Ascension
Faith, pop culture, and headline reflections from Fr. Mike Schmitz.
1d ago
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! Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast
Dec 11
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? Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast
Dec 4
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! Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast
Nov 27
"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." Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast
Nov 20
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. Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast
Nov 13
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 support@ascensionpress.com so our team can work on getting them removed. Thank you for helping us protect Fr. Mike's name, image, and likeness! Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast
Nov 6
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! Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast
Oct 30
"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. Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast