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

Episode: Day 231: Our Calling (2025)

Date: August 19, 2025

Episode Overview

In Day 231 of The Catechism in a Year, Fr. Mike Schmitz begins the third pillar of the Catechism—how Christians are called to live ("Life in Christ"). This episode centers on the Christian's high calling and dignity as children of God, introducing the foundations of Catholic morality as rooted in identity, grace, and the life of the Spirit. Fr. Mike draws from Catechism paragraphs 1691–1698 and highlights the dependence of Christian living on Christ, the Holy Spirit, grace, the Beatitudes, sin and forgiveness, virtue, and charity, setting the stage for upcoming discussions on human dignity and life in the Spirit.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Transition to the “How We Live” Pillar (00:58–02:22)

• Fr. Mike notes the transition from what Catholics believe and how they worship, to how Catholics are called to live.
  • "Yesterday ... we are starting to listen, actually, to what the Catechism says about how we live. What is our calling?" (01:28)
• Emphasizes that Jesus Christ is always the reference point—“the first and last point of reference of this catechesis in morality.” (01:57)

2. The High Call of the Christian (02:23–03:21)

• Christians, having heard the Gospel and been brought into communion with the Trinity through the sacraments, are called to “live a life worthy of the gospel of Christ.” (02:29)
• This call surpasses information transfer and aims for transformation.
  • "This is about vastly more than information transfer. This is about transformation." (14:56)

3. Christian Dignity and Identity (04:18, 16:15)

• Quotes St. Leo the Great: “Christian, recognize your dignity ... do not return to your former base condition by sinning. Remember who is your head and of whose body you are a member.” (04:23)
• Baptism makes us partakers in the divine nature—transforming our identity and establishing our calling.

4. Empowered by Grace and the Holy Spirit (05:05–05:48, 18:07)

• Christians are empowered to fulfill their calling through:
  • The grace of Christ
  • The gifts of the Holy Spirit
  • The transforming power of the sacraments and prayer
  • "We’re made capable of doing so by the grace of Jesus Christ and by the gift of His Holy Spirit." (18:14)

5. The Way of Christ Versus the Way of Destruction (06:10–07:41, 20:25)

• Discusses the biblical “two ways”: the way of life and the way of death
  • The way of Christ leads to life; the contrary leads to destruction (alluding to Matthew 7, Deuteronomy 30, the Didache).

6. The Levels of Catechesis (07:43–10:46, 22:06)

Fr. Mike systematically unpacks Catechism paragraph 1697:

• Catechesis of the Holy Spirit:
  • The Holy Spirit as guide and inspirer—“the interior master of life.”
  • Memorable Moment: References Dr. Mary Healy’s “baptism in the Holy Spirit” as a lived example of this reality (09:14).
• Catechesis of Grace:
  • Emphasizes that salvation and fruitful action are impossible apart from grace.
  • "It’s by grace that our works can bear fruit for eternal life." (10:22)
  • Affirmation that Catholics firmly teach, “We are saved by grace.”
• Catechesis of the Beatitudes:
  • The Beatitudes as the summary and goal of Christian morality.
• Catechesis of Sin and Forgiveness:
  • Sin must be acknowledged for mercy to be received.
  • "The humble person will be willing to tell the truth about themselves...The proud person is constantly on the defense." (11:54)
  • Highlights the “dual miracle” of confession: conviction of sin and conviction of God’s mercy (13:26).
• Catechesis of Human Virtues and Christian Virtues:
  • Human (cardinal) virtues—justice, prudence, temperance, fortitude
  • Christian (theological) virtues—faith, hope, and charity
• Catechesis of the Twofold Commandment of Charity:
  • Love of God and neighbor underpin all morality.
• Ecclesial Catechesis:
  • Growth occurs through the “manifold exchange of spiritual goods in the communion of saints”—the Church as essential for living this calling.

7. Moral Struggles: Faith vs. Living (16:00–16:55, 17:33)

• Many struggle not to believe in the mysteries (Trinity, Eucharist), but to live out the Church’s moral teachings.
  • "Morality is not challenging because, like, how could a person possibly believe that? It's challenging because we say, how could a person possibly live that way?" (17:50)
• Urges the need for ongoing prayer for strength.

8. Encouragement to Say Yes and Trust God (24:09)

• Fr. Mike closes by encouraging listeners to trust God’s grace, respond wholeheartedly, and recall that to live as a Christian is to have Christ live within us.
  • "Whatever God asks of me, I'll say yes. Whatever God asks of me, I say yes. Why? Because, like St. Paul, for me to live is Christ." (24:44)
• Final exhortation: "Do not be afraid."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Dignity:
  • “Christian, recognize your dignity…” (quoting St. Leo the Great; 04:23)
  • "Never forget that you have been rescued from the power of darkness and brought into the light of the kingdom of God." (04:34)
• On Grace:
  • “We’re made capable of doing so by the grace of Jesus Christ and by the gift of His Holy Spirit."* (18:14)
• On Sin and Mercy:
  • “The humble person will be willing to tell the truth about themselves. The proud person... unwilling to look at their strengths and definitely unwilling to look at their flaws.” (11:53)
  • "Every time a person goes to confession, the first miracle is that they'd be convicted by their sins... The other dual conviction, the conviction of God's mercy that God loves them. And like, oh, I have hope. We need these two." (13:26)
• On Living the Faith:
  • "Morality is not challenging because, like, how could a person possibly believe that? It's challenging because we say, how could a person possibly live that way?" (17:50)
• On Confidence and Trust:
  • “Do not be afraid. ... Whatever God asks of me, I’ll say yes.” (24:39)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 00:05–01:27: Introduction & recap of Dr. Mary Healy's episode
• 01:28–02:22: Transition to “how we live” in the Catechism
• 02:23–03:21: Overview of Christian calling and identity
• 04:18–04:52: St. Leo the Great on Christian dignity
• 05:05–05:48: Sacraments, divine nature, and living a new life
• 06:10–07:41: Two ways: life in Christ vs. destruction
• 07:43–10:46: Breakdown of key forms of catechesis (Holy Spirit, grace, Beatitudes, etc.)
• 11:44–14:14: The reality of sin, humility, and mercy
• 16:00–17:55: Common struggles with morality and Christian living
• 18:07–21:54: The divine assistance: grace and spiritual strength
• 24:09–end: Encouragement, practical application, and closing inspiration

Conclusion & Takeaway

Fr. Mike Schmitz opens the central pillar on Christian morality by affirming the high dignity of every baptized person and the necessity of living out that dignity through grace and relationship with the Holy Spirit. He encourages listeners not to be discouraged by the challenges of the Christian life, but to rely on God’s grace, seek the Holy Spirit, and always remember: “Do not be afraid.” The episode sets the groundwork for further discussion on human dignity, virtue, and the practical ways Christians are called to live out their faith.

For the next episode: Fr. Mike will explore the dignity of the human person—“the very basis for Catholic morality.”