The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast

Why Did Judas Betray Jesus?

January 29th, 2026  |  9 mins 9 secs

apostles, ascension, ascension presents, bible, catholic, catholic bible, catholic podcast, disciples, fr. mike, fr. mike schmitz, judas, judas iscariot, podcast

Did Judas think he was actually helping Jesus fulfill His mission by betraying Him? Was Judas pre-destined to become the traitor of the Lord?

Fr. Mike Schmitz asks these bold questions and unpacks what Scripture says about the person of Judas Iscariot. By evaluating his motivations and his lack of cooperation with the grace given to him, Fr. Mike details what a tragedy it is that he never became St. Judas.

Infant Baptism Explained (w/ Fr. Mike Schmitz)

January 22nd, 2026  |  6 mins 29 secs

ascension, ascension presents, baby baptism, baptism, fr. mike, fr. mike schmitz, infant. baptism

Why do Catholics baptize their babies? Is it even biblical?

At first glance, infant baptism can seem unbiblical. But Fr. Mike points to several instances in Scripture that support the practice and reveal God’s desire to bring children into His covenant family from the very beginning.

Baptizing a child doesn’t replace their freedom — it begins their life of faith. As they grow, they will one day choose Jesus for themselves and personally embrace the grace they first received as a gift.

For those baptized as adults, baptism becomes a conscious, public declaration of faith. That journey often includes waiting, and that’s okay. There’s no need to rush. God uses the waiting to prepare your heart, deepen your desire, and make you ready to fully receive what He wants to give you.

Something sacred happens in the waiting. It stretches the heart, strengthens faith, and forms trust. Let God do His work there.

If You’re Too Busy, You’re in Danger of This Grave Mistake (w/ Fr. Mike Schmitz)

January 15th, 2026  |  6 mins 8 secs

ascension, ascension presents, ascension press, catholic, catholic church, catholic podcast, catholic priest, fr. mike, fr. mike schmitz, god, jesus

"'Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?' He (Jesus) said to him, 'You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" Matthew 22: 36-39

Fr. Mike Schmitz warns us of the dangers of making our lives too full, even with good things. He reminds us of the beautiful quote from St. John of the Cross, "In the twilight of our lives, we will be judged on love alone."

Fr. Mike Schmitz Reacts to "Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery"

January 8th, 2026  |  6 mins 32 secs

ascension, ascension presents, ascension press, fr. mike, fr. mike schmitz, knives out, movie, movies, priest reacts, priest reviews, reacts

Fr. Mike jumps into the mystery of Knives Out, not to solve the murder but to understand the truest mission of the priesthood.

In the midst of Hollywood's fascination with Catholicism, they've often had trouble capturing an honest representation of Catholics. However, Fr. Mike explores the success of Rian Johnson's appropriate casting and display of a priest in the midst of impossible odds.

Find out what Fr. Mike loved about the film and why he thinks, this time, Hollywood got it right!

Fr. Mike Reflects on 5 Years of The Bible in a Year

January 1st, 2026  |  7 mins 18 secs

5 years, ascension presents, bible, bible in a year, catholic bible, father mike, fr. mike, fr. mike schmitz, podcasts, the bible

2026 marks the 5th anniversary of Bible in a Year! Over the past five years, the Lord has taken this podcast to extraordinary places -- reaching listeners in more than 150 countries, becoming the #1 podcast in the U.S., and remaining the #1 religious podcast in the world, even five years later.

Through Bible in a Year, God has transformed hearts and minds, and we are deeply grateful to every listener who has made this journey possible. As we continue creating new videos, podcasts, books, and articles each day, we invite you to press play once again on Bible in a Year.

Join Fr. Mike, and all of us, in the Ascension App, as we encounter God’s voice and learn to live our lives through the lens of Scripture.

Fr. Mike Schmitz Reacts to Iconic Christmas Movie Scenes

December 25th, 2025  |  23 mins 48 secs

ascension, ascension presents, christmas, christmas movies, fr. mike, movie, movie review, reacts

Merry Christmas from Fr. Mike Schmitz and all of us here at Ascension! While we celebrate the birth of Christ, the true reason for this season, we also reflect on the many blessings and joys with the ones we love!

Come celebrate with us as Fr. Mike reacts to Christmas movies and shares how each movie reveals a deeply Christian message to all of us!

The BEST and WORST Christmas Songs (w/ Fr. Mike Schmitz)

December 18th, 2025  |  7 mins 14 secs

ascension, ascension presents, christmas, christmas music, christmas songs, fr. mike, fr. mike schmitz

Fr. Mike shares his favorite — and least favorite — Christmas songs 🎄

Find out which ones he loves enough to sing all year, which he calls manipulative, and which he flat-out labels a pile of trash!

You’re Going to Die—What to Do in the Meantime (w/ Fr. Mike Schmitz)

December 11th, 2025  |  7 mins 46 secs

ascension, ascension presents, death, die, dying, fr. mike, fr. mike schmitz, memento mori, remember your death

You may have heard the phrase, "Memento Mori" when it comes to reflecting on death, but how should Christians really view death?

