Bästa Ascension Catholic Faith Formation podcaster (2024)

1
Day 285: Story of Hanukkah (2024) 27:54

4h ago27:54

27:54

In today's reading from 1 Maccabees, we hear about the victory of Judas Maccabeus, which is also the story of Hanukkah. In Sirach, Fr. Mike points out that chasing fame and glory in this world are not worth our time, because they will all fade away after we are gone. The readings are 1 Maccabees 4, Sirach 10-12, and Proverbs 22:9-12. For the comple…

1
Day 285: The Nature of the Family (2024) 17:18

4h ago17:18

17:18

In learning the core and fundamental definition of the family, we read today that a family is formed by a “man and a woman united in marriage, together with their children.” The Christian family is a communion of faith, hope, and love and an image of the Trinity. Fr. Mike shares how important he believes friendship and family are in spreading the G…

1
The Church and Contraception (with Dr. Sarah Denny Lorio) 29:38

19h ago29:38

29:38

What is the Church’s stance on contraception? Fr. Josh Johnson and Dr. Sarah Denny Lorio answer questions about contraception and abortion. They break down the historic Christian stance on contraception, contraception within marriage, and different types of sexual education. While the world continues to change and shift, the Church has remained ste…

1
Sin - Part 3: Not Today satan 36:56

1d ago36:56

36:56

The devil lies! But God has already defeated the devil. Bridgett and Janet help to breakdown the Be Aware and Understand from the acronym B.U.T. They share some of their insights into how the devil tries to get us to believe we are less than, when God has already defeated him! Be careful; they were fully caffeinated!! Baby Step: Think about that ar…

1
Day 284: Near Occasion of Sin (2024) 26:36

1d ago26:36

26:36

Fr. Mike points out how advice from books like Proverbs and Sirach may not apply perfectly to every situation, but are meant to help guide us towards wisdom. He also highlights a piece from Sirach that encourages us to avoid "deserted places"—calling us not only to stay away from sin, but to stay away from what leads us to sin. The readings are 1 M…

1
Day 284: The Fourth Commandment (2024) 22:27

1d ago22:27

22:27

The fourth commandment addresses the most universal human relationship: our relationship with our parents. Why does God command us to honor our father and our mother? Fr. Mike explains why this commandment sets the foundation for all the other commandments. He shares the 3 levels of respect and what it looks like to honor our parents despite their …

1
Angels 101 49:15

2d ago49:15

49:15

Where did angels come from? Should you name your guardian angel? What can your guardian angel do for you? Mike Gormley and Dave VanVickle share teachings from St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas on the origins of angels, the angelic fall, and the nature of angels. They also share some practical tips on how you can enlist your guardian angel’s help…

1
Day 283: Mattathias Attacks (2024) 25:41

2d ago25:41

25:41

Fr. Mike clarifies the meaning behind Mattathias' zealous attack against the Greeks and his fellow Jews who were not obeying God's laws. From our reading of Sirach, Fr. Mike reminds us to remember the needs of the poor, and to be careful when forming friendships. Today's readings are 1 Maccabees 2, Sirach 4-6, and Proverbs 22:1-4. For the complete …

1
Day 283: The Day of Rest (2024) 22:48

2d ago22:48

22:48

We all tend to make an idol of work. The Catechism teaches us that Sunday is a day of grace and rest from work. Fr. Mike explains what holy leisure looks like, emphasizing the importance of spending time with family, serving the poor, and taking time to meditate and pray. Resting on the Sabbath reminds us that our freedom and identity are found in …

1
Day 282: Antiochus Desecrates the Temple (2024) 32:00

3d ago32:00

32:00

For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised. Support The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)Av Ascension

1
Introduction to the Maccabean Revolt (with Jeff Cavins) (2024) 32:03

3d ago32:03

32:03

Welcome to the Maccabean Revolt period! Jeff Cavins joins Fr. Mike to introduce the tenth biblical period in our journey, which begins with the Greek oppression of the Jews under Antiochus Epiphanes, and ends with Herodian rule of the Holy Land. Jeff and Fr. Mike walk us through the key events of this period, highlighting the zealous response of th…

