The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast
Episodes
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-...
The Christian Solution to Vanity
07 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Vanity is not what many people think it is. It can come in many forms, and is not necessarily an infatuation with yourself. Vanity is an inordinate pr...
4 Essentials for Every Catholic
30 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In a previous episode, Fr. Mike said that all Catholics grow in the same “soil” together, but the fruit we bear is unique. But what is this common...
How to Deal with Your Partner’s Sexual Sin
23 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Fr. Mike talks about how to navigate discussions with your partner about sexual sin—whether it’s pornography, masturbation, or other impurity. It’...
Have You Mastered the Basics of Your Faith?
16 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Fr. Mike makes the case that, before you claim a certain “style” in practicing the faith, you have to master the basics. He tells a story about wh...
Healing from the Wound of Sin
09 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Fr. Mike explains how even partial healing from the wound of sin is still worth the effort. Don’t give up just because you know your sins will leave...
Does God Ever Lead Us into Temptation?
02 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When we pray “lead us not into temptation”, it may seem like God has the capacity to tempt us. But that’s not the case. God does not tempt us, b...
God’s Ways Are Not Our Ways
26 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Fr. Mike describes exactly how God works with us, even though God’s ways are not our ways. It’s like when a person you’re living with asks “Wh...
How Should Catholics Respond to the Coronavirus Pandemic?
19 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Fr. Mike gives us some advice about how we should respond to the coronavirus pandemic. He begins with the story of the recent pilgrimage he took to Is...
Offering Up Your Inconveniences
12 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A great way to make this Lent even better spiritually is to offer up not only something you chose, but also to offer up your inconveniences. Give God ...
How to Start Strong and Stay Strong
05 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Starting strong is easy, but staying strong—perseverance—is a mark of holiness. It’s easy to be excited about a new relationship, ministry, job,...
How to Live This Lent for Others
27 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Lent is about transformation, but that transformation will be incomplete if we make it about ourselves. Instead of aiming for self-mastery alone this ...
Why Isn’t Ash Wednesday a Holy Day of Obligation?
20 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Why is Ash Wednesday not a holy day of obligation? A holy day is a day that has been consecrated for God, so in that sense Ash Wednesday is a holy day...
When Your Desires and God’s Plans Are Different
13 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Just because you desire something deeply doesn’t mean it’s God’s plans for you. Sometimes our desires and God’s will are different. Our desire...
Even More Questions from the Internet about Priests
06 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Fr. Mike follows up on his episode “Answering the Internet’s Most Asked Questions about Priests” with answers to even more questions from the in...
BONUS: Telling the Story of God’s Love
04 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Fr. Mike speaks about evangelization, new media, and telling the story of God’s love at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia. Addressing f...
Answering the Internet’s Most Asked Questions About Priests
30 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Fr. Mike is at the library of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia, and he’s answering the most asked questions about priests and the pries...
Is Swearing a Sin?
23 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Fr. Mike comments on whether swearing, as in using vulgar language, is a sin. He gives three times when using vulgar words can be sinful: If I use the...
Why Is Taking the Lord’s Name in Vain Wrong?
16 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There is a beauty in the fact that God shares his very name with us. He gives us his name so that we can call upon him in prayer, hold him in our hear...
How Catholics Should Connect with Others
09 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There’s justice and prudence and temperance and fortitude, faith, and hope, and love. But do you recall the social virtues at all? Thankfulness and ...
Hope in the New Year
02 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
With each new year come new hopes, new plans, and new opportunities. Fr. Mike points out that this optimism and this “spirit” of New Year’s is a...
Having Joy in Uncertainty
26 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The only things we can be certain about are the things that have already happened to us in the past, and we live in a perpetual state of uncertainty a...
The Difference Between Jealousy and Envy
19 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re wondering about the difference between jealousy and envy, Fr. Mike clears up the confusion in this video. Simply put, jealousy is not want...
When You Don't Feel Like It
12 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes we have to do stuff when we don’t feel like it, but finding the motivation to do those things is really difficult in the moment. That’s ...
The True Meaning of Advent
05 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What is the best way to prepare for the season of Advent? You’re free to do what you know will help you prepare for Christmas the best. If decoratin...
How to Be a Steward
28 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Which is better, being an owner or a steward? Fr. Mike reminds us of the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) as he points out how seeing ourselv...
Battling Dryness in Prayer
21 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Last week Fr. Mike Schmitz talked about why prayer is so hard in his battle of prayer video, and this week he talks about what to do when you experien...
Why Is Prayer So Hard?
14 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Growing up Fr. Mike thought prayer should be like soaking in a hot tub. He didn’t understand why it was so hard when he tried it. It took him a whil...
