Mike Schmitz

Catholic priest From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Michael Thomas Schmitz[2] (born December 14, 1974)[3] is an American Catholic priest, speaker, author, and podcaster. He serves as director of youth and young adult ministry in the Diocese of Duluth and Newman Center chaplain at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Schmitz is most notable for his social media presence, including YouTube videos and The Bible in a Year podcast produced by Ascension Press.[4][5]

Quick Facts The Reverend Father, Church ...

Mike Schmitz
ChurchCatholic Church
DioceseDuluth
Orders
OrdinationJune 6, 2003
by Dennis Marion Schnurr
Personal details
Born
Michael Thomas Schmitz

(1974-12-14) December 14, 1974 (age 50)
NationalityAmerican
DenominationCatholicism
Alma mater
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Quick Facts Ordination history ofMike Schmitz, History ...
Ordination history of
Mike Schmitz
History
Priestly ordination
Ordained byDennis Marion Schnurr (Duluth)
DateJune 6, 2003
PlaceCathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary, Duluth, Minnesota
Source(s):[1]
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Early life and education

Schmitz is the fourth of six children, born to Peter Schmitz, an orthopedic surgeon,[6] and Gudrun "Goodie" Schmitz (née Amundsen).[7][8][9] Schmitz was born in the Oak Park neighborhood of Chicago, where his father attended medical school.[10] The family then relocated to Brainerd, Minnesota, where his father practiced medicine.[6] Schmitz is of Irish and German descent; his paternal grandmother comes from County Cork.[11] Schmitz was baptized on March 1, 1975[12] at the Church of the Assumption,[13] Richfield, Minnesota (south of Minneapolis). He attended St. Francis of the Lakes Catholic School for elementary school,[14] Brainerd High School,[15] and St. John's University, where he majored in Theology.[16]

Despite being brought up in a Catholic family, Schmitz was largely indifferent to religion until the age of 15.[17] After spending time as a missionary in South America,[18] Schmitz attended Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity and was ordained in 2003 for the Diocese of Duluth.[19] Schmitz is currently the director of youth and young adult ministry for the diocese[20] as well as the Newman Center chaplain at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Media career

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Perspective

Since 2015, Schmitz has been the host of Ascension Presents, a YouTube series produced by Ascension Press offering Catholic perspectives on cultural and societal issues. Beginning in 2017, these talks have also been offered as podcasts.

Quick Facts Ascension Presents, YouTube information ...
Ascension Presents
YouTube information
Channel
Years active2014-present
Subscribers1.1 million[21]
Views166 million[21]

Last updated: March 6, 2025
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On January 1, 2021, Schmitz and Ascension launched a new podcast, The Bible in a Year, which consists of 365 daily episodes reading the entire bible (including the Deuterocanonical books). In each episode he reads and discusses sections of the Bible, also adding his own commentary and prayer. The podcast achieved success.[22]

Schmitz was the keynote speaker at the 2022 March for Life rally, an annual pro-life event in Washington, DC.[23][24]

On June 29, 2022, Schmitz and Ascension announced they would be launching another podcast, The Catechism in a Year, which premiered on January 1, 2023.[25] The format is similar to The Bible in a Year, consisting of 365 daily episodes where Schmitz reads and discusses sections of the Catechism, adding in his own prayer and commentary.[26]

Books

  • Made for Love: Same-Sex Attraction and the Catholic Church (2018)[27]
  • How to Make Great Decisions (2019)[28]
  • A World Undone (November 20, 2020)
  • Pocket Guide to the Sacrament of Reconciliation (2021)
  • Bible in a Year Companion, Volumes 1-3 (2021)[29]
  • Catechism in a Year Companion, Volumes 1-3 (2023)

Lighthouse Catholic Media talks with Fr. Mike Schmitz

  • The Four Last Things: Death, Judgement, Heaven, Hell
  • Beyond Belief: Following Christ Today
  • Changed Forever: The Sacrament of Baptism
  • Could God Love Someone Like Me?
  • From Love, By Love, For Love
  • Jesus Is...
  • Living Life By Design, Not Default
  • Love - Sacrifice - Trust: He Showed Us the Way
  • We Must Go Out: The Sacrament of Confirmation

See also

References

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