Fr. Mike Schmitz explains three common views we may hold about death:

• Death is the enemy
• Death is a natural part of life
• Death is a new birth (but we're not excited about it)

However, Fr. Mike explains that all three fall short; death is actually a lover. Our goal should not be a longing for death, but a longing for the One on the other side. How can you long for Heaven and Jesus today?

The Reason God Hasn’t Answered Your Prayer Yet (w/ Fr. Mike Schmitz)

December 4th, 2025  |  5 mins 10 secs

ascension, fr. mike, fr. mike schmitz, god, god's timing, the lord, time, trust, trust in god

Do you trust God's timing?

Fr. Mike Schmitz reminds us that God is never late (and never early). We can trust whole heartedly that His timing is always perfect!

God’s Not Asking You to Be Successful (w/ Fr. Mike Schmitz)

November 27th, 2025  |  7 mins 27 secs

ascension, ascension presents, faithful, fr. mike, fr. mike schmitz, god, mother teresa, success

"God does not ask us to be successful, He asks us to be faithful." - St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Fr. Mike Schmitz reflects on this quote along with the way St. Mother Teresa lived her life. So often we measure our lives by worldly success, however God wants your faithfulness, not your success.

Let us always say, "God let me honor you with my effort."

Maybe I Should Have Said Something…

November 20th, 2025  |  6 mins 22 secs

adoration, called, fr. mike, fr. miks schmitz, god, ignorant, love, prudence, speech, truth, works of mercy

When you miss an opportunity to share the faith, what's the next step?

Fr. Mike Schmitz reflects on the question, "When should I say something?" We'll never have every answer, but if we take everything to the Lord, He will show us the way.

Addressing the FAKE Videos of Me (w/ Fr. Mike Schmitz)

November 13th, 2025  |  9 mins 11 secs

ai, ai videos, artificial intelligence, ascension, ascension presents, fake videos of fr. mike, fr. mike, fr. mike schmitz, scam videos

There have been numerous fake videos of Fr. Mike circulating online: clips of him supposedly asking for money for Lourdes, delivering sermons he never gave, and appearing on accounts that aren’t actually his.

These are all scams — and a concerning reminder of how easy it is to be deceived by AI-generated content.

Fr. Mike addresses these scams, shares tips for spotting fake content, and offers his perspective on artificial intelligence.

If you come across any AI profiles or questionable videos, please send the link(s) to [email protected] so our team can work on getting them removed. Thank you for helping us protect Fr. Mike's name, image, and likeness!

Sin, Emotions and Virtue Explained (w/ Fr. Mike Schmitz)

November 6th, 2025  |  7 mins

are feelings a sin, ascension, ascension presents, emotions, feelings, fr. mike, fr. mike schmitz, sinful, vice, virtue

Can your feelings be sinful?

Fr. Mike Schmitz reminds us that "sin and virtue do not reside in the emotions, they reside in the will." Our emotions, whether positive or negative, don’t make us good or bad; what matters is how we respond to them. Use your emotions to choose and pursue the good!

Do NOT Receive Communion Until You’ve Seen This (w/ Fr. Mike Schmitz)

October 30th, 2025  |  5 mins 29 secs

ascension, ascension presents, communion, confession, fr. mike, fr. mike schmitz, holy communion, mortal sin, receive communion, venial sin

"Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment* on himself." - 1 Corinthians 11:27-29

Fr. Mike explains that receiving Holy Communion in a state of mortal sin, is itself a mortal sin. However, he also advises that if you’re genuinely uncertain about whether you’re in a state of mortal sin, you should go ahead and receive Communion. The reason is that true mortal sin requires three conditions:

• Grave matter
• Full knowledge
• Deliberate consent

If you’re honestly unsure, the third condition isn’t fully met — meaning it can’t be a mortal sin.

How Being a Christian Will Affect Your Life (w/ Fr. Mike Schmitz)

October 23rd, 2025  |  6 mins 58 secs

ascension presents, catholic, christian, fr. mike, fr. mike schmitz. ascension, saints, suffering

As we discover the lives of the saints, it seems they endured quite a bit of suffering before receiving their eternal reward. It begs the question, is it worth it?

Fr. Mike reminds us that in this life, we will have suffering. The question is not, can you avoid suffering by avoiding Jesus? The question is, can your suffering be transformed by embracing Jesus?

How to Get Better Friends

October 16th, 2025  |  7 mins 17 secs

You may have close friends in your life, but do you have virtuous friendships?

Fr. Mike Schmitz shares three kinds of friendship and explains that while it's important to have good friends, you need to have this special kind of friendship with at least one person in your life: virtuous friendship.

Tickets are on sale now for Fr. Mike Schmitz's Parables Tour at https://www.AscensionPress.com/FrMikeTour

October 20 - Detroit, MI [SOLD OUT]
October 21 - Sugar Land, TX
October 22 - Cedar Park, TX
October 23 - Fort Worth, TX

Join Fr. Mike live for an unforgettable event as he unpacks the parables of Jesus. This is your chance to experience his powerful message in person!