The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)

Day 273: Him Only Shall You Serve (2026)

How can we serve God? The Catechism identifies ways in which we can keep the first commandment through adoration, prayer, sacrifice, and promises and vows. Fr. Mike relat

Day 272: You Shall Worship the Lord Your God (2026)

“You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.” Taking a look at the first commandment, we see how we are called to love and worship God above all els

Day 271: Love of God (2026)

We continue our overview of the Ten Commandments by looking at the two parts: love of God and love of neighbor. Together they form a “coherent whole,” and there is a unit

Day 270: The Ten Commandments (2026)

God reveals himself and his glory through the Ten Commandments. We begin exploring the Ten Commandments as shown in the Catechism and learn about how these laws are not m

Day 269: Our Missionary Witness (2026)

The Church’s mission of evangelization depends on the faithful witness of her members. Christian goodness and fidelity authenticate the Gospel. As Fr. Mike relates, peopl

Day 268: The Precepts of the Church (2026)

God has given the Church his law as “the way of life and truth.” We, therefore, have the right to be taught and guided while maintaining a spirit of docility in love. In

Day 267: The Church as Mother and Teacher (2026)

“The moral life is spiritual worship,” says the Catechism. From the Church, we receive moral guidance, with the Magisterium safeguarding and passing down authentic Christ

Day 266: The Gift of Grace (2026)

In this summary of the Catechism’s teaching on holiness, justification, and merit, we briefly consider the work of God’s grace and mercy. His grace moves us from sin and

Day 265: The Call to Holiness (2026)

Each of us is called to holiness. As Fr. Mike puts it, we’re all called to the “heights of holiness.” No matter our station in life, we’re meant for ever greater union wi

Day 264: Man’s Merit (2026)

Knowing that our good actions begin and end in Christ, we recognize that man’s merit is due to God. Fr. Mike explains that charity in Christ is the source of all our meri

Day 263: Responding to Grace (2026)

God’s free initiative demands man’s free response. We continue our discussion of grace today by examining how grace and our free will interact in our lives. Fr. Mike also

Day 262: Habitual and Actual Grace (2026)

Without God’s help, we can do nothing. The Catechism delves into grace today, explaining how grace works and helps us achieve our supernatural vocation to eternal life. F

Day 261: Justification (2026)

What does it mean to be justified? The Catechism teaches us today about the grace of the Holy Spirit and its power to justify us. Fr. Mike explains how justification deta

Day 260: Summary of the Moral Law (2026)

In today’s “Nugget Day,” Fr. Mike reviews the significant takeaways that the Catechism teaches us about the moral law. Fr. Mike highlights that God has written the moral

Day 259: The New Commandment (2026)

We continue our examination of the New Law or Law of the Gospel, specifically the Golden Rule and New Commandment of Jesus. Fr. Mike emphasizes that the New Commandment r

Day 258: The New Law (2026)

Together, with Fr. Mike, we examine the New Law or the Law of the Gospel. Fr. Mike emphasizes that the New Law “fulfills, refines, surpasses, and leads the Old Law to its

Day 257: The Old Law (2026)

We continue the section on moral law, specifically focusing on the Old Law. Fr. Mike emphasizes that the Old Law is the first stage of Revealed Law. He also unpacks how t

Day 256: The Natural Moral Law (2026)

Together, we begin the section on moral law, starting with natural moral law. Fr. Mike begins by emphasizing that we need both the law that guides us and God’s grace that

Day 255: Human Solidarity (2026)

Together, with Fr. Mike, we reach the conclusion of the article on Social Justice. Fr. Mike emphasizes that although we have a right to private property, we also have a d

Day 254: Social Justice (2026)

We begin to look at social justice as outlined by the Catechism by diving into two aspects: respect for the human person and equality and differences among men. The digni