Activity Overview
Episode publication activity over the past year
Adam and Eve Ruined Everything for Us. How Is That Fair?
01 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
We were all born sick. The sickness is Sin. It's not a tendency to sin that we brought upon ourselve...
What If Life Doesn't Get Easier?
25 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Don't let anyone trick you into thinking life isn't hard. Experience tells us all that life is truly...
What If God Doesn’t Exist?
18 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
What if there were no God? What does that idea look like if you follow it to its logical conclusion?...
Have You Forgotten What God Has Done For You?
11 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
God commands his beloved people all throughout scripture: "Remember." And this command continues to ...
The Raw Reality of Your Favorite Bible Heroes
04 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Some of your favorite Bible characters were... terrible sometimes. Abraham lied and said Sarah wasn'...
“God, What’s Your Plan for My Life?”
28 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
The angel Gabriel came to Mary and told her all about how she’d conceive and bear God’s son Jesu...
How to Celebrate Christmas When Life Is Hard
21 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Have you ever heard the song "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day"? Have you listened to the lyrics c...
You CAN Quit Porn. Here’s How.
14 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
This is not the first video on Ascension Presents about how to overcome an addiction to pornography,...
When God Doesn’t Answer Your Prayers
07 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
If it feels like God isn't answering your prayers, that can be disheartening. But it can also be dev...
How Guardian Angels Actually Work
30 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Are angels real? Why did God make them? What do guardian angels do? Do I have one? Does it have a na...
Sneaky Ways to Be Prideful (and How to Stop)
23 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
"I don't... think... I'm prideful...?" Great! If you examine your actions and intentions and you don...
Why You’ll Never Be Strong Enough
16 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
If you've ever planned to become so holy that you don't need God's help anymore, then this video is ...
Facing the Consequences of Your Actions
09 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Free will is an incredible gift from God that we often underestimate. We truly get to make a choice ...
Are Your Sins the Same Story Again and Again? Rewrite the Script.
02 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Do you commit the same sins over and over again? Does it feel like a bad movie that you’re stuck w...
Superheroes vs. Saints
26 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Some people pour through comic books like they're devotional works, following the lives of superhero...
Your Pastor Needs Help. Here's Where You Come In.
19 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Today, Ascension is pulling one out of the vault, and Fr. Mike tells you why your parish priest need...
Prayer is a Battle: Strategies for Victory
12 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
When we read the lives of the saints it can appear like prayer comes so easily to them; almost as if...
When You’re Distracted in Prayer
05 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
When you're first growing in prayer and developing your relationship with Jesus, it is worth the eff...
How to Be Excellent (NOT a Perfectionist)
28 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
They say that perfection is the enemy of the good. But what is true goodness in a pursuit? What does...
How Do I Know If I've Actually Encountered Jesus?
21 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
How do you know you've had an encounter with God? Sometimes it's hard to tell, especially if you wer...
The Christian Response to Grief
14 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Grief is a human emotion and and affects each of us at one time or another. The Catholic Church in ...
Facing the Death of Those You Love
07 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Everyone you know and love is going to die someday. You will too, but... the thought of losing every...
Did God Create Aliens?
31 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Do aliens from outer space really exist? Did God create them? Are they intelligent? What does that m...
Would It Just Be Easier Not to Be Christian?
25 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
What if no one ever told you about Jesus? Your life probably wouldn't have so many rules. You wouldn...
Expectations vs. Reality
17 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
When things don't go the way we expect, it's hard not to be frustrated and disappointed. How do we m...
Why Holy Mass Never Gets Old
10 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
When you go to a concert for your favorite band, and that band has been around for a while, what son...
What You Need to Be Saved (Faith vs. Works)
03 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
There is an age old question often debated among between Catholics and Protestant. Are we saved by f...
What REAL Faith Looks Like
27 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
We must place our faith in Christ in order to allow him to save us. But what does it actually mean t...
Fr. Mike Schmitz Reviews "Sound of Freedom" Movie
20 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
In our world today, there are millions trapped in slavery and sex trafficking. The most horrific and...
Which Jesus Is the Real Jesus?
13 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
If you profess to be a Christian, that means that you profess to follow Jesus Christ. But, of course...
Why You're Telling Little Lies and How to Stop
06 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
You probably don't outright lie on a regular basis. But, do you exaggerate? Do you give half truths ...
Fr. Mike’s Prayer for Beginners
29 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Whether you're cultivating a life of prayer with Jesus for the first time or you're trying to reigni...
Do Wives Have to Be Submissive?
22 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
"Wives, be subject to your husbands, as to the Lord." (Ephesians 5:22) Woah! Come again? On the list...
3 Reasons You Still Feel Bad After Confession
15 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
We know this: when we go to the sacrament of reconciliation with a truly contrite heart and receive ...
Can I Sin on Accident?
