The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast

The True, the Good and the Beautiful: A Lesson in Human Flourishing

21 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today Fr. Mike unpacks the three Transcendentals; Truth, Goodness, and Beauty, and why and how our hearts can be misled by emotion and feelings at tim...

Fr. Mike and Mark Wahlberg on Father Stu | What "Picking Up Your Cross" Looks Like

15 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today Fr. Mike had the chance to interview Mark Wahlberg about his amazing new movie, "Father Stu," which follows the incredible true story of Fr. Stu...

Father Mike Responds to "General Absolution"

07 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you're Catholic, you know the drill: we sin, we break our relationship with God, and then he offers us the incomprehensible mercy to restore that r...

Will Smith, Vladimir Putin, and When Rules Get Broken

31 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Will Smith slapping Chris Rock. Vladimir Putin and Russia invading Ukraine. COVID ripping through the world. What do these all have in common? The rul...

What (Not) to Do with Criticism

24 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When we receive criticism from someone it's easy to think that we can either put up our fists and fight it or let it defeat us. But are those really t...

How Long Can You Be Miserable?

17 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes they're things we don't want to do... but we have to do them anyway. Sometimes you make it through saying, "I'll learn to like it." But what...

If Lent Doesn't Make You Feel Good...

10 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Want to know what the #1 goal of Lent is? Believe it or not, we don't have to feel the joy of the season to reach it. Instead, we have to focus on liv...

Lent Is a Process—Not an Event

03 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Lent has begun and with it our season of penance and fasting. What are you planning on giving up or adding to your spiritual life? Today, Fr. Mike hel...

When Attending Mass Virtually Just Doesn’t Cut It

24 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

"It’s time to stop watching and start worshiping." - Fr. Mike Today, Fr. Mike continues part two of his series on worshipping God each Sunday at Mas...

God Ain’t Your Grandma (Making God an Idol)

17 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What does God want from us? What does God deserve from us given that he's our creator? Today, Fr. Mike shows how we can actually turn God into an idol...

Why Get Married If It Doesn't Exist in Heaven?

10 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Why should you consider getting married, if as Jesus states in Matthew 22:30; "at the resurrection, they neither marry nor are given in marriage but a...

If God is Good, Why Do We Need to Pray?

03 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today, Fr. Mike delves into this age old question.

What Makes Mary and Joseph's Marriage Different?

27 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As we know, an essential part of the Sacrament of Marriage is entering into the sexual embrace. And yet, our Catholic faith teaches that Mary and Jose...

Kids: A Right? A Curse? or a Gift?

20 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For probably the first time in human history, the common perception of children as a gift has been under attack by our culture at large. More and more...

What Can You Do When Another Won't Forgive?

13 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You said an unkind word or reacted rashly. You feel terrible because it was directed at someone you love. When you ask for their forgiveness the wound...

Forgiveness is Not the Same as Reconciliation

06 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever heard the expression, ‘To err is human; to forgive, divine?’ Surprisingly this well-known phrase does not come from the Bible but a ...

Surrendering the Past and Future to Jesus' Lordship and Dominion

30 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Can you believe it's almost a new year!? Are you reflecting on both the suffering and gifts of the past year and also looking to the future and making...

What Did Jesus Actually Look Like?

23 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever gone to a carnival or fair and had a caricature drawn of yourself? Did it seem to highlight some parts of you but fail to really create ...

What You Do with Your Body Matters (Ascension Cafe, WMF 2015)

16 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this throwback talk from the 2015 World Meeting of Families, Fr. Mike introduces us to the Theology of the Body and inspires us with a new vision o...

Understanding the Theology of the Immaculate Conception

09 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Happy Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary! But wait... what is the Immaculate Conception? How does that even work? And w...

The Secret about Sex and Holiness

02 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As St. Thomas Aquinas writes: "As often as a husband and wife enter into the sexual embrace in a state of grace, they are growing in grace and in glor...

How To Receive a Gift Well (in 4 Steps)

25 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Do you know how to receive a gift? It's not as easy as it sounds. It might sound like gift-giving is the lesson to learn, but receiving can be so much...

Why Do We Need to Rest from Work on Sundays?

19 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

You might have heard that Sunday, as the Sabbath, is a "day of rest." But is that just, like, an honorary title? What does that actually mean for Chri...

The “Little Things” Are Actually Most Things

11 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Saint Teresa of Calcutta once said, "We cannot all do great things. But we can do small things with great love." The reality is that most of our lives...

