The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
A day-by-day walk through the transformative beliefs and teachings of the Catholic Church.
We found 10 episodes of The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) with the tag “sacraments”.
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Day 153: Sacraments Save (2024)
June 1st, 2024 | 14 mins 11 secs
divine nature, efficacious, ex opere operato, necessary for salvation, sacramental, sacramental grace, sacramental life, sacraments, sacraments of salvation
Jesus uses his sacraments to save his people. The Catechism proclaims that the sacraments are “efficacious”, the sacraments are “wrought…by the power of God” alone, and the sacraments are “necessary for salvation”. Fr. Mike doubles down on the reality that sacraments cause what they signify. They are not merely signs pointing to an already present reality—Jesus, himself, is at work in each and every expression of the sacraments throughout time and in all places. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1127-1129.
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Day 152: Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi (2024)
May 31st, 2024 | 16 mins 42 secs
baptism, baptizing, evangelization, evangelize, law of faith, law of prayer, lex credendi, lex orandi, make disciples, sacrament, sacramental mission, sacraments, sacraments of faith
The Catechism makes clear to us that evangelization and the sacraments go hand in hand. An ancient saying is highlighted, linking the two: lex orandi, lex credendi—or, the law of prayer is the law of faith. Fr. Mike illustrates this connection by showing us that, when you change the sign that points to an invisible reality, you risk changing where it’s pointing. This is why “no sacramental rite may be modified or manipulated at the will of the minister or the community.” Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1122-1126.
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Day 148: The Holy Spirit’s Work in the Liturgy (2024)
May 27th, 2024 | 18 mins 48 secs
christian liturgy, holy spirit, jewish liturgy, liturgy, new covenant, old covenant, prefiguration, sacraments, typology
Together, with Fr. Mike, we continue our examination of the sacramental economy, specifically the Holy Spirit’s work in the liturgy. Fr. Mike emphasizes that what Jesus makes possible, the Holy Spirit makes actual. We are made to live in the life of the risen Christ and that is what the Spirit brings about in us. Fr. Mike concludes with a reflection on the importance of understanding that the Christian Liturgy springs from and fulfills the Jewish Liturgy. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1091-1098.
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Day 147: Christ’s Work in the Liturgy (2024)
May 26th, 2024 | 17 mins 24 secs
christ’s death, christ’s life, christ’s resurrection, efficacious, liturgy, paschal mystery, sacraments
We continue our examination of Christ’s acts through the sacraments that he instituted. Fr. Mike emphasizes the importance of understanding that the sacraments are sacred signs that “make present efficaciously the grace they signify.” The sacraments specifically signify the Paschal mystery, Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. We also explore how the Paschal mystery cannot remain in the past. Though it occurred in time, it transcends all time and is made present in all time. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1084-1090.
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Day 146: The Father’s Work in the Liturgy (2024)
May 25th, 2024 | 16 mins 33 secs
blessing, liturgy, paschal mystery, sacramental economy, sacraments
Together, we begin Section One on the sacramental economy. Fr. Mike emphasizes that the sacramental economy is both what God has done for us and how we should participate in it. He also emphasizes the blessings we receive from the sacraments through the Father. We conclude with an examination on the dual dimension of the sacramental liturgy, that while we are praising the Father, we are praising the Father with his own gift, his own Son. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1076-1083.
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Day 145: Introduction to the Liturgy (2024)
May 24th, 2024 | 16 mins 41 secs
community, grace, liturgy, sacraments, worship
Together, with Fr. Mike, we begin the section of the Catechism examining the liturgy. We start with an exploration of the questions of “why” the liturgy and “what” the liturgy is. Fr. Mike explains that it is through the liturgy that we are able to encounter the grace that Jesus Christ has won for us. He emphasizes that it is the liturgy that gives us access to God, himself. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1066-1075.
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Day 130: The Communion of Saints (2024)
May 9th, 2024 | 16 mins 2 secs
all suffer together, assembly of saints, communion in charity, communion in the faith, communion of charisms, communion of goods, communion of saints, communion of the sacraments, everything in common, god’s holy gifts, god’s holy people, holy catholic church, manifestation of the spirit, paragraph 5, rejoice together, riches of christ, sacraments, sancta, sancti, sanctorum communio, solidarity, special graces
The Catechism begins Paragraph 5 and dives into the communion of saints. This communion is “in holy things (sancta)” and “among holy persons (sancti).” Fr. Mike emphasizes that “the least of our acts done in charity redounds to the profit of all.” At the same time, every sin hurts every single member of the Church. No one is an island—we belong to each other. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 946-953.
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Day 122: Christ’s Faithful (2024)
May 1st, 2024 | 20 mins 30 secs
bishops, college of bishops, consecrated life, ecclesial ministry, grace, hierarchy, laity, mission, priest, sacraments
There are three primary roles among Christ’s faithful: the hierarchy, the laity, and consecrated life. Fr. Mike explains the difference between these three roles, emphasizing that they are equal in dignity but different in the way they support the Church’s mission. We also learn that all of Christ’s faithful share in the priestly, prophetical, and kingly office of Christ. Lastly, Fr. Mike reviews the mission and characters of ecclesial ministry. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 871-879.
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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.
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Day 218: Summary of Holy Orders
August 6th, 2023 | 15 mins 8 secs
bishops, celibacy, deacons, holy orders, ordination, presbyters, priests, sacraments
Together, with Fr. Mike, we reach the conclusion and “nugget day” for the section on the sacrament of Holy Orders. Fr. Mike reiterates that all three degrees of the sacrament are a longed for element of the “priestly people.” They are those called to go before God and before his people as a mediator. Fr. Mike also explains that for those who are not called to either “sacrament of service”, Holy Orders or Matrimony, we are all called “to be able to rejoice with those who have received gifts.” Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1590-1600.