08 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
"If no one gets hurt is it still a sin?" "It was just an accident." How can we know if our actions...
Is it Possible to Pray Too Much?
01 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
How much prayer is too much prayer? Our relationship with God is the most important relationship we ...
The Christian Life IS Impossible
25 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
The call to holiness can feel like an overwhelming challenge. In fact it can seem downright impossib...
If I'm Suffering, Is It Better Never to Be Born?
18 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
The question of evil, suffering and brokenness in our world can be a hard one to grapple with. Somet...
Do I Need to Go to Confession?
11 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
It’s an age old question; “Why do I have to confess my sins to a priest?” Today Fr. Mike enco...
Why Doesn't God Heal Everybody?
04 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Jesus is a miracle worker. He worked incredible “signs and wonders” during his 33 years on earth...
Am I a "Good Person?"
27 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Today, Fr. Mike drops some truth bombs. God does not merely tolerate you. He loves you with a feroci...
Can I Go to Confession Over Zoom?
20 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
In an increasingly digital age, we do more and more things virtually. And while we can use technolog...
Is My Confession Really a Secret? (The Seal of Confession Explained)
13 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Today, Fr. Mike tells us about the story of the patron saint of confessors, St. John Nepomucene, who...
Throwback Thursday: Praying Through Holy Week
06 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Find out how the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist from Duluth pray during Holy Week, and maybe di...
Why Did God Choose the Jewish People?
30 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Reading the Old Testament can be so frustrating. We hear the stories of God’s chosen people formin...
If God Doesn't Need Us, Why Are We Here?
23 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Why do we "have" to love God? It seems very self-centered of God to demand our love. But is it? Tod...
When the Best Decision is to “Stay the Course”
16 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
“Is God calling me somewhere else?” Sometimes in our discernment—especially over major life ch...
Why Belief Alone Isn’t Enough
09 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Have you ever heard someone state, " I believe in God, but I don't believe in prayer?" Is it logical...
How Do I Know if I Made the Wrong Choice?
02 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Each day of our lives we make countless decisions. Many of them have small consequences, good or bad...
When Lent Gets Inconvenient
23 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
When you make a Lenten commitment, you're probably not thinking of all of the special circumstances ...
4 Reasons Catholics Must Give Alms This Lent
16 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
What are alms? Why must we give them? Am I supposed to go broke for Jesus? Fr. Mike Schmitz encourag...
Why Marriage Is NOT a Contract (It’s a Covenant)
09 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
For the past 50 years the institution of marriage has been under attack. More and more couples are c...
Are You a “Child of God”?
02 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
When we’re baptized, we become adopted sons or daughters of God. We become “children of God”. ...
“Why Baptizing Your Baby Is the Most Important Thing You Can Do”
26 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Why does the Catholic Church baptize babies rather than wait until they are older and capable of cho...
Pray as You Can, Not As You Can’t
19 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Need more advice on prayer? Fr. Mike has you covered.
The Stories We Tell Our Children Have Consequences
12 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Stories matter. We tell them to help us understand the world around us. But what if the stories we t...
If God Loves Everyone, Why Doesn't Everyone Go to Heaven?
05 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
"If not everyone is going to heaven, then I don't want to be there." Is this sentiment honorable? Or...
How to Begin with the End in Mind
29 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
What do I want to be true about me at the end of this year that is not currently true? At the beginn...
God Is Asking You to Give Him Everything
22 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
How do we give God everything? It's obvious from the stories throughout the Scriptures that God is a...
Does God Need Me to Pray for What I Need?
15 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
When we are struggling spiritually or experiencing some physical suffering we can find ourselves ask...
Give God Your Best Yes (like Mary Did)
08 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
"God will never ask you to do more than Mary did." And what did Mary do? She said "yes". Today, on t...
A Message to Catholic Men
01 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
If you or someone you know has benefited from Ascension's free media, would you consider giving a gi...
Prideful? Here’s How to Stop and Be Humble
24 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
If you or someone you know has benefited from Ascension's free media, would you consider giving a gi...
A Theology of Working Out
17 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Let's talk about exercise! Today Fr. Mike challenges us to re-evaluate the way we treat and view ou...
Do I Have to Obey My Parents When I’m an Adult, Too?
10 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
"Honor thy Father and thy Mother." We know from our youth that we are called to obey our parents as...
Commitment Is Getting Cancelled
03 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
You've probably heard the phrase "cancel culture"—the phenomenon where public figures get "cancell...
The Right Way to Receive the Precious Blood of Jesus at Holy Mass
27 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
We believe as Catholics that at every Mass the simple bread and wine are transformed by the power of...
How to Pray a Novena (the Right Way)
20 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Today Fr. Mike shares with us how to approach praying a novena, whether it be a traditional nine day...
Wish You Had Spoken Up? 3 Things You Need Next Time
13 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
You're with a group of friends and they start gossiping about another friend; what do you say? You'r...
You Can't Take the Cross Out of Your Life
06 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Sometimes when we look at the lives of the Saints we can be tempted to think that God singled them o...
Struggling to Share the Gospel? Here's What's Missing
29 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
(Today's video/podcast is an excerpt from, "The 99, A New System for Evangelization." To learn more ...
What Does the Holy Spirit Actually Do? (Superhero Analogy)
22 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
(Today's video/podcast is an excerpt from "Belonging: Baptism in the Family of God." To learn more a...
What is Purgatory?
15 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
We all want to be saints, but the struggle against sin and selfishness can feel overwhelming. There ...
"Judgmental, Bigoted, Homophobic, Elitist, and Hypocritical" (The World’s Perception of Christians)
08 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
(Today's video/podcast is an excerpt from "The 99, A New System for Evangelization." To learn more a...
This One Thing Makes Christianity Different From Every Other Religion
01 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
(Today's video/podcast is an excerpt from "Belonging: Baptism in the Family of God." To learn more a...
Your Questions About Cremation and Burial: Answered
25 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Can I be cremated? Is it okay to donate my body to science? What about the relics of Saints, they ar...
Why Can’t Catholics Scatter Their Ashes?
18 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
What is a human being? What happens when we die? Why do we visit cemeteries? And why do Catholics bu...
The Disciples Doubted the Eucharist. Do You?
11 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
You may have heard that Jesus is present in the Eucharist, but have you really heard those words? Yo...
Saying Goodbye, Starting Over, and Transitioning
04 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Change is always hard. Transitions in life are difficult. Goodbyes are never easy. Endings are rarel...
The Shocking Reality of the Eucharist
28 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
It's easy to fall into a routine and lose sight of the little miracles all around us. Unfortunately,...
Why It's Important to Laugh at Yourself
21 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Do you take yourself too seriously? Are you unwilling to acknowledge your faults and weaknesses to o...
The Miracle of Confession
14 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Learn more about Fr. Mike Schmitz and Fr. Josh Johnson's Pocket Guide to the Sacrament of Reconcilia...
How Do We Maintain Freedom in America?
07 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
As Americans we are known for our celebration of liberty and our focus on "our rights." We even have...
Why You Should Read the Catechism of the Catholic Church (+ NEW Podcast)
30 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
In response to countless requests, Ascension is launching The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Sch...
Why Self-Care is Important for Loving Others
23 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Jesus tells in the Gospels, "Love your neighbor as yourself." But what if you struggle to love yours...
How the Eucharist Changed My Life
16 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Why do less than 30% of Catholics believe in the Real Presence? It seems like many have forgotten th...
Is Judas in Hell?
09 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Is Judas in Hell? The overwhelming consensus over time is that he must be. But has the Church procla...
The One Reason You are Not Yet a Saint
02 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Are there things in my life that are incompatible with holiness? We all wish to be saints—God's p...
Pray About It? Or Just Do It?
26 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Have you heard the phrase, "Ora et Labora" before? What about the maxim, "Pray as if everything depe...
How to Love Someone that is Hard to Love
19 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
"Love your neighbor as yourself." We all know the drill. Jesus calls us to love even our enemies. Bu...
The Truth Is, You're Spiritually Burnt and Want to Quit
12 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Are you feeling tired and spiritually exhausted? Do you feel like throwing in the towel on everythin...
Does God Have a Love Language?
05 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Most of us are familiar with the 5 Love Languages; gift-giving acts of service, physical touch, word...
Fr. Mike Got a Tattoo?!?
28 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
What happened? Did Fr. Mike change his mind on tattoos? Today Fr. Mike reveals his recent tattoo, wh...
The True, the Good and the Beautiful: A Lesson in Human Flourishing
21 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Today Fr. Mike unpacks the three Transcendentals; Truth, Goodness, and Beauty, and why and how our h...
Fr. Mike and Mark Wahlberg on Father Stu | What "Picking Up Your Cross" Looks Like
15 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Today Fr. Mike had the chance to interview Mark Wahlberg about his amazing new movie, "Father Stu," ...
Father Mike Responds to "General Absolution"
07 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
If you're Catholic, you know the drill: we sin, we break our relationship with God, and then he offe...
Will Smith, Vladimir Putin, and When Rules Get Broken
31 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Will Smith slapping Chris Rock. Vladimir Putin and Russia invading Ukraine. COVID ripping through th...
What (Not) to Do with Criticism
24 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
When we receive criticism from someone it's easy to think that we can either put up our fists and fi...
How Long Can You Be Miserable?
17 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Sometimes they're things we don't want to do... but we have to do them anyway. Sometimes you make it...
If Lent Doesn't Make You Feel Good...
10 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Want to know what the #1 goal of Lent is? Believe it or not, we don't have to feel the joy of the se...