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

Episode: Day 36: The Nature of the Trinity (2026)
Date: February 5, 2026
Host: Fr. Mike Schmitz, Ascension

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the core mystery at the heart of Christianity: the nature of the Holy Trinity. Fr. Mike Schmitz guides listeners through paragraphs 253-256 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, focusing on the essential dogma that God is both one and triune—one divine being in three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The episode provides clarity on longstanding theological distinctions, highlights the limitations of human analogies for divine mysteries, and draws on the wisdom of Church councils and saints to underline the unity and relational nature of the Trinity.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Introduction to Today’s Topic

• Fr. Mike reminds listeners that today's reading is dense but foundational, covering profound theological territory (00:50).
• Three core points are introduced, aligning with the Catechism paragraphs explored:
  1. The Trinity is one.
  2. The Divine Persons are really distinct from one another.
  3. The Divine Persons are relative to one another (02:40).

2. First Point: The Trinity Is One

• "We do not confess three gods, but one God in three persons. The consubstantial Trinity." (Catechism, 253)
• The divine Persons do not share divinity among themselves—each is wholly and entirely God.
• Quotations from the 11th Council of Toledo and Fourth Lateran Council underscore the unity without blending or separating the Persons (05:15).

Fr. Mike’s Reflection:

"We have to establish this and never ever forget that when we start talking about Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we are not talking about three Gods. This is absolutely... that's completely against what God has revealed." (11:22)

3. Second Point: The Divine Persons Are Really Distinct

• Each Person—Father, Son, Holy Spirit—is not merely a name for a different mode or mask of God (modalism heresy), but is truly distinct.
• The Trinity is not three roles played by the same entity at different times.
• The Father is not the Son nor is the Holy Spirit either of them.
  • “He is not the Father who is the Son, nor is the Son he who is the Father, nor is the Holy Spirit he who is the Father or the Son.” (05:57; 254)
• Their distinctions lie in their relations of origin: the Father generates, the Son is begotten, and the Spirit proceeds.
• Emphasis: These distinctions are not hierarchical or temporal: all three have existed eternally.

Fr. Mike clarifies:

"It's not in order of importance, and it's not in order of time, because this is from all eternity. From all eternity, God has existed: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Eternally generating, eternally begotten, eternally proceeding." (15:29)

4. Third Point: The Divine Persons Are Relative to One Another

• The real distinction between the persons exists only in their relationships to one another.
• The Father is Father by virtue of relationship to the Son, and vice versa—the Spirit proceeds from both (“entirely in the...”, 255).
• The Catechism (quoting the Council of Florence) uses "wholly" (W-H-O-L-L-Y):
  • "The Father is wholly in the Son and wholly in the Holy Spirit. The Son is wholly in the Father and wholly in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is wholly in the Father and wholly in the Son." (08:47)

Clarification from Fr. Mike:

"What we're saying is... The Father is entirely in the Son and in the Holy Spirit. The Son is entirely in the Father and in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is entirely in the Father and entirely in the Son. This is an incredible, incredible mystery." (17:54)

5. St. Gregory of Nazianzus: A Profound Meditative Summary

• The episode concludes with a stirring quote from St. Gregory of Nazianzus, which serves as a profession of faith and an articulation of the paradoxical splendor of the Trinity (paragraph 256; 09:47).
  • “I give you but one divinity and power, existing one in three and containing the three in a distinct way. Divinity without disparity of substance or nature, without superior degree that raises up or inferior degree that casts down, the infinite connaturality of three infinites. Each person considered in himself is entirely God, the three considered together. I have not even begun to think of unity when the Trinity bathes me in its splendor. I have not even begun to think of the Trinity when unity grasps me.”
• Fr. Mike emphasizes how this quote showcases the incomprehensible beauty and depth of the Triune God.

Fr. Mike reflects:

"We cannot comprehend, we cannot apprehend, we cannot grasp onto the Trinity, but the Trinity, God does grasp us." (20:27)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the limitation of analogy:

  "Sometimes the analogies that we use to try to explain the Trinity, they fall very, very short...we have to recognize that the divine persons are really distinct from one another." (04:07)

• On the equality of the persons:

  "The Father is not more God than the Son or the Holy Spirit, even though the Father is the one who generates and the Son is the one who is begotten, and the Holy Spirit is the one who proceeds." (16:50)

• On the eternal relations:

  "It wasn't at one point the Father existed and then he generated the Son, and then the Holy Spirit proceeded after that...From all eternity, God has always been and will always be Father, Son and Holy Spirit." (15:43)

• On the mystery experienced:

  "I have not even begun to think of unity when the Trinity bathes me in its splendor. I have not even begun to think of the Trinity when unity grasps me." (St. Gregory, 09:55; echoed by Fr. Mike at 20:27)

Important Timestamps

• 00:50 – Introduction to today's catechism section and high-level theme
• 02:40 – Outline of the three main points
• 05:15 – Reading from Catechism 253: The unity of the Trinity
• 05:57 – Reading and discussion: Distinction of Divine Persons (254)
• 08:47 – Catechism 255: The persons are relative to one another; explanation of "wholly"
• 09:47 – St. Gregory of Nazianzus’ summary (256)
• 11:22 – Fr. Mike’s warning against heresies of modalism and tritheism
• 15:29 – Emphasis on the eternal nature of the Trinity’s personal relations
• 17:54 – Clarification and paraphrase of the "wholly in" relationships
• 20:27 – Personal reflection on the mystery: God grasps us, though we cannot grasp God

Takeaways

• The Trinity is not a puzzle to be solved, but a mystery to be entered into: The episode encourages humility before the divine mystery and underscores that God’s inner life is both unity and relational distinction.
• The faith handed down is precise: The Church carefully defines these terms (substance, person, relation) to safeguard authentic faith and worship.
• Invitation to worship and wonder: The episode ends with a prayer and an invitation for listeners to continue to seek understanding while trusting in God’s self-revelation.

This episode is a rich primer for anyone seeking to understand the Church’s teaching on the Trinity, combining authoritative Church teaching, historical context, and accessible explanation. Fr. Mike’s style is earnest, clear, and pastoral, acknowledging the mind-bending depths of the topic while grounding listeners in the essentials of Christian faith.