1
Day 282: The Sunday Obligation (2024) 22:51

3d ago22:51

22:51

Why are Catholics obligated to attend Mass every Sunday? The Catechism teaches us today about the centrality of the Sunday celebration of the Eucharist in the life of the Church. Fr. Mike emphasizes that Sunday Mass is at the heart of our worship because it is the participation in the representation of the Paschal Mystery. He invites us to honor th…

1
Building a Daily Rhythm of Prayer 19:30

3d ago19:30

19:30

As Catholics, we know about the power of prayer and the importance of having a personal relationship with God. But are we able to say that we make prayer the top priority in our busy lives? Dr. Edward Sri shares ideas on how we can add prayer to key moments of our day and set the rhythm of our day in prayer. Snippet from the Show Let prayer shape y…

1
Day 281: Keep Holy the Lord’s Day (2024) 20:54

4d ago20:54

20:54

We begin exploring the third commandment and learn about rest and worship concerning the Lord’s Day. The Catechism points out that God models what he wants for us as he also rested on the seventh day. Fr. Mike explains the importance of prioritizing rest for ourselves because we are free and no longer enslaved people. The Catechism describes how we…

1
Day 281: Good and Evil (2024) 26:45

4d ago26:45

26:45

Fr. Mike summarizes the final moments of the book of Nehemiah, when Nehemiah returns to find the people of Israel being unfaithful to God’s commandments and marrying foreign wives. Fr. Mike connects this to our lives, as we too often confuse God’s unending love for us to mean that he always wants what we want.Today’s readings are Nehemiah 13, Malac…

1
Day 280: The Christian Name (2024) 16:48

5d ago16:48

16:48

What does it mean to bear the Christian name? The Catechism reminds us that in Baptism, we are given our Christian name, which is sacred. Our name represents the dignity of each of us and depicts how God loves us each uniquely. Fr. Mike explains that each time we make the Sign of the Cross, we call upon the Lord to bear witness to what we are about…

1
Day 280: The People of the Covenant (2024) 22:59

5d ago22:59

22:59

Fr. Mike concludes the book of Esther and the book of Nehemiah by reflecting on the journey and resilience of the Jewish people thus far in the story of salvation.Fr. Mike explains how, in our lives, we don’t always know how God is going to show up, but we know that he will be faithful. Today’s readings are Nehemiah 12, Esther 9-11, and Proverbs 21…

1
Day 279: False Oaths (2024) 16:10

6d ago16:10

16:10

Together, with Fr. Mike, we continue our examination of the second commandment. Fr. Mike emphasizes that an oath engages the Lord’s name, and the Lord is the Lord of truth. We, therefore, have a duty as Christians to respect God’s name in matters of truth. He also emphasizes that everything we say is either in conformity to truth or in opposition t…

1
Day 279: Blessings and Burdens (2024) 19:30

6d ago19:30

19:30

Fr. Mike offers a brief recap of today’s chapter from Nehemiah, identifying the difference between those who were able to live in Jerusalem and those who were not. He explains the ancestral gifts that each tribe of Israel received and applies this concept to the vices and virtues of our families, as well as our freedom to adopt or reject them. Toda…

1
Avoiding Burnout 32:03

7d ago32:03

32:03

Burnout is an unfortunate reality for many of us. Jeff Cavins sheds light on what we can do when experiencing burnout and how we can avoid this cycle in the future. The key is found in a relationship with the Lord. By uniting ourselves to the Lord during our most challenging times, He will give us the strength and grace to persevere. Leave your bur…

1
Day 278: The Second Commandment (2024) 18:57

7d ago18:57

18:57

We begin our examination of the second commandment, to not take the Lord’s name in vain. Fr. Mike emphasizes that God has revealed his sacred name to us, and it is our duty to treat that name with reverence. He also emphasizes just how easy it is for us to take the Lord’s name in vain in our day and age, and how vitally important it is for us to tr…

1
Day 278: Power in Weakness (2024) 20:55

7d ago20:55

20:55

Fr. Mike walks us through the signing of the covenant in Nehemiah 10 and relates Israel’s collective decision to belong to God to our personal encounters with God that inspire us to follow him simply because he has called us. He also offers insight on how God used the physical weakness of Esther to move the king’s heart to gentleness. Today’s readi…

1
Am I Worthy to Walk with Jesus? 23:03

8d ago23:03

23:03

Am I enough? Do my past mistakes prevent me from living a life for Jesus? These are questions we may ask ourselves as we examine our conscience. Fr. Josh Jonson addresses these fears and emphasizes that we cannot let shame or past sin stand in our way of being with Jesus. Throughout Church history we hear about disciples and saints falling to sin b…

1
Sin - Part 2: Clarifying All Those Terms 28:39

8d ago28:39

28:39

In this week's episode, Janet and Bridgett take a step back to clarify what is meant by the terms Truth, Conscious, and Relativism. These terms have come to have different meanings in our society, and they just wanted to clarify how these terms are defined for Catholic Christians. Show Notes: Catechism of the Catholic Church Referenced: 1950 – 1974…

1
Day 277: Such a Time as This (2024) 27:34

8d ago27:34

27:34

Today's readings remind us that all good things come from God, and he calls us to specific places and times for a reason. In the book of Esther, Fr. Mike points out that Esther was perfectly positioned to fulfill God's will. We too, can examine our lives and realize that there are places God has brought us, "for such a time as this". The readings a…

1
Day 277: Agnosticism and Graven Images (2024) 15:45

8d ago15:45

15:45

As we reach the conclusion of the section on the first commandment, we end by taking a closer look at agnosticism and graven images. Fr. Mike unpacks the different forms that agnosticism can take. He also examines the veneration of images and their relation to the first commandment. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2127-2141. This episode …

1
What Every Catholic Should Know About Spiritual Warfare 28:36

9d ago28:36

28:36

We are in a spiritual battle. Do you know how to fight? Drawing from Dave's years of experience assisting exorcists, Michael Gormley and Dave VanVickle start off a new season of Every Knee Shall Bow by discussing how much weight Catholics should give to the topic of the devil and spiritual warfare. They discuss how temptation is one of our biggest …

1
Day 276: Haman's Plan (2024) 18:17

9d ago18:17

18:17

As Fr. Mike reads from Nehemiah today, we hear about how the hearts of the people of Israel were moved as Ezra reads the book of the law of Moses to them. In our reading of Esther, we have the beginning of the crisis that will unfold throughout the book as Haman, backed by the king, seeks to destroy the Jews. Today’s readings are Nehemiah 8, Esther…

1
Day 276: Irreligion and Atheism (2024) 22:40

9d ago22:40

22:40

We continue our examination of the first commandment, unpacking irreligion and atheism. Fr. Mike highlights the different elements of irreligion, namely tempting God in words or deeds, sacrilege, and simony. He emphasizes that the sin of tempting God is easy to fall into when we are deeply troubled or afraid. Fr. Mike also spends time unpacking the…

1
Day 275: Esther Becomes Queen (2024) 26:30

10d ago26:30

26:30

Fr. Mike continues reading from the book of Nehemiah as we read of the many attempts to prevent Nehemiah from doing the great work of God. We also see the events that lead to Esther being chosen as queen and the goodness she will bring even in the midst of a broken system. Today’s readings are Nehemiah 6-7, Esther 1-2, and Proverbs 21:1-4. For the …

1
Day 275: Superstition, Idolatry, and Magic (2024) 19:33

10d ago19:33

19:33

Superstition, idolatry, divination, and magic are all things we can encounter in our daily lives, and, with Fr. Mike, we unpack how they break the first commandment. Fr. Mike reiterates that superstition represents an “excess of religion” and can affect the worship we offer to God. He points out that we can be superstitious even in our Catholic pra…

1
St. Thérèse: Trust During Darkness 22:43

10d ago22:43

22:43

We all struggle with periods of sadness, worry, fear and doubt. Even saints including St. Thérèse of Lisieux have experienced these very same trials. With Dr. Edward Sri we explore the life of St. Thérèse and the great darkness that she experienced. From her suffering and perseverance, we can learn how to trust in God’s healing love to get through …

Podcaster värda att lyssna på

Ascension Catholic Faith Formation podcaster

Podcaster värda att lyssna på

Snabbguide