Fr. Mike Schmitz

 

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About Fr. Mike

Fr. Mike Schmitz is a priest for the Diocese of Duluth, MN (you can hear some of his vocation story here) where he currently runs the Newman Center at the University of Minnesota-Duluth (please check out and support his great work at BulldogCatholic.org!) and is also the Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the diocese.

Known nationally for his inspiring words and wisdom, consistent hilarity, and genuine coolness, Fr. Mike is quickly becoming a Catholic household name in America. Do yourself a favor and check out some of the great homilies, videos, and articles Fr. Mike has to offer (TONS listed and linked below!).

Homilies

If you’ve ever wished to hear a more relevant and engaging homily while at Mass, well, here you go! Do yourself a gigantic favor right now and subscribe to Father Mike’s homilies.

My wedding homily:

Christmas homily:

Classroom Resources

Fr. Mike Schmitz Video Assignments

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Pick a Schmitz! + Museum Tour

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Videos

Ascension Presents Videos
  1. Shame vs. Guilt – Their Meanings and How You Can Heal
  2. Bromance, Pizza, & Your Mom
  3. How to Quit Porn
  4. Loneliness After College – Facing the Quarter Life Crisis
  5. Father Mike Reviews The Avengers 2
  6. Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica.
  7. Martha or Mary? – Who Should You Be?
  8. Bruce Jenner & the Transgender Question
  9. Time to Pray
  10. Batman vs. Superman
  11. What’s My Vocation?
  12. Forgiveness
  13. Heaven: You’re Not Good Enough (and why that’s ok)
  14. Learning from Judas
  15. Love is an Ability
  16. TV-MA: America’s Addiction
  17. Acceptance
  18. Captain America: Superheroes Analyzed
  19. What Does God Want Me to Do?
  20. Did God Change?
  21. Ashley Madison and Crushes on Other People
  22. Overwhelmed?
  23. Fr. Mike with Fr. Josh Johnson at The World Meeting of Families
  24. Padre Pio’s Secret to Holiness
  25. Do Catholics Follow All Those Weird Old Testament Laws?
  26. Made for Greatness, Not Comfort
  27. Jesus is McDonalds on Sandals
  28. The Greatest Surprise: Jesus’ Second Coming
  29. How to Avoid Being Ungrateful
  30. All Saints Day Pep Talk
  31. Spiritual Blind Spots
  32. Getting a Spiritual Director
  33. No Spiritual Director? No Problem!
  34. Thanksgiving Special: Squanto
  35. What’s Your Bedtime?
  36. Making a Good Confession
  37. Influencing the World
  38. Project Advent – Freedom to Fail
  39. An Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy
  40. Pregnant and Unmarried
  41. A Father Mike Christmas
  42. Did the Church Ever Sell Indulgences?
  43. Ways to Read the Bible
  44. I’m Sorry vs. Thank You
  45. #AskFrMike: Lucifer, The Trinity, and Leisurely Sundays
  46. Preparing for Lent
  47. The Significance of Ash Wednesday
  48. 4 Reasons for Fasting
  49. 4 Reasons for Almsgiving
  50. #AskFrMike: Confirmation Sponsors & Female Priests
  51. Tips for Praying
  52. Prepare to Die
  53. Praying Through Holy Week
  54. Easter Special
  55. Outdoor Weddings
  56. I Ain’t Afraid of No Ghosts!
  57. Praying in a State of Mortal Sin
  58. Aren’t All Churches the Same?
  59. Shifting into a New Relationship
  60. Caffeinated Conversation with Fr. Mike Schmitz
  61. Will I Ever Find “The One”?
  62. Will My Pet Be in Heaven?
  63. Can I Go to Confession Over the Phone?