The Pressure of Public Conversion
07 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Fr. Mike comments on Kanye West’s conversion. He celebrates Kanye’s conversion, but hesitates to lift him up as a Christian leader. He recommends ...
God Is Going to Interrupt You
31 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Fr. Mike uses the life of St. Maximillian Kolbe as an example of how God is going to interrupt us if we choose to do his will. We may love schedules, ...
Does God Want Me to Be Spontaneous?
24 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
God may want you to be spontaneous, but he also wants you to be disciplined. How does that work? Well, unless you just want to have no control over yo...
How We Use the Word Should
17 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
We may be too hard on ourselves when considering how we use the word “should.” Of course, we should go to Mass and pray every day. We should avoid...
Is Curiosity a Vice?
10 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Knowledge is always good, but St. Thomas Aquinas said curiosity—or the fickle pursuit of unnecessary knowledge—can be a vice. What he meant, and w...
What You Can Control
03 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re in any kind of situation in your life where you feel you are limited in what you can control, you may not be as chained to your circumstan...
How to Make Decisions Together
26 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Fr. Mike says the key to making decisions together is distinguishing between preferences and principles. If the reason you’re favoring a choice is a...
Reading the "Signs" from God
19 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Fr. Mike offers the antidote of common sense for the anxiety that often comes after making a big decision. As a campus minister, he sees many students...
How to Handle Spiritual Setbacks
12 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
After reading a book on will power, Fr. Mike discovered an important lesson when it comes to how we handle spiritual setbacks. He noticed how resistin...
Responding to 'Expressing Your Opinion' Video
05 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Fr. Mike responds to last week’s episode, “Expressing Your Opinions”, where he said when we speak our mind we need to consider why, what, who, a...
Expressing Your Opinion?
29 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Fr. Mike says there are four things you should ask yourself before expressing your opinion: why, what, who, and how. First, evaluate why you’re exp...
Why Catholics Use Scripture and Tradition
22 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Catholics use Scripture and Tradition because Scripture tells us to use both. St. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: “So then, brethren, stand firm an...
Can We Joke about God?
15 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
If we can’t use the Lord’s name in vain, can we joke about God? Fr. Mike makes the case that there is room for humor about God in the context of l...
5 Things the Church Can Learn from Crossfit
08 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Fr. Mike points out five things the Church can learn from one of the latest fitness crazes, Crossfit: In Crossfit gyms, you’re seen, you’re known,...
Not Everything in the Bible is Morally Good
01 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Not every protagonist in the Bible makes the morally good choice. The Bible is not a collection of stories that tell us how to live. It’s not a bunc...
Does God Make Us with Flaws?
25 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Fr. Mike answers that God does not make us with flaws, but we are all born with the unfortunate effects of original sin. We were all made in the image...
Signs That Your Relationship Is Falling Apart, Part 2
18 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Fr. Mike offers a follow-up to his video on Dr. John Gottman’s “four horsemen of the apocalypse” with this video on Dr. Gottman’s proposed rem...
Why Catholics Have a Pope
11 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Fr. Mike goes all the way back to Genesis to explain why Catholics have a pope. God established the kingdom of Israel with the twelve sons of Jacob. C...
In the World, but Not of It
04 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
We hear the phrase “in the world but not of it” quite often. But how do we live that out in our everyday lives? Fr. Mike gives a crash course on h...
Trying to Keep God at a Distance?
27 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to trying to control God and keep him at a distance in our lives, there are at least two ways that we go about it. Either we lay low and...
Why Is It So Hard to Make Friends?
20 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Fr. Mike is honest about why it’s so hard for us to make friends. A necessity for friendship is time, something that many of us simply don’t have....
Understanding Our Capacity for Evil
13 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Fr. Mike asks if the bad things you think you don’t have the capacity to do are actually just things you don’t have the opportunity to do. A frien...
How Do We Spend Our Time?
06 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
How we spend our time is one of the most valuable decisions we make, because time is one thing we can never get back once it’s gone. Maybe God is ca...
Catholic Teaching on IVF and Contraception Explained
30 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
For many people, the Catholic Church’s teaching on in vitro fertilization and contraception is a hard one, but it is in concordance with the nature ...
Fitting In at Church
23 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Perhaps you’ve felt the temptation to be a cookie-cutter Catholic, one who does all the Catholic things that other Catholics are doing because they ...
Feeling Sorry for Yourself
16 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What good does feeling sorry for yourself do? Fr. Mike points out a hard truth in saying—while you have the right to grieve when tragic things happe...
Old Testament God vs. New Testament God
09 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Many people say God acted much differently in the Old Testament than he did in the New Testament. They say the God of the New Testament is merciful an...
