Podcasts · Religion & Spirituality
The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Ascension
300 episodes
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 page 1 of 6
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Day 300: Science, Bodily Integrity, and the Dead (2026)
The Catechism looks at matters relating to scientific research, bodily integrity, and the dead with the lens of the dignity of the human person. Fr. Mike helps us navigate the Catechism’s teachings by acknowledging…
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Day 299: Respect for Health (2026)
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…
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Day 298: Respect for Others (2026)
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…
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Day 297: The Cross of Suicide (2026)
"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…
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Day 296: The Sin of Euthanasia (2026)
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…
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Day 295: The Wound of Abortion (2026)
Together, with Fr. Mike, we examine the wound of abortion. Fr. Mike emphasizes that all human life deserves protection, especially the unborn, but he also emphasizes the importance of God’s mercy. He explains that…
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Day 294: Homicide (2026)
Continuing our examination of the fifth commandment, we look at various ways in which one may sin against this commandment as it relates to homicide. The Catechism addresses three categories of homicide: direct and…
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Day 293: Legitimate Defense (2026)
Is there ever a time where legitimate defense is justifiable? The Catechism answers this question and how it relates to honoring the dignity of the human person as we dive deeper into the fifth commandment. We learn…
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Day 292: Respect for Human Life (2026)
We begin exploring the fifth commandment: “you shall not kill”. The Catechism reminds us that human life is sacred, and we must not take the life of another innocent human. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus takes this…
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Day 291: The Political Community and the Church (2026)
We take a look at what the Catechism teaches about the Church in relation to political communities. Every institution has their own vision of what it means to be human, which shapes their policies. Because the Church…
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Day 290: The Duties of Citizens (2026)
As citizens of a nation, we have certain responsibilities in accordance with God’s Law. The Catechism provides parameters for contributing to society, welcoming the foreigner, refusing obedience, and resisting…
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Day 289: Family, Society, and the Kingdom (2026)
While family is important, the Catechism states, “The first vocation of the Christian is to follow Jesus.” This means that parents should support Christ's call for their children. Fr. Mike explains that when we deny…
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Day 288: The Duties of Parents (2026)
Being a parent is far more than just having kids. As the Catechism reminds us, the fruitfulness of married love extends to the moral and spiritual education of a couple’s children. Parents are the primary educators of…
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Day 287: The Gratitude of Children (2026)
Gratitude is the proper response of children toward their parents. Out of this gratitude comes respect. When we are children at home, this respect includes “true docility and obedience.” Fr. Mike emphasizes respect for…
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Day 286: The Family and Society (2026)
The family is the foundational element of society. Fr. Mike explains how families initiate us into societal life and act as the foundation of freedom and community. Because of its indispensable importance, we learn…
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Day 285: The Nature of the Family (2026)
In learning the core and fundamental definition of the family, we read today that a family is formed by a “man and a woman united in marriage, together with their children.” The Christian family is a communion of…
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Day 284: The Fourth Commandment (2026)
The fourth commandment addresses the most universal human relationship: our relationship with our parents. Why does God command us to honor our father and our mother? Fr. Mike explains why this commandment sets the…
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Day 283: The Day of Rest (2026)
We all tend to make an idol of work. The Catechism teaches us that Sunday is a day of grace and rest from work. Fr. Mike explains what holy leisure looks like, emphasizing the importance of spending time with family,…
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Day 282: The Sunday Obligation (2026)
Why are Catholics obligated to attend Mass every Sunday? The Catechism teaches us today about the centrality of the Sunday celebration of the Eucharist in the life of the Church. Fr. Mike emphasizes that Sunday Mass is…
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Day 281: Keep Holy the Lord’s Day (2026)
We begin exploring the third commandment and learn about rest and worship concerning the Lord’s Day. The Catechism points out that God models what he wants for us as he also rested on the seventh day. Fr. Mike explains…
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Day 280: The Christian Name (2026)
What does it mean to bear the Christian name? The Catechism reminds us that in Baptism, we are given our Christian name, which is sacred. Our name represents the dignity of each of us and depicts how God loves us each…
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Day 279: False Oaths (2026)
Together, with Fr. Mike, we continue our examination of the second commandment. Fr. Mike emphasizes that an oath engages the Lord’s name, and the Lord is the Lord of truth. We, therefore, have a duty as Christians to…
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Day 278: The Second Commandment (2026)
We begin our examination of the second commandment, to not take the Lord’s name in vain. Fr. Mike emphasizes that God has revealed his sacred name to us, and it is our duty to treat that name with reverence. He also…
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Day 277: Agnosticism and Graven Images (2026)
As we reach the conclusion of the section on the first commandment, we end by taking a closer look at agnosticism and graven images. Fr. Mike unpacks the different forms that agnosticism can take. He also examines the…
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Day 276: Irreligion and Atheism (2026)
We continue our examination of the first commandment, unpacking irreligion and atheism. Fr. Mike highlights the different elements of irreligion, namely tempting God in words or deeds, sacrilege, and simony. He…
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Day 275: Superstition, Idolatry, and Magic (2026)
Superstition, idolatry, divination, and magic are all things we can encounter in our daily lives, and, with Fr. Mike, we unpack how they break the first commandment. Fr. Mike reiterates that superstition represents an…
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Day 274: Social Duty of Religion (2026)
The social duty of religion and the right to religious freedom are presented to us in the Catechism. We examine what it means to have respect for other religions and the freedom, within limits, to exercise our…
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Day 273: Him Only Shall You Serve (2026)
How can we serve God? The Catechism identifies ways in which we can keep the first commandment through adoration, prayer, sacrifice, and promises and vows. Fr. Mike relates these to us and identifies how we can truly…
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Day 272: You Shall Worship the Lord Your God (2026)
“You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.” Taking a look at the first commandment, we see how we are called to love and worship God above all else. The Catechism also lists the ways in which we…
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Day 271: Love of God (2026)
We continue our overview of the Ten Commandments by looking at the two parts: love of God and love of neighbor. Together they form a “coherent whole,” and there is a unity between the two. While the Catechism shows us…
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Day 270: The Ten Commandments (2026)
God reveals himself and his glory through the Ten Commandments. We begin exploring the Ten Commandments as shown in the Catechism and learn about how these laws are not meant to limit us, but set us free from the…
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Day 269: Our Missionary Witness (2026)
The Church’s mission of evangelization depends on the faithful witness of her members. Christian goodness and fidelity authenticate the Gospel. As Fr. Mike relates, people are attracted to admirable but everyday…
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Day 268: The Precepts of the Church (2026)
God has given the Church his law as “the way of life and truth.” We, therefore, have the right to be taught and guided while maintaining a spirit of docility in love. In this, Fr. Mike reminds us that the Church is our…
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Day 267: The Church as Mother and Teacher (2026)
“The moral life is spiritual worship,” says the Catechism. From the Church, we receive moral guidance, with the Magisterium safeguarding and passing down authentic Christian moral teaching through the generations. This…
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Day 266: The Gift of Grace (2026)
In this summary of the Catechism’s teaching on holiness, justification, and merit, we briefly consider the work of God’s grace and mercy. His grace moves us from sin and toward him, making us his sons and daughters and…
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Day 265: The Call to Holiness (2026)
Each of us is called to holiness. As Fr. Mike puts it, we’re all called to the “heights of holiness.” No matter our station in life, we’re meant for ever greater union with Christ, devoting ourselves to the love of God…
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Day 264: Man’s Merit (2026)
Knowing that our good actions begin and end in Christ, we recognize that man’s merit is due to God. Fr. Mike explains that charity in Christ is the source of all our merits. In this way, merit is pure grace, and we…
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Day 263: Responding to Grace (2026)
God’s free initiative demands man’s free response. We continue our discussion of grace today by examining how grace and our free will interact in our lives. Fr. Mike also explains the purpose of sacramental graces and…
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Day 262: Habitual and Actual Grace (2026)
Without God’s help, we can do nothing. The Catechism delves into grace today, explaining how grace works and helps us achieve our supernatural vocation to eternal life. Fr. Mike unpacks the difference between habitual…
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Day 261: Justification (2026)
What does it mean to be justified? The Catechism teaches us today about the grace of the Holy Spirit and its power to justify us. Fr. Mike explains how justification detaches us from sin and purifies our hearts. We…
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Day 260: Summary of the Moral Law (2026)
In today’s “Nugget Day,” Fr. Mike reviews the significant takeaways that the Catechism teaches us about the moral law. Fr. Mike highlights that God has written the moral law in the depths of every human heart. Today’s…
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Day 259: The New Commandment (2026)
We continue our examination of the New Law or Law of the Gospel, specifically the Golden Rule and New Commandment of Jesus. Fr. Mike emphasizes that the New Commandment requires us to love God as the center of…
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Day 258: The New Law (2026)
Together, with Fr. Mike, we examine the New Law or the Law of the Gospel. Fr. Mike emphasizes that the New Law “fulfills, refines, surpasses, and leads the Old Law to its perfection.” He also explains how the New Law…
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Day 257: The Old Law (2026)
We continue the section on moral law, specifically focusing on the Old Law. Fr. Mike emphasizes that the Old Law is the first stage of Revealed Law. He also unpacks how the Old Law acts as preparation for the Gospel.…
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Day 256: The Natural Moral Law (2026)
Together, we begin the section on moral law, starting with natural moral law. Fr. Mike begins by emphasizing that we need both the law that guides us and God’s grace that sustains us in order to live out our call to…
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Day 255: Human Solidarity (2026)
Together, with Fr. Mike, we reach the conclusion of the article on Social Justice. Fr. Mike emphasizes that although we have a right to private property, we also have a duty to meet the needs of those around us. Every…
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Day 254: Social Justice (2026)
We begin to look at social justice as outlined by the Catechism by diving into two aspects: respect for the human person and equality and differences among men. The dignity of the human person is at stake without…
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Day 253: Participation in Public Life (2026)
The Catechism has shown us how the common good begins with the good of the individual. It further shows us that each individual can participate in the pursuit of the common good for all—and that this participation is…
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Day 252: The Common Good (2026)
The Catechism sets up a pair of definitions for us that, at first glance, appear circular, but upon close examination, reveal profound interdependence: “The good of each individual is necessarily related to the common…
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Day 251: Authorities in Society (2026)
The Catechism shows us that, in order for any good in society to last and flourish, legitimate authority must be instituted and respected by all. Furthermore, it is our duty as those under authority to obey those…
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