The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast

The mark of an adult really comes down to one word: responsibility. In fact, being responsible just happens to be a sign of sainthood as well, according to Fr. Mike. Let’s take back the word "adult" and make it about holiness.

Sometimes we forget how much of an impact our words can make. In this episode, Fr. Mike reminds us that our words have the power to build up or destroy relationships and even whole communities. He points out some helpful distinctions between venting and gossiping and gives some guidelines for avoiding what he calls “the everyday betrayal.”

There will be conflict and arguments in relationships; it’s inevitable. But, we don’t have to let those situations cause irreparable damage. In this episode, Fr. Mike Schmitz explains how conflict can help a couple move forward together. The key is to reassure each other that you’re both on the same team, and that you both have the same goal in mind—even though you may sometimes disagree when it comes to how to get there.

In this episode, Fr. Mike critiques Zack Snyder’s Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice.

In this episode, Fr. Mike Schmitz answers questions about the Catholic Faith from his listeners. In his first answer, he offers a few practical ways to be a truly helpful confirmation sponsor. Then, he reaches back to the time of Moses to explain the roots of the male priesthood.

When we’re caught up in life, it’s easy to forget that it’s going to end someday. So, will you be prepared? Fr. Mike suggests that we use Lent as a preparation for death, embracing it as a time to let go of earthly concerns and desires so that we can die to ourselves. If we do this, Christ will certainly lead us to resurrection.

Fr. Mike Schmitz explains why a Christian marriage has to be inside a church. With the marriage vows we aren’t just committing ourselves to our spouse. We are also saying in a very specific way that we will follow Christ. Marriage is inherently connected to Christianity, and it’s not just about us. It’s also about the church community to which we belong.

Find out how the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist from Duluth pray during Holy Week, and maybe discover something you can use in your prayer life as we walk with Jesus from his entry into Jerusalem, to Calvary and the Resurrection. The unique prayer commitment Fr. Mike suggests in this episode follows Jesus through all of his experiences—from suffering to celebration—in this the holiest week of the year.

Are you expecting to find that special someone someday, and are you hoping you’ll live happily ever after? Be honest. We’ve all had that hope at some point. In this episode, Fr. Mike Schmitz addresses the difficulty of big decisions—like figuring out who to marry—and suggests changing our expectations when it comes to meeting “The One.”

For this first week of Easter, Fr. Mike wants us to know how important we are to Jesus. When Jesus rose from the dead, the first people he encountered were Mary Magdalene and his disciples—the ones who believed in him. This Easter, because we believe in him, he comes to us first as well, and he tells us to go spread the Good News to the rest of the world.

Fr. Mike Schmitz encourages us to be charitable this Lent, emphasizing how almsgiving is a foundational part of living the Catholic faith.

Contrite prayer can be an act of courage, because Lord knows there’s no harder time to pray than after we know we’ve sinned. In a way, we’re afraid to approach God. Yet, just as the only way to overcome our fears is by facing them, the only way to overcome our sin is by going to God after we sin. In this episode, Fr. Mike Schmitz explains how God wants a relationship with us and “will cleanse us from every wrongdoing” to build that relationship.

There’s an ancient symbol that uses a ship or boat to represent the Catholic Church. In this episode, Fr. Mike Schmitz takes that analogy a step further, using it to explain how everything Christians love about their church, whichever one it may be, originally came from the flagship or mothership of Christianity.

Prayer isn’t just another good thing to do; it’s absolutely necessary if we want to know God’s will in our lives and draw closer to him. The trouble is finding the time and willpower to pray. In this episode, Fr. Mike Schmitz suggests being a bit more intentional in our prayer lives, asking these four simple questions: When should I pray, where should I pray, what should I pray, and why should I pray?

Whether it’s our reputation as the smartest person in the class or office or a signature beard that makes us look like Chuck Norris, we all have something distinct that helps define us. In the end​,​ though, when everything else fades away, there’s only one part of our identity that matters. Find out what part that is in this video, in which Fr. Mike uses his beard to make a razor-sharp point. Yes ... his beard.

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In this video, Fr. Mike advises us to dwell in the present and bring into this moment what we learned from the past. He points out that, while it isn't healthy to live in the past, there is also a danger in leaving it behind completely.

Fr. Mike’s popular Ascension Presents video series in audio form.

The Church in its great wisdom has designed the liturgical calendar with the human spirit in mind. In this video, Fr. Mike Schmitz explores the reasons for the seasons in the Church's calendar, with particular attention to the seasons of Advent and Christmas.

Did you know that Mary actually knew her child would save the world? In fact, she was saved around forty-seven years before Jesus died. Fr. Mike Schmitz simplifies the complex theology behind the Immaculate Conception in this video. Using a clever analogy or two, he demonstrates how Scripture alludes to the fact that Mary was immaculately conceived, and he explains why this solemnity is so important to the Church.