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

Episode: Day 27: The Gift of the Creed (2026)
Date: January 27, 2026
Focus: Paragraphs 193-197 – The Role and Importance of the Creeds in Catholic Faith

Episode Overview

Fr. Mike Schmitz explores the significance of the Christian creeds—especially the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed—as foundational summaries of faith that unite all Christians and provide boundaries for belief. The episode focuses on paragraphs 193–197 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, considering how these creeds function as “spiritual seals,” treasures, and guardians for believers. Fr. Mike clarifies why the Catechism follows the Apostles’ Creed as a primary framework and highlights the value of periodic reference to the Nicene Creed.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Purpose and Enduring Relevance of the Creeds

[03:09]

• No creed developed in the Church’s history becomes obsolete; all exist to help deepen the faith of every generation.
• Creeds arose from historical needs to clarify and unify belief about God and His works.

Quote:

“None of the creeds from the different stages in the Church's life can be considered superseded or irrelevant. They help us today to attain and deepen the faith of all times.” – Catechism reading [03:09]

2. The Apostles’ Creed vs. the Nicene Creed

[04:36]

• Apostles’ Creed:
  • Considered the oldest creed and a faithful summary of the Apostles’ faith.
  • Its authority ties to its ancient use as a baptismal symbol in Rome, the see of Peter.
• Nicene Creed:
  • Derived from the first two Ecumenical Councils (325 and 381 AD).
  • Embraced by both Eastern and Western Churches and is more explicit on certain doctrinal points.
• The Catechism will use the Apostles’ Creed as its structural guide, supplementing with insights from the Nicene Creed.

Quote:

“Among all the creeds, two occupy a special place in the Church’s life. The Apostles’ Creed… considered to be a faithful summary of the Apostles’ faith… The Nicene Creed draws its great authority from the fact that it stems from the first two ecumenical councils…” – Fr. Mike (quoting the Catechism) [04:45]

Fr. Mike’s Reflection:

“That’s how we’re going to base our walking through this ‘what we believe’ part. Because this is so critical. This is not an invention of the last century… it comes out of the source, which is God’s fullness of revealing himself in Jesus Christ through the power of his Holy Spirit to his Church.” [02:10]

3. The Creed as the Heart’s Meditation and a Spiritual Guardian

[08:02]

• The Creed is not just a historical document; it’s a living treasure that guards the truth, shapes the community, and leads believers deeper into relationship with God.
• Quoting St. Ambrose, Fr. Mike emphasizes the Creed as “the treasure of our soul, our heart’s meditation, and an ever-present guardian.”

Quote:

“This creed is the spiritual seal, our heart’s meditation and an ever present guardian. It is unquestionably the treasure of our soul.” – St. Ambrose (via Catechism and Fr. Mike) [08:20]

• The Creed creates a frame or boundary (like the frame on a painting), helping Christians articulate not just belief in God, but belief about who God is.

Memorable Analogy:

“Part of what makes it a painting is the fact that it has a frame… that border, that boundary, that frame is what gives it some definition.” – Fr. Mike [09:45]

4. Defining Belief: Accuracy Over Exclusivity

[10:03]

• To be Christian is more than just believing in Jesus; it’s believing specific things about Jesus and God.
• The Creed is not intended to “put people on the outside,” but rather to accurately define what the Church means by faith in God.

Quote:

“It's not meant to be exclusive but accurate… to have boundaries, we need it.” – Fr. Mike [10:15]

5. The Deepening Journey of Faith

[13:10]

• Understanding and professing the Creed shapes not just belief but daily Christian living and prayer.
• The creeds allow for continual rediscovery and deepening understanding of God throughout a Christian’s life.

Quote:

“These are facts and details about God that lead us to God—the treasure of our soul, our heart’s meditation and an ever-present guardian.” – Fr. Mike [12:35]

• The Creed as a safeguard: Prevents both saying what is not true about God and denying what is true.

6. Preparing for the Next Stage

[15:02]

• The next episode will begin unpacking the articles of faith, following the Apostles’ Creed step by step (“I believe in God the Father…”).
• Fr. Mike encourages perseverance and community as listeners journey together through the Catechism.

Quote:

“There’s so much we need to understand about God, and so because of that, it’s a big challenge… we need prayer, obviously… we need each other.” – Fr. Mike [15:10]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Creed’s relevance:

  “To say credo with faith is to enter into communion with God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and also with the whole Church which transmits the faith to us and in whose midst we believe.” – Catechism (read by Fr. Mike) [07:42]

• On defining boundaries:

  “If I’m going to paint it, I can’t paint everything. I have to choose to paint this thing, right? … that frame is what gives it some definition.” – Fr. Mike [09:45]

• On history and unity:

  “This goes back. This is not an invention of the last century. It is not an invention of the last 500 years. It is not an invention of the Middle Ages. It comes out of the source, which is God’s fullness of revealing himself in Jesus Christ.” – Fr. Mike [02:35]

• On the journey:

  “If you made it to day 27, I’m really, really proud of you. It’s kind of slow going at first, but we’re picking up pace, diving more deeply into what it is we mean when we say ‘I believe.’” – Fr. Mike [16:00]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:00]–[02:25] – Introduction, context for the day’s reading, and recap of previous episode
• [02:26]–[04:47] – Overview of creeds, why focus on Apostles’ Creed
• [04:47]–[08:00] – Catechism reading: Paragraphs 193–197
• [08:01]–[10:30] – Creed as spiritual seal and guardian; using analogies to explain boundaries
• [10:31]–[13:10] – Differences between believing in God and believing details about God
• [13:11]–[15:02] – The Creed as a safeguard; preparing for the next chapter
• [15:03]–[End] – Closing encouragement and preview of next episode

Conclusion

This episode highlights why the creeds are much more than ancient rituals or rote prayers: they encapsulate the essentials of the Christian faith, define beliefs about God, and unite all Catholics in the truth passed down from the apostles. Fr. Mike’s engaging explanations and analogies help listeners grasp the value of the Creed as both a spiritual treasure and a vital guide for faith and daily living. As the series prepares to dive into the articles of the Creed, listeners are encouraged to pray, persevere, and journey together within the boundaries God has lovingly revealed through His Church.