediator, minister, ministerial priesthood, ordained minister, priest, priesthood, priestly, prophet, sacrament, sacred power, two participations in the one priesthood of christ, typos you patros

The Catechism unpacks—by way of comparison—the “two participations in the one priesthood of Christ”: the common priesthood of all the faithful and the ministerial (or hierarchical) priesthood of the bishops and priests. Fr. Mike hones in on the ministerial priesthood as a means for Jesus to minister to his Church. His ministers act on his behalf in persona Christi Capitis: in the person of Christ, the Head. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1546-1553.

Day 187: The Church’s Sacrificial Unity

July 6th, 2023  |  18 mins 18 secs

apostolic succession, eucharist, faithful departed, sacraments, sacrifice, sacrificial unity, st. ignatius of antioch, st. monica, unity

Together, we continue our exploration of the sacrificial memorial of the sacrament of the Eucharist. Fr. Mike reiterates that the whole Church, both visible and invisible, is united in the Sacrifice of the Eucharist. He also further unpacks the importance of a quote from St. Ignatius of Antioch, which states that the offering of the sacrifice of the Eucharist must be united with the apostolic succession of our Pope and bishop. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1369-1372.