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

Day 299: Respect for Health (2025)

October 26th, 2025  |  14 mins 24 secs

alcohol, ascension, bible, catechism, catechism in a year, catechism of the catholic church, catholic, catholic church, catholic doctrine, catholic faith, catholic teachings, catholicism, commandments, drugs, father mike, father mike schmitz, fifth commandments, food, foundations of faith, fr mike, fr mike schmitz, health, jesus, scripture, temperance, ten commandments, tobacco, tradition

Our health is a gift from God, and so we have a responsibility to care for it. Fr. Mike emphasizes the importance of caring for our health while also explaining that we cannot idolize our health and bodies as an absolute good. If we do idolize health, it can greatly distort the way we view the dignity of those around us. He also unpacks the virtue of temperance, defining it as, “doing the right thing, in the right way, at the right time.” Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2288-2291.

Day 298: Respect for Others (2025)

October 25th, 2025  |  20 mins 49 secs

ascension, bible, catechism, catechism in a year, catechism of the catholic church, catholic, catholic church, catholic doctrine, catholic faith, catholic teachings, catholicism, commandments, dignity, father mike, father mike schmitz, fifth commandment, foundations of faith, fr mike, fr mike schmitz, integrity, jesus, respect, scandal, scripture, ten commandments, tradition, virtue

We have seen how harming ourselves or others physically is a violation of the fifth commandment, but how can causing harm to another’s virtue or integrity violate this commandment? Fr. Mike unpacks what scandal is and exactly how it is a violation of the fifth commandment. He emphasizes the gravity of scandal when it comes from those who, by nature, teach, and how vital it is for all of us, but especially teachers, to avoid contributing to scandal. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2284-2287.

Day 297: The Cross of Suicide (2025)

October 24th, 2025  |  20 mins 39 secs

ascension, bible, catechism, catechism in a year, catechism of the catholic church, catholic, catholic church, catholic doctrine, catholic faith, catholic teachings, catholicism, commandments, death, father mike, father mike schmitz, fifth commandment, foundations of faith, fr mike, fr mike schmitz, jesus, salutary repentence, scripture, suicide, ten commandments, tradition

"The cross of suicide is a violation of the fifth commandment that, tragically, many of us have been impacted by in our world today. Fr. Mike explains that we are stewards of the life that God has entrusted to us, not owners. Our lives are precious gifts, and we have a responsibility to care for them. He also emphasizes that we should not lose hope for the eternal salvation of those who take their own lives. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2280-2283.

Listener discretion advised. This episode contains references to suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, please contact someone you can trust and/or contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 (available 24 hours everyday). You are loved, you are beautiful, and you are absolutely irreplaceable.
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Day 296: The Sin of Euthanasia (2025)

October 23rd, 2025  |  21 mins 50 secs

ascension, bible, catechism, catechism in a year, catechism of the catholic church, catholic, catholic church, catholic doctrine, catholic faith, catholic teachings, catholicism, commandments, dying, euthanasia, father mike, father mike schmitz, fifth commandment, foundations of faith, fr mike, fr mike schmitz, handicapped, jesus, medical procedures, palliative care, scripture, sick, ten commandments, tradition

We continue our examination of the fifth commandment, taking a closer look at the sin of euthanasia. Fr. Mike emphasizes that whatever the motive, the action of ending a life in order to eliminate suffering is still a sin. He also emphasizes that palliative care, however, is an important and special form of charity and love. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2276-2279.

Day 321: Offenses Against Truth (2024)

November 16th, 2024  |  29 mins 26 secs

10 commandments, 8th commandment, adulation, article 8, article eight, boasting, bragging, calumny, charity, commandments, complaisance, detraction, eighth commandment, false witness, flattery, gossip, honor, how we live, humility, irony, judgment, justice, liar, lie, lies, life in christ, love of neighbor, lying, offense, part 3, part three, perjury, rash judgment, reparation, reputation, st. ignatius of loyola, ten commandments, trust, truth, truthful, truthfulness, violation, you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor

What does it mean to live out the truth? This theme carries over as we continue our evaluation of the eighth commandment. We learn the Catechism’s teachings on ways we violate truth, degrees of gravity based on circumstances, and the duty of reparation. Fr. Mike discusses each offense and offers resonating examples to reflect on. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2475-2487.

Day 320: The Truth (2024)

November 15th, 2024  |  21 mins 40 secs

10 commandments, 8th commandment, article 8, article eight, bear false witness, bear witness, candor, commandments, discretion, eighth commandment, god is the source of all truth, honesty, how we live, lie, lies, life in christ, love of neighbor, lying, martyr, martyrdom, martyrium polycarpi, martyrs, objective truth, part 3, part three, sincerity, st. ignatius of antioch, st. paul, subjective truth, ten commandments, truth, truthfulness, witness of the gospel, you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor

We begin our dive into the eighth commandment: “You shall not bear false witness.” The Catechism defines truth, identifies the importance of truth, and reflects on martyrdom. Fr. Mike unpacks all of this information and reminds us that our duty as Christians is to live in the truth and bear witness to the truth in what we say and how we act. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2464-2474.

Day 319: Summary of the Seventh Commandment (2024)

November 14th, 2024  |  14 mins 42 secs

commandments, dignity, human dignity, labor, private property, property, seventh commandments, ten commandments, work

We have reached the In Brief section, or nugget day, on the seventh commandment. Father Mike reiterates that the right to private property comes from our dignity as humans, and the Church has a duty to weigh in on economic or social matters where that dignity is threatened. He challenges us to ask ourselves, do we see Jesus in “the distressing disguise of the poor” and just walk by him, or do we respond to him? Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2450-2463.

Day 318: Love for the Poor (2024)

November 13th, 2024  |  21 mins 39 secs

charity, commandments, corporal works of mercy, love, poor, seventh commandment, spiritual works of mercy, st. lawrence, ten commandments, the beatitudes, works of mercy

The Church’s charity for the poor is a “part of her constant tradition.” Fr. Mike unpacks how the poor are the “true treasure of the Church.” He emphasizes that when we give to the poor what they need, we satisfy the requirements of justice. He also reiterates the importance of mercy and showing mercy to others. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2443-2449.

Day 316: Labor and Social Justice (2024)

November 11th, 2024  |  19 mins 18 secs

commandments, economic activity, economic life, economics, employment, just wage, justice, labor, seventh commandment, social justice, strike, ten commandments, unemployment, work

Work is both a gift and a duty. Today, we explore how labor can impact man’s dignity and unite us to Jesus, the carpenter. Fr. Mike emphasizes that work should not be ordered towards economic gain, but rather, it should be ordered toward man’s dignity and the human community. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2426-2436.

Day 315: The Church’s Social Doctrine (2024)

November 10th, 2024  |  21 mins 10 secs

animals, capitalism, commandments, communism, creation, economics, pets, seventh commandment, social doctrine, socialism, ten commandments

Together, with Fr. Mike, we examine both our respect for the integrity of creation as well as the Church’s broader social doctrine. Fr. Mike emphasizes that we owe animals kindness because they have been entrusted to our stewardship, but also that we must have a balanced relationship with them. He then goes on to examine the Church’s Social Doctrine in our postmodern world, focusing on capitalism, socialism, and communism. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2415-2425.