  64. Save Yourself from Helplessness
  65. Learning to Be Alone
  66. Discernment 101
  67. Independence Day Special
  68. Hope in the Face of Suicide
  69. Wanting to Fix People
  70. What Constitutes a Practicing Catholic?
  71. 3 Reasons Catholics Genuflect
  72. Why Does God Let Bad Things Happen?
  73. The Value of Silence
  74. Procrastination Isn’t Always Laziness
  75. Letting God Take His Time
  76. Venting or Gossip?
  77. Does God Love Some People More?
  78. #AskFrMike: Chapel Veils and the Significance of Dreams
  79. Will God Heal My Wounds?
  80. Dogma, Doctrine, and Meat on Fridays
  81. Are All Catholics Hypocrites?
  82. Can I Get a Tattoo?
  83. Do We Deserve God’s Love?
  84. The Power of Prayer
  85. What is Sin?
  86. Adulting Level: Expert
  87. Advent: More than a Chocolate Calendar
  88. The Immaculate Conception Explained
  89. Waiting for Christmas
  90. A Season for Everything
  91. The Unpleasant Ancestors of Christmas
  92. Learning from Your Past
  93. Is Shyness Your Excuse?
  94. What Defines You?
  95. 3 Steps to Unceasing Prayer
  96. Mortal vs. Venial Sin
  97. The Real Purpose of Funerals
  98. Personal, Not Private
  99. That’s Offensive!
  100. Why Fast on Ash Wednesday?
  101. Fasting Can Change You Forever
  102. The Meaning of Suffering
  103. Acedia: The Noonday Devil
  104. Where Is Lent in the Bible?
  105. Hell is for Real
  106. Good Friday: The Meaning of the Cross
  107. God Doesn’t Owe You Anything
  108. What is the Sin of Gluttony?
  109. What You Should Know About Purgatory
  110. What I Learned Getting Roasted at Seminary
  111. How to Face Temptation
  112. Why Be Catholic and Not Just Christian?
  113. Why We Don’t Drink Coffee at Mass
  114. Do Catholics Worship Saints?
  115. Are My Sacrifices Working?
  116. Generosity: The Greatest Spiritual Gift
  117. Why Watching MMA Strips Human Dignity
  118. Responding to the MMA Video
  119. Let’s Talk Superheroes
  120. Be a Hater
  121. Talking about Suicide
  122. Training vs. Working Out
  123. Who Do You Spend Time With?
  124. What’s Your Burden?
  125. Is it OK to Judge Someone?
  126. Avoiding Impurity
  127. What is Hope and Why Do You Need It?
  128. Finding Balance in Christian Life
  129. NFL National Anthem Protests
  130. Living in the Present Moment
  131. Tolkien’s Leaf
  132. Battle of Prayer
  133. Decision Making 101
  134. How Do Priests Pray?
  135. Finding God in Darkness
  136. The Problem with Criticism
  137. Straightforward Career and Job Advice
  138. Learning How to Love from the Bible
  139. The Lost Christmas Episode
  140. Christmas: A Time for Hope
  141. The Secret to Sticking to a New Year’s Resolution
  142. The Virgin Mary’s Struggles
  143. Inspiration to Stop Complaining
  144. Why God Gave Us Bodies (The Theology of the Body)
  145. Motivation to Go to Catholic Mass
  146. 4 Helpful Rules for Discernment
  147. Overcoming Envy and Dealing with Jealousy
  148. Should Catholics Call Priests Father?
  149. Why Confess My Sins to a Priest?
  150. Confessing the Same Sins Over and Over Again
  151. What’s the Point of Fasting During Lent?
  152. Take Courage!
  153. Fr. Mike’s Autobiography
  154. The Culture of Netflix and Chill
  155. Is It Okay to Spend the Night?
  156. 3 Questions to Ask to Prevent Gossiping
  157. Do You Present Your True Self to Others?
  158. Religion Doesn’t Cause as Many Wars as You Think
  159. Can a Catholic Marry a Non-Catholic?
  160. How to Be a Good Disciple of Christ
  161. Catholics, Alcohol, and Drinking
  162. Why Non-Catholics Can’t Receive Communion
  163. Consistency Will Make You Holy
  164. The Church and Immigration
  165. Freedom and Its Consequences
  166. What Boredom Can Teach Us
  167. Being Flexible to Accept God’s Will
  168. Developing a Clear Vision in Life
  169. For Those Without a Clear Vocation
  170. Is Courtesy Required for Catholics?
  171. Anti-Fragile Christianity
  172. The Pennsylvania Sex Abuse Scandal
  173. Repentance and Church Reform
  174. Faith is Not Something You Can Lose
  175. Do Catholics Have to Respect Everyone?
  176. When Mass Feels Like Going Through the Motions
  177. Why Joy Is More Christian Than Happiness
  178. We are Not Cosmic Accidents
  179. Farmer, Priest, and Martyr
  180. Reminder: God Loves You
  181. Building Healthy Relationships
  182. Don’t Have Any Friends?
  183. Why We Need Boundaries
  184. Is it Ever OK to Deny Christ? / How Do I Know if I’m Working Out Too Much?
  185. Giving Thanks is Necessary
  186. The Heart of Sin
  187. What Does it Mean to Be Blessed?
  188. Why We Say “Memento Mori”
  189. Do All Good People Go to Heaven?
  190. The Role of Duty in the movie It’s a Wonderful Life
  191. The Key to Discernment
  192. Am I the Exception to God’s Rule?
  193. What is Stopping You from Being a Saint?
  194. You are a Burden
  195. How Does God Restore Us?
  196. The Meaning of “I Love You”
  197. Getting Involved in Parish Life
  198. Picking a Thing for Lent
  199. What’s the Purpose of Lent?
  200. What NOT to Do During a Breakup
  201. Signs that Your Relationship is Falling Apart
  202. Why Catholics Call Mary Their Mother
  203. Do I Have a Good Conscience?
  204. How to Pick Up Your Cross
  205. The Role of Hope in Holy Week
  206. Connections Between Christianity and Comic Books
  207. Do You Want to Be Well?
  208. How Does Purification Work?
  209. Old Testament God vs. New Testament God
  210. Feeling Sorry for Yourself?
  211. Fitting in at Church
  212. Catholic Teaching on IVF and Contraception Explained
  213. How Do We Spend Our Time?
  214. Understanding Our Capacity for Evil
  215. Why Is It So Hard to Make Friends?
  216. Trying to Keep God at a Distance?
  217. In the World, But Not of It
  218. Why Catholics Have a Pope
  219. Signs that Your Relationship is Falling Apart, Part 2
  220. Does God Make Us With Flaws?
  221. Not Everything in the Bible is Morally Good
  222. 5 Things the Church Can Learn from CrossFit
  223. Can We Joke About God?
  224. Why Catholics Use Scripture and Tradition
  225. Expressing Your Opinion?
  226. Responding to “Expressing Your Opinion” Video
  227. How to Handle Spiritual Setbacks
  228. Reading the “Signs” from God
  229. How to Make Decisions Together
  230. What You Can Control
  231. Is Curiosity a Vice?
  232. How We Use the Word “Should”
  233. Does God Want Me to Be Spontaneous?
  234. God Is Going to Interrupt You
  235. The Pressure of Public Conversion
  236. Why Is Prayer So Hard?
  237. Battling Dryness in Prayer
  238. How to Be a Steward
  239. The True Meaning of Advent
  240. The Difference Between Jealousy and Envy
  241. Having Joy in Uncertainty
  242. Hope in the New Year
  243. How Catholics Should Connect with Others
  244. Why Is Taking the Lord’s Name in Vain Wrong?
  245. Is Swearing a Sin?
  246. Answering the Internet’s Most Asked Questions About Priests
  247. Fr. Mike on Evangelization: Telling the Story of God’s Love
  248. Even More Questions from the Internet About Priests
  249. When Your Desires and God’s Plans Are Different
  250. Why Isn’t Ash Wednesday a Holy Day of Obligation?
  251. How to Live This Lent for Others
  252. How to Start Strong and Stay Strong
  253. Offering Up Your Inconveniences
  254. How Should Catholics Respond to the Coronavirus Pandemic?
  255. God’s Ways Are Not Our Ways
  256. Does God Ever Lead Us Into Temptation?
  257. Healing from the Wound of Sin
  258. Have You Mastered the Basics of Your Faith?
  259. How to Deal with Your Partner’s Sexual Sin
  260. 4 Essentials for Every Catholic
  261. This Is the Christian Solution to Vanity
  262. How Do You Pray with the Bible?
  263. Ask Father Mike Live!
  264. The Benefit of the Doubt
  265. How to Practice the Presence of God
  266. Reconciling the Body of Christ (An Interview with Fr. Josh Johnson)
  267. Family Brings Out the Worst in You (So That God Can Heal It)
  268. Make Small Sacrifices for a Big Change
  269. Finding Balance in Your Walk with Jesus
  270. Are You Busy Doing the Right Things?
  271. How to Share the Gospel (and How Not To)
  272. Who You Are vs. Who You’re Called to Be
  273. How Certain Is Your Faith?
  274. Why Are Some People So Annoying?
  275. Believing in a God Who Allows Evil
  276. Afraid of the Coronavirus?
  277. If You’re Not Feeling Loved
  278. How to Get Real Friends
  279. What It’s Really Like to Be a Catholic Speaker
  280. The Real Answer to Why God Allows Suffering
  281. What’s a Sign from God (and What Isn’t)
  282. Is It Ever Okay to Give Up?
More Videos
  1. I Will Follow (vocation video)
  2. OLG Shoutout
  3. Phil 4:13 Inspiration
  4. They’re Playing My Song
  5. Disney World
  6. Eucharist
  7. Word Became Flesh
  8. Chinese Punk Rock
  9. Transformation – Loon
  10. Theology of the Body 1
  11. Theology of the Body 2
  12. How to Discern
  13. Homily at Steubenville
  14. Be Not Afraid
  15. Theology of the Body talk
  16. Chosen – Confirmation Video by Ascension Press
  17. Saturday Homily, Steubenville 2013
  18. I Love You, Too
  19. The Truth
  20. Steubenville northwest, 2013 – Saturday adoration homily
  21. Steubenville northwest, 2013 – Saturday homily
  22. Steubenville St. Louis, 2014 – Saturday workshop
  23. Steubenville St. Louis, 2014 – Saturday homily
  24. Steubenville main campus, 2014 – Saturday night general session
  25. SEEK 2015 – The Hour that Will Change Your Life
  26. Talk at McHenry County Catholic Prayer Breakfast
  27. What’s Your Why?
  28. Finishing Strong
  29. Altaration – 3 Things to Know About the Sign of the Cross
  30. Altaration – You’re Worth Dying For
  31. Altaration – I Will Follow
  32. Fr. Mike with Fr. Josh Johnson at The World Meeting of Families
  33. Building a Legacy 2016 – Talk #1
  34. Building a Legacy 2016 – Talk #2
  35. Steubenville St. Louis, 2016 – Love, Same-Sex Attraction, and Tolerance
  36. Steubenville on the Lake, 2016 – Love and Same-Sex Attraction
  37. FOCUS – Lent + Q&A
  38. Belonging – Baptism in the Family of God trailer
  39. Belonging – Liar, Lunatic, or Lord?
  40. Belonging – What’s in a Name?
  41. SEEK 2017 – More than Words
  42. Surprised by Truth
  43. Nurturing Vocations in the Family
  44. Elevate Social Media
  45. The Marks of a True Christian Man
  46. God’s Plan Revealed
  47. The Cross Revealed
  48. Why Can’t We Be Friends?
  49. Pray the Mass Like Never Before
  50. Anti-Fragile Faith
  51. 20 Questions with Fr. Mike
  52. Made for Happiness
  53. Talk at Lifeline
  54. The Urgency of the Gospel