Why Is It So Hard to Forgive Yourself?

04 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As Catholics, we believe in the forgiveness of our sins through the graces of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. But often, even though we are absolved ...

Do I Have to Go to Mass? Sunday Obligation Explained

28 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Why do we go to Mass every Sunday? Is it because of what we “get out of it”? Is it the way it makes us feel? Is it out of love for God? Or somethi...

Why Do Jews and Christians Have Different Sabbath Days?

21 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever wondered why we celebrate the Sabbath on Sunday? Have you asked yourself, what does Jesus mean when he says, “Think not that I have co...

Why is Faith a Virtue? Do We Need Faith?

14 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Have you heard the phrase, "never doubt in the darkness what you knew was true in the light?" Do you find yourself intellectually convinced that our f...

Why St Thérèse and Her “Little Way” Will Change Your Life

07 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How is it that a young French girl who entered the convent at 15 years old and died at only 24 years old would become a Doctor of the Church? How is i...

Who Is Influencing You? And Why?

30 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Do you find that you give others too much influence over your mood and emotions? Do you find yourself caught in a cycle of judging all your choices ba...

Turning Annoyances into Blessings

23 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes the smallest things annoy us the most. Minor inconveniences can easily make us forget to be thankful for all of the gifts God is constantly ...

What’s the Point of Religion?

16 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What does God really want from us? When you look at every religion, Christian or otherwise, you’ll find worship at the heart. No matter who or what ...

The Price of Forgiveness

09 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes saying sorry just isn’t enough. Chances are that you can remember a time you hurt someone through your actions. Maybe it was just missing ...

When You’re Discouraged

02 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It’s not unusual to experience discouragement on the road to holiness, especially when we live in a world that is filled with temptations and persec...

Is Holy Communion a Right?

26 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Last week, we talked about Holy Communion being a gift and not a right owed to us by God. This may sound like the Church doesn’t want you if you’v...

Can Someone Be Denied Holy Communion?

19 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes we can be tricked into thinking that the Holy Communion we receive at Mass every Sunday is somehow owed to us; that we have a right to recei...

How to Lose Everything and Still Hope

12 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Many of us have been in situations where we’ve risked losing. It usually happens during childhood, while competing in sports, the arts, or just maki...

Why God Allows Us to Learn from Our Mistakes

29 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

God is quick to forgive, and he’s given us the gift of confession so we can return to a relationship with him after sin. But this love he has for us...

Why It’s Important to Have Good Friendships

22 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

At a glance, you may look at friendship and say it’s not necessary for day-to-day life. It’s just “nice to have.” And the truth is… it’s n...

What to Do When You Get Interrupted

15 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

An interruption is anything that takes our attention away from our primary task. We may think our days are filled with interruptions: people cutting u...

Why Forgiven Sins Still Have Consequences

08 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We can be 100% confident that when we confess our sins, we receive complete and total forgiveness from God. However, God loves us so much, that he’s...

The Dangers of Complaining

01 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

St. Paul tells us, “Do everything without grumbling,” but even the best-intentioned Christians can fall into a toxic habit of constant complaining...

How to See God in Everything, Everyday (and How to Respond)

24 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

“It is good to guard the secret of a king, but gloriously to reveal the works of God, and with fitting honor to acknowledge him.” – Tobit 12:7 H...

Why Christians Shouldn't Cancel People

17 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How should a Christian react to “cancel culture”? Chances are that if you’ve been on social media or listened to the news in the past year, you’...

Going to Confession for the First Time in a Long Time

10 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Learn more about the Pocket Guide to the Sacrament of Reconciliation with Fr. Mike Schmitz and Fr. Josh Johnson. Confession is a place of never-ending...

Are You Your Own Worst Critic?

03 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Why do we keep critics in our lives? You probably have someone in your life that seems to be on the hunt for anything they can criticize. It might not...

What Is Real Truth?

27 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is truth? On this channel, we speak a lot about the teachings of the Church and how our society longs for these truths. But have you ever stopped...

What Does Surrender Actually Look Like?

20 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What does it mean to say that Jesus is the Lord of your life? We hear this phrase a lot in the Church, that Jesus is the Lord of our lives, that he ha...

What Should We Talk to God About? Everything.

13 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Should we really talk to God about everything? There are a lot of different kinds of prayers (liturgical, litanies, the rosary, the chaplet of divine ...

How to Love Your Difficult Parents

06 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Ten Commandments tell us to “honor thy mother and father”, but what does that really look like? Especially for adult children? Parents are not...

When Your S.O. Has a Different Vocation Than You

29 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

“You are not an extra in someone else’s vocation story.” We all know breakups are tough, and most of the time they are occasions of intense sadn...

How to Question Your Faith Well

22 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Catholic Church loves questions, but are we asking them for the right reasons? One of our Doctors of the Church, St. Thomas Aquinas, is known for ...

The Key to a Happy Death

15 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The key to a happy death is not a long and fulfilled life—it’s a life of gratitude for the time given. Here’s why: We often forget that this lif...

When You Have to Go It Alone

08 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Wednesday of Holy Week is known to many as “Spy Wednesday”, but it’s also known as the “Day of Aloneness.” The backstory behind this mon...

Pray Like Jesus Prayed This Holy Week

01 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

During Holy Week, as we contemplate the last hours of Jesus’ life, we get an intimate look at how Jesus prays to his Father. Starting with our Lord’...

Turn Your “No, But” into a “Yes, And”

25 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When was the last time you said “yes” to God? In improv, there’s a practice where participants are encouraged to never respond with “no, but”...

Blaming vs. Taking Responsibility

18 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

“Blame keeps us stuck...Taking responsibility gives us the opportunity to move forward.” In our difficult, fallen world, we are bound to face stru...

Why Did God Take On Our Humanity?

11 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Every Christmas we celebrate the fact that Jesus took on our humanity and became one of us. But have we ever asked the question why? Why the Incarnati...

Does God Need Us to Worship Him?

04 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

God is an infinite, perfect, communion of persons, responsible for the intentional creation of everything around us - which begs the question, if God ...

Setting Boundaries for Yourself and Others

25 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We often receive the behavior we are willing to tolerate, but what does that mean for our daily interactions? Communication is the clearest way to let...

Why Love Is More than a Feeling

18 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What if we were to make all our decisions solely based on how we felt in the moment? You may be familiar with the four types of love: eros (love of ...

A Martyr for the Faith vs. a Victim of Circumstance

11 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What’s the difference between a victim and a martyr? A victim is always described as dying “of” or “from” something. But when you describe a...

Learning Detachment from Your Stuff

04 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes the things that we own end up owning us. Detachment prevents this from happening. You may have heard of the minimalist movement that focuses...

How to Keep Your Faith Alive and Growing

28 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Why is it easier to fuel our faith at retreats and conferences? Can we have this same fire at home? You can probably reflect on a certain moment or ti...

Are You Called to Be a Missionary?

21 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Are you called to be a missionary? You may be one already! Saint Francis Xavier and Saint Therese of Lisieux are co-patrons of missionaries, although ...

“Is This a Sin?”

14 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you begin to sin but don’t follow all the way through… is it still a sin? It depends. We’re offered two different scenarios. In one, the pers...

What It Truly Means to Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin

07 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What do you think of when you hear the phrase, “Love the sinner, hate the sin”? To some, maybe it’s something that their parents would say to th...

Struggle Is Necessary

31 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It may sound counterintuitive, but choosing the harder path may make our life easier. Here’s why: When caterpillars go into their cocoons for hibern...

If You Think This Year Was Supposed to Be Different

25 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We might have had different plans for this year, but were they really supposed to happen? We all wonder whether we’re actually following God’s wil...

The Most Important Part of Any Conversation

17 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It’s those last five minutes of conversation with someone that makes them feel like a number or like a known and loved individual. We’ve all had c...

Answering Your Questions About Mary and Her Immaculate Conception

10 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Truly loving Mary will never lessen our faith in God, or take attention away from Christ. Here’s why: The Church has 4 dogmas regarding our Blessed ...

When You Don’t Understand the Bible

03 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Oftentimes in Christian media we see what Fr. Mike dubs a “Hallmark” version of following Christ. There’s struggle and hardship, but then God’...

The Absolute Necessity of Saying "Thank You"

26 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When was the last time you told God “thank you”? We live in an extremely hectic world, full of distractions, complaining, and longing for things w...

Let Yourself Wrestle with God

19 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever felt like God really wanted you to do something, but you just weren’t ready for it? Maybe it’s a big life change, a relationship, or...

Living Life Through the Lens of Scripture

13 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We all see the world through our own lens. The media we partake of—the news we read, the podcasts we listen to, the videos we watch—shapes that le...

The Virtue That Takes Virtue to the Next Level

05 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Fr. Mike introduces us to the virtue that makes other virtues excellent: magnanimity. If someone asked you what the most essential virtues are, you mi...

Regret vs. Repentance

29 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Fr. Mike talks about how to regret things we’ve done without staying stuck in the past. Have you ever heard the saying “don’t regret the past, b...

Why Married Couples Must Be Open to Children

22 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Do you have any “expectations” when you think about marriage? A lot of us probably think of marriage as broadly the same thing: two people coming ...

Why You Can’t Put Your Faith in People

15 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever been shaken by a scandal in the Church? It’s hard not to have been, especially amidst scandals on a major scale or ones involving peop...

Why Are We So Divided Right Now?

08 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Is it just us, or does the world seem a bit divided right now? Human beings were not only created with a unique purpose, but also created to live in c...

Which Is Better? The Rosary vs. The Chaplet

01 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

“What if I don’t have time to pray both The Rosary and The Divine Mercy Chaplet?” Deciding how to spend your time in prayer can be difficult, es...

Is It Ever Okay to Give Up?

24 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

You may have seen the movie Rudy. Its eponymous protagonist is a not-so-athletic college football player who spent years taking hits and practicing wi...

The Real Answer to Why God Allows Suffering

10 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Playing a video game called Injustice helps Fr. Mike explain the real answer to why God allows suffering. In Injustice, Superman becomes a totalitaria...

What It’s Really Like to Be a Catholic Speaker

03 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Many people ask Fr. Mike, “How do you become a Catholic speaker?” The quick answer is “Get baptized and start talking.” Of course this implies...

How to Get Real Friends

27 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

How many real friends do you have? Honestly, many people we call friends would probably better qualify as pals or buddies. The first step to getting r...

If You’re Not Feeling Loved

20 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re not feeling loved by someone you love, take courage in the story of Leah in Genesis. Jacob, Leah’s husband, did not love her. In fact, w...

Freedom from the Fear of Death

13 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Wearing masks, not wearing masks, and all the mixed emotions that have come with the coronavirus reveal that—as a society—we lack freedom from the...

Believing in a God Who Allows Evil

06 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It may sound foolish to believe in a God who allows evil, tragedy, suffering, and disasters. But God never promised to rid the world of these things. ...

Why Are Some People So Annoying?

30 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We all have pet peeves. We all get annoyed by things that really don’t matter much, whether it’s someone chewing with their mouth open, or someone...

How Certain Is Your Faith?

23 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Is your faith certain enough to stand up against the doubts and different ideas out there? Fr. Mike shares insight about certainty from Dr. Montague B...

Who You Are vs. Who You’re Called to Be

16 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Fr. Mike recalls the speed math tests he took in second and third grade. He finished them in decent time, but his cousin—who was in the same class—...

How to Share the Gospel (and How Not To)

09 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If you want to know how to share the gospel, it’s important to have the love and courage to not just give answers and corrections, but to ask questi...

Striving vs. Abiding

02 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In the spiritual life, it’s difficult to know whether striving to do God’s will or just abiding in him is better. But why can’t we do both? Fr. ...

Finding Balance in Your Walk with Jesus

25 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Rigidity and laxity are difficult obstacles to avoid when trying to find balance in your faith life. When we treat Christianity as a project, that le...

Make Small Sacrifices for a Big Change

18 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Making small sacrifices is not just for Lent, because sacrifices and penance are necessary. As Christ said: “If any man would come after me, let him...

Family: Your Shortcut to Holiness

11 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Fr. Mike explains how being at home with our family is one of God’s favorite ways to make us holy—if we are honest about the areas where we need t...

Special Episode: Reconciling the Body of Christ (with Fr. Josh Johnson)

04 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s special podcast, Fr. Mike Schmitz sits down with Fr. Josh Johnson to discuss racial division in the Church and how Catholics can strive t...

How to Practice the Presence of God

28 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Throughout the Gospels Jesus says, “Remain in me” or “abide in me,” which—in simplified terms—means whatever you do, invite Jesus along. A...

The Benefit of the Doubt

21 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When someone says something hurtful to you, it is wise to give them the benefit of the doubt. What does that mean? It means ask yourself, “Do I firm...

How Do You Pray with the Bible?

14 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

You know you should be praying. But do you ever wish someone would show you how? Fr. Mike starts by showing us how to pray with the Bible with a time-...