The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast

In an increasingly digital age, we do more and more things virtually. And while we can use technology to help us listen to the Bible in a Year or connect with likeminded Catholics, why is it we must receive the sacraments in person? Today, Fr. Mike reminds us that we are a body and that the Lord uses our physical humanity to do the work of healing and restoration like we receive in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Today, Fr. Mike tells us about the story of the patron saint of confessors, St. John Nepomucene, who gave up his life because he refused to break something called the "seal of confession", which is a sacred duty of a priest to never reveal what is said in the confessional. God himself established the priesthood as the mediators of reconciliation in the Gospel (John 2-:21-22). The Church takes this sacred responsibility so seriously, that any priest who breaks the seal of confession is automatically excommunicated.

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.

Reading the Old Testament can be so frustrating. We hear the stories of God’s chosen people forming a covenant with God, and then breaking that covenant over and over. How could God allow this? Today, Fr. Mike helps us read Scripture with a lens towards our own unfaithfulness and stubbornness, and shows why God chose the Jewish people to make manifest his glory.

Why do we "have" to love God? It seems very self-centered of God to demand our love. But is it? Today, Fr. Mike opens up the first sentence of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and helps us to understand more fully why God, who was never lonely in Heaven, chose to freely create us to be in relationship with Him.

“Is God calling me somewhere else?” Sometimes in our discernment—especially over major life choices, like our vocations—we start second guessing our decisions. Sometimes, we make hasty decisions because we thought we “messed up” our discernment. But most of the time… the best decision is to “stay the course”. As the scriptures says, “Let your yes be yes and your no be no.” Today Fr. Mike continues his series on vocational discernment and offers some helpful guidance on how and when to make life-altering choices.

Have you ever heard someone state, " I believe in God, but I don't believe in prayer?" Is it logical to have an intellectual belief in the existence of God, but not trust in His providence and care? Today, Fr. Mike challenges us to know God more than just knowing about God and to realize that belief alone is not enough. God is not some cosmic genie who doles out magic wishes but a loving Father who wants to meet us in the intimacy of prayer. Do you believe that?

Each day of our lives we make countless decisions. Many of them have small consequences, good or bad. But what about the BIG decisions we make, like what career to be in, who to marry, or what vocation to follow? Today Fr. Mike delves into the four principles surrounding our vocational discernment and what to do if we feel like we've made the "wrong decision" in that area of our lives.

When you make a Lenten commitment, you're probably not thinking of all of the special circumstances and unforeseen events that are going to make that commitment... inconvenient. A daily rosary might not be difficult... until that family vacation. Cold showers aren't so bad... until that cold snap. Charitable giving feels great... until finances are tight. Today, Fr. Mike invites us to let Lent interrupt us. Lent is inconvenient because Love is inconvenient. If we give more this Lent, we'll get more than we ever have before. Production note: Father's audio had some technical difficulties this week, so please bear with us.

What are alms? Why must we give them? Am I supposed to go broke for Jesus? Fr. Mike Schmitz encourages us to be charitable this Lent, emphasizing how almsgiving is a foundational part of living the Faith. In being joyful givers, we imitate Christ, who became poor for our sake, and we show our gratitude for God’s grace. These are just a few of the reasons Fr. Mike offers in this video as to why we should exercise almsgiving according to our means.

For the past 50 years the institution of marriage has been under attack. More and more couples are choosing not to get married with the mindset that, "we don't need a piece of paper to show that we love each other." And yet, that is not at all what the Catholic Church teaches about this sacrament. Today, Fr. Mike delves into the difference between a contract between two persons and the covenant of marriage that every couple is called to enter into.

When we’re baptized, we become adopted sons or daughters of God. We become “children of God”. So… does that mean we aren’t children of God before that? And if we aren’t… what are we? Today, Fr. Mike explains to us how baptism makes us “partners in the divine nature”, so that we can truly call God our Father.

Why does the Catholic Church baptize babies rather than wait until they are older and capable of choosing this sacrament for themselves? Salvation requires faith, and it can be challenging to understand how an infant accepts the truths of the Catholic Faith at the moment of Baptism. Today Fr. Mike uses an example from Mark’s Gospel to help us understand how the profession of faith by our parents at the moment of our Baptism prepares us to receive the gift of salvation later in our lives.

Need more advice on prayer? Fr. Mike has you covered.

Stories matter. We tell them to help us understand the world around us. But what if the stories we tell don't mirror our Catholic morals? What if the lessons that they teach don't agree with our values? Should we keep telling those stories? Today Fr. Mike wrecks your childhood version of the Little Mermaid and spoils the ending of the real story. Spoiler: It doesn't have a happy ending.

"If not everyone is going to heaven, then I don't want to be there." Is this sentiment honorable? Or misguided? Fr. Mike addresses the mystery of heaven and hell and gets to the core of what it means to be with God... or without him.

What do I want to be true about me at the end of this year that is not currently true? At the beginning of this new year, Fr. Mike shares the advice of Stephen Covey: "Begin with the end in mind." Our days are limited and Fr. Mike encourages us to examine who we want to be and to start working towards that now.

How do we give God everything? It's obvious from the stories throughout the Scriptures that God is asking us to give him everything but is He also calling us to "sell everything and give alms to the poor" as he asks of the rich young man? Today, Fr. Mike helps us make the distinction between the sometimes particular call to "give everything away" and the universal call to give God everything. It is certainly the case that each and every one of us is called to relinquish all that we have and all that we are to God's service and to trust Him with everything.

When we are struggling spiritually or experiencing some physical suffering we can find ourselves asking the question; "Is God listening to my prayer?" Since he already knows what we need before we even ask him, should we just trust in his providence? Is it an either or? Today, Fr Mike encourages us with examples from scripture to highlight that we ought to both pray for what we need as well as trust that God hears our prayers and will respond according to his good will and pleasure.

"God will never ask you to do more than Mary did." And what did Mary do? She said "yes". Today, on the eve of the celebration of Mary's Immaculate Conception, Fr. Mike wants us to meditate on how we can learn to say "yes" to God from the ultimate example of what a "yes" looks like: Mary, our mother.