How Does Purification Work?
02 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
God wants you to be holy, so he is going to set you on a path of purification if you choose to do his will. He is the one who is going to make you hol...
Do You Want to Be Well?
25 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Jesus asked the crippled man at the pool of Bethesda, “Do you want to be well?” It seems like an obvious question, but—as Fr. Mike explains—in...
The Role of Hope in Holy Week
18 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
There are many great ways to describe hope, but Fr. Mike defines it as “trust in another extended into the future.” He recalls two stories from th...
How to Pick up Your Cross
11 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Fr. Mike’s words on taking up our crosses may come as a relief to many of us. He rejects the “harder is holier” approach, and reminds us that ta...
Do I Have a Good Conscience?
04 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Jiminy Cricket said “Always let your conscience be your guide,” but how do I know if I have a good conscience? A good conscience more often is con...
Why Catholics Call Mary Their Mother
28 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
When Catholics call Mary their mother, it may seem like they are taking away some of the respect due to Jesus and giving it to Mary. This is far from ...
Signs that Your Relationship Is Falling Apart
21 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Fr. Mike discusses four signs that your relationship is in danger of falling apart, especially when it comes to stonewalling. Stonewalling, as used in...
What NOT to Do During a Breakup
14 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Fr. Mike is asked a lot about what to do when your life is thrown off course by a breakup. In a previous episode, Fr. Mike discussed four questions t...
The Purpose of Lent
07 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What does the Israelites’ forty years in the desert tell us about the purpose of Lent? Sure, they both involve the number forty—which often repres...
Picking a Thing for Lent
28 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Fr. Mike knows the tricks we can play on ourselves when it comes to picking something for Lent. So he gives a straightforward guideline: Don’t pick ...
Getting Involved in Parish Life
21 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The value of a new parishioner introducing him or herself to parish life and just asking the priest, “How can I help?” is priceless. When enterin...
The Meaning of "I Love You"
14 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Fr. Mike breaks down the real definition of love, which is willing the good of the other for the other. He goes further than that though, saying that...
How Does God Restore Us?
07 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Fr. Mike explains how God restores our brokenness, especially when it comes to our bodies. So often, we find that the more precious a thing is, the mo...
You Are a Burden
31 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Yes, you are a burden. We are all burdens, including Fr. Mike, but we are burdens worth carrying. Many of us choose to deal with our problems on our o...
What is Stopping You from Becoming a Saint?
24 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
It may seem too difficult, or even unrealistic, to be a saint today. The reality is though, a saint is simply someone who has conformed their will to ...
Am I the Exception to God's Rule?
17 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
God has his commandments and everything, but aren’t there times when there are exceptions to God’s rule? It’s a trick we’ve all tried to pull....
Why is it a Mortal Sin? Skipping Mass and Communion without Confession
10 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Why is skipping mass a mortal sin? And when we do go to mass, why do we need to receive communion in a state of grace? It’s tempting to believe we c...
Data-Driven Discernment
03 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Who would have thought algebra and data could be the key to discernment? Fr. Mike explains that the discernment journey isn’t always about having t...
A Fr. Mike Christmas Special
27 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Fr. Mike explains why "It's a Wonderful Life" is his favorite Christmas movie and how it can help us understand the importance of duty and love. Spoil...
Do All Good People go to Heaven?
20 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Good people go to heaven when they die, right? Well, according to the Gospels, not exactly. Fr. Mike Schmitz points to at least four things Christ say...
Why We Say 'Memento Mori'
13 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
You may have heard the phrase memento mori (remember your death)—especially if you hang out with those strange Catholics—but did you know there ar...
What Does it Mean to Be Blessed?
06 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
To be blessed means to holy, and to be holy means to be set apart for God. Fr. Mike reminds us of our calling to be holy, because, as Christians, we h...
The Heart of Sin
29 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A sin is not simply breaking the rules. It’s when we say in our hearts, “God, I know what you want and I don’t care. I want what I want.” Fr....
Giving Thanks is Necessary
22 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Fr. Mike says giving thanks is not only good and polite. It’s not just a thoughtful gesture. Giving thanks is necessary. We begin Mass by saying “...
Is it Ever OK to Deny Christ?
15 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Fr. Mike answers some hard questions from his #askfrmike inquirers, starting with a question about the controversial book and movie, “Silence”, wh...
Why We Need Boundaries
08 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We all have those people in our lives whom we love, but just ask too much of us. Establishing limitations in relationships can be hard, but we need bo...
Don't Have Any Friends?
01 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We use the term “friend” loosely, introducing casual acquaintances as “My friends Lucy and John.” But what is friendship, really? Fr. Mike us...