Never before was there and never again will there be a moment quite like the present, yet so often we find ourselves wishing we were in another time in our lives, wishing we could be enjoying the achievement of our future goals or the past times when things were better for us. In this video, Fr. Mike challenges us to notice the “sacrament of the present moment” and see what graces God wants us to enjoy right now. Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast...
Oct 12, 2017•7 min
Football has recently become a forum to look at where patriotism and protest intersect. The last thing most NFL fans want is for the NFL to get political, yet with the recent National Anthem protests around the league, that seems to be what’s happening. How do we take a stance that is Christian and respectful amidst such deep-rooted tension? In this episode, Fr. Mike lays out a game plan for us, and it starts with looking within. Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast...
Oct 05, 2017•7 min
Balance in life is something many of us strive for while not having much insight on how to achieve it. In this episode, Fr. Mike Schmitz provides three principles that can help, advising that when we seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33), everything else tends to fall into place. Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast
Sep 28, 2017•6 min
Hope, in the Christian sense, is often misunderstood. It is not the same as optimism or presumption. It is not the blind faith that we will go to heaven or the escapist way to avoid the troubles of this world. It’s not the virtue we need to see the present moment with more positivity. It’s more personal than that. In this episode, Fr. Mike Schmitz explains exactly why. Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast
Sep 21, 2017•6 min
Did you know we have the ability to write our own stories? So often we consider ourselves victims of our own passions, constantly giving in to them while thinking they’re too strong. In this video, Fr. Mike empowers us to live out the vow we make in our Act of Contrition to “avoid the near occasions of sin.” Who knows where the path of life may lead if we simply choose a path other than the one upon which we know temptation lurks? Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast...
Sep 14, 2017•8 min
Jesus commanded us not to judge… but not to judge what? If we look at the words of Jesus, we find he’s actually telling us that even though we can’t judge the heart, we should judge actions – it’s important to make distinctions between right and wrong! Father Mike also reminds us why, with the mercy of God available to us, we don’t need to be afraid of judgment. Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast
Sep 07, 2017•7 min
How do you carry your burdens in life? In this episode, Father Mike discusses a tendency to make our life harder based on the "work beneath the work." Our approach to difficulties doesn't have to make them even tougher. Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast
Aug 31, 2017•6 min
Common wisdom tells us we become the people we spend the most time with, so choose your friends wisely. In this video, Fr. Mike expands upon that advice to encourage Catholics to spend more time with God in prayer, and surround ourselves with people who practice Christian virtue. Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast
Aug 24, 2017•8 min
Inspired by the diligence of professional athletes and St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, Fr. Mike encourages us to approach our prayer life—and life in general—with a goal and sense of purpose. Getting physically in shape requires more than just a casual workout, and getting spiritually in shape requires more than going through the motions of our religion. Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast
Aug 17, 2017•5 min
Fr. Mike explains why hope is the best remedy for suicidal thoughts. If you know someone struggling with such thoughts, don’t hesitate to reach out to them with reasons to have hope. If someone you know or love has committed suicide, pray for them and don’t lose hope for their soul. If you struggle with suicidal thoughts, don’t be ashamed to seek help. Fr. Mike shares these words of encouragement and more in this episode. Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast...
Aug 03, 2017•9 min
You may be familiar with the expression, “Hate the sin, not the sinner.” Fr. Mike would agree, especially when it comes to ourselves. We are quick to point out the sin we observe around us, but not as quick to examine our own souls. Along with this challenge to look inward, in this video Fr. Mike explains why we must hate sin in order to love God. Fr. Mike is also a presenter in these faith formation programs from Ascension: Belonging: Baptism in the Family of God Chosen: This is Your Catholic F...
Jul 27, 2017•8 min
Fr. Mike addresses some of the disagreements his audience expressed regarding last week’s video on mixed martial arts. Showing that he wasn’t singling out MMA, he gets to the root of the issue and asks, “Does the entertainment I choose help or harm my commitment to be like Jesus?” Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast
Jul 20, 2017•9 min
Sometimes the forms of entertainment we choose to watch raise important moral questions. In this episode, Fr. Mike puts the sport of mixed martial arts on trial for its glorification of unnecessary violence. He distinguishes between the ability to defend yourself and forcing someone into submission through physical strength. Drawing from Christ’s example of meekness, Fr. Mike explains how martial arts as a discipline can be noble while mixed martial arts as entertainment is not. Support The Fr. ...
Jul 13, 2017•6 min
In Matthew 17:20, Jesus tells us if we have faith as small as a mustard seed we could move mountains. The problem is most of us don’t put our faith to use. In this video, Fr. Mike invites us to make use of the gifts God has already given us. In doing so, we may become so overjoyed by our natural gifts that we can’t help but share them with others. Fr. Mike is also a presenter in these faith formation programs from Ascension: Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast...
Jul 06, 2017•5 min
The Book of Eli (Denzel Washington) and The Road (Viggo Mortensen) provide powerful illustrations for Fr. Mike’s talk about hope this week. These two dystopian stories demonstrate how hope can give us the strength to put everything on the line for something or someone we love, even when we know we may not see the fruits of our sacrifice. Fr. Mike is also a presenter in these faith formation programs from Ascension: Belonging: Baptism in the Family of God Chosen: This is Your Catholic Faith Altar...
Jun 29, 2017•6 min
Fr. Mike Schmitz wants to straighten out some confusion regarding Catholics’ veneration of saints. In this episode, he explains how—far from being icons to worship—statues and paintings of the saints are reminders of what God can do in someone’s life, so honoring the saints doesn’t take away from the glory we give God. It actually brings him greater glory. You may also like the article “Why Pray to Mary and the Saints?” on The Great Adventure Blog. Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast...
Jun 22, 2017•7 min
Leaving our coffee cups outside - there are a few reasons for this. Fr. Mike reminds us that we all have a vital role to play in the Mass, and it’s probably more significant than any of us realized! Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast
Jun 15, 2017•6 min
There are many similarities and differences between the Catholic Church and the Protestant churches. In this video, Fr. Mike Schmitz narrows the differences down to one thing that really sets Catholicism apart from the rest. If you like this video, you may also like Sonja Corbitt’s blog post “Is Jesus the Only Mediator” on The Great Adventure Blog. Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast
Jun 08, 2017•10 min
Father Mike uses the classic myths involving the Sirens to explain some ways to avoid temptation. He points out the differences between the ways Ulysses, his crew, and Jason of the Argonauts dealt with the monsters and suggests we use some advice St. Paul gave to the Philippians when dealing with temptations. Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast
Jun 01, 2017•7 min
Fr. Mike uses a memory from the seminary to discuss a lesson about self-identity. He asks us what we would like to be known for at the end of the day. Some of us want to be recognized for our talents or for our interests, but Fr. Mike narrows it down to the identity in life that matters most. Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast
May 26, 2017•4 min
Some people reject the idea of purgatory because they misunderstand its purpose. In this episode, Fr. Mike explains why purgatory is needed and straightens out some of those misunderstandings. Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast
May 17, 2017•7 min
Does your life revolve around your relationship with God, or is your relationship with him just a side-note? Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast
May 12, 2017•6 min
What do we need to do as Catholic Christians to convey that the message of our religion is one of pure love? So often we misrepresent what it means to be Christian, causing many people to just see judgment when they see us upholding our principles. In this episode, Fr. Mike emphasizes how important it is to live what we believe, and that means loving people so much that even when they harm us, we continue to love them. Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast...
May 04, 2017•7 min
Many of us have learned the hard way that too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. In this episode, Fr. Mike shows us how to savor life’s delights without losing our ability to enjoy life. He gives palpable examples as he demonstrates how our favorite things—when enjoyed in the right quantity and for the right reasons—can give us more patience, temperance, freedom, and joy. Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast...
Apr 27, 2017•7 min
When we’re going through hard times, it’s easy to think we deserve better from God. In this episode, Fr. Mike uses a compelling story from the book of Daniel to exemplify the challenging but proper response to adversity. As tough as it may be, finding a way to thank God no matter the situation is a sure way to holiness. Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast
Apr 20, 2017•7 min
Many people wonder, and even become angry, about God’s ways. In this episode for Good Friday, Fr. Mike explains why God’s answers often seem like contradictions to us. While Jesus dying on the Cross makes no sense according to human wisdom, according to God’s perfect wisdom, the Cross answers all our most burning questions in a way only God can answer them. Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast
Apr 13, 2017•7 min
It’s a question that arises whenever someone challenges the beliefs of Christianity: If God is all-loving, why does he send people to hell? Some Christians choose to believe that hell doesn’t exist, or if it does, then only those guilty of the most heinous sins go there. Fr. Mike’s response in this video makes much more sense, and he offers an explanation of hell you can take to your grave. Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast...
Apr 06, 2017•6 min
Just about any question you might have about Lent is answered in this episode. Fr. Mike explains where the observance of Lent came from (the Bible), clarifies why Catholics observe the season, and shares how it can make a difference in our lives. Find more at www.ascensionpress.com/podcasts . Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast
Mar 30, 2017•8 min
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Mar 23, 2017•6 min
Books upon books have been written about the problem of suffering. Fr. Mike isn’t about to reinvent the wheel in this video, but the wisdom he shares in it echoes that of the saints. What did the saints and martyrs know about suffering that enabled them to endure so much of it? Christ didn’t give them some mystical superpower; he simply gave their suffering a purpose. Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast
Mar 16, 2017•7 min