Articles

Father Mike is a frequent columnist for a number of diocesan newspapers, usually writing in response to questions sent his way. Check out the following articles on all kinds of interesting and important topics.

  1. “God Made Me This Way”
  2. “I Believe…”
  3. “Love your enemies and pray for those who hate you…”
  4. “O.M.G.”
  5. “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”
  6. Advice for When the Unexpected Happens
  7. American Catholic
  8. Angry with God? Tell Him How You Feel
  9. Annulment Criteria
  10. Before You Go to “Communion” at Another Church…
  11. Being “Spiritual but Not Religious” Carries Consequences
  12. Can a Christian Fight in War?
  13. Can We Get Married Outside?
  14. Centering Prayer
  15. Choosing God, Not Blaming Him
  16. Conservative Catholic?
  17. Contraception Turns Acts of Love into Lies
  18. Cremation
  19. Defining Homosexuality
  20. Despair Errs Because of One Thought – Life is Worth Living
  21. Discerning Your Vocation
  22. Distractions in Prayer
  23. Do I Have Faith?
  24. Do I Have to Raise My Kids in the Catholic Faith?
  25. Do Not Judge?
  26. Do We Need Confession?
  27. Don’t Fear that Your Prayers Don’t Make a Difference
  28. Don’t Worry, Be Happy?
  29. Examining the Role of Conscience in Making Moral Decisions
  30. Forgiveness Might Not Erase Pain, but It Sets You Free
  31. Formula Prayers Give Us Words When We Need Them
  32. God a He?
  33. God’s Will Includes Complex Process of Making Choices
  34. Going Deeper in Prayer
  35. Guilt and Shame Can Lead to Changing for the Good
  36. Horoscopes and Fortune Cookies – All in Good Fun?
  37. How is Natural Family Planning Different from Contraception?
  38. How to Make the Most of the Christmas Season
  39. In Confession, Priest Sees Mercy, Love, and Humility
  40. Indulgences? Yep. Remedies to Bring Us Back to God
  41. Is Christmas a Pagan Holiday?
  42. Is Heaven Really Heaven if Even One Person is Not There?
  43. It’s Time to Get Serious about Halting the Porn Epidemic
  44. Keeping Holy the Sabbath Day
  45. Marriage and Annulments – Continuing the Discussion
  46. Married without Children
  47. Mean God?
  48. Mind Wandering at Mass? Try Being More Active
  49. Must I “Fess Up” to a Person I’ve Wronged?
  50. Old Testament Laws
  51. Opposing Same-Sex Marriage Does Not Make One a Bigot
  52. Pro-Choice Catholic?
  53. Q&A – Penance Isn’t to Punish, but to Heal and Strengthen
  54. Receiving the Eucharist
  55. Remorse vs. Repentance
  56. Same-Sex Marriage Laws Force the Church to “Fuss”
  57. Satan
  58. Seeking Answers
  59. Sin Isn’t a Necessary Evil; Aim to Know Goodness Well
  60. Struggling to Believe is Not the Same Thing as Doubting
  61. Tattoos and Christians
  62. The “One, True Church”?
  63. The Church and Suicide
  64. The Need for Purgatory
  65. The Precepts of the Church
  66. The Shack
  67. There’s Much to Consider before Offering an Opinion
  68. Tips to Help You Go to Confession
  69. To Break Bad Habits, We Need God’s Grace, People’s Support
  70. What Did Jesus Look Like, and Does it Matter?
  71. What if God Revealed Himself Completely to Us?
  72. What to Do When Prayer Feels More Like Work
  73. What’s the Problem with Contraception?
  74. What’s Wrong with Playing Violent Video Games?
  75. Where to Draw the Line in the Media
  76. Who Does it Hurt?
  77. Who is in Heaven? Answer is – “We Just Don’t Know”
  78. Why Do Catholics Venerate the Body of Dead Saints?
  79. Why Does God Allow People to Commit Evil Acts?
  80. Why Don’t Catholics Eat Meat During Lent?
  81. Why Don’t Same-Sex Couples Have a Right to Marry?
  82. Will There Be Animals in Heaven?
  83. You Can Bring Someone Back to the Faith – But First…

Pictures