Fr. Mike Schmitz

Michael Thomas Schmitz is an American Roman Catholic priest born in 1974. He is from Duluth, Minnesota, and is of German and Irish descent. Ordained for the Diocese of Duluth, he has spent his priestly ministry primarily in the upper Midwest of the United States. His background reflects a deep engagement with Catholic faith from early life, which would later inform his extensive work in evangelization and pastoral outreach. Schmitz has become one of the more recognizable figures in contemporary American Catholic media, drawing audiences across generational lines while maintaining a particular focus on young people and college students.

Fr. Schmitz serves the Diocese of Duluth in the capacity of director of youth and young adult ministry, a role that places him at the center of efforts to engage younger Catholics within the diocese. Alongside this diocesan responsibility, he functions as the chaplain of the Newman Center at the University of Minnesota Duluth, a position that situates him within the Catholic campus ministry tradition of accompanying university students in their intellectual and spiritual formation. Campus ministry of this kind addresses the particular challenges faced by young adults navigating questions of faith during their university years, and Fr. Schmitz's role there reflects a sustained institutional commitment to that work. His pastoral approach is characterized by accessibility and directness, qualities that have allowed him to reach audiences who might otherwise find formal religious engagement difficult to sustain.

Fr. Schmitz has become widely recognized for his substantial presence across Catholic digital and media platforms. He is notably associated with The Bible in a Year podcast, produced by Ascension Press, which invites listeners to engage with the full text of the Bible over the course of a single calendar year through daily structured readings and commentary. This project has attracted significant attention within Catholic circles and represents one of the more prominent efforts in recent years to encourage Scripture engagement among ordinary Catholics through the medium of audio content. Beyond podcasting, Fr. Schmitz has developed a visible presence on YouTube, where he addresses topics in Catholic teaching, moral theology, and practical spirituality in a format accessible to general audiences. He is also active as a speaker and author, contributing to the broader landscape of Catholic popular theology and religious writing. His work spans youth outreach, speaking engagements, and what might broadly be described as a digital apostolate — an effort to bring Catholic thought and practice into contemporary media environments. Ascension Press serves as a primary publishing and production partner in several of these endeavors.

Within Catholic circles, Fr. Schmitz has been recognized for the accessibility of his communication style and his effectiveness in engaging modern audiences, particularly young adults and college students. His media output has contributed to broader conversations about how Catholic evangelization can operate within digital culture. The Bible in a Year podcast, in particular, has been noted as a significant project in encouraging Catholics to engage more deeply with Sacred Scripture. Fr. Schmitz's influence is situated within the larger contemporary movement of Catholic digital media, which has seen priests, theologians, and lay practitioners develop substantial audiences through podcasts, video platforms, and social media. His work is frequently cited as an example of how pastoral ministry can extend beyond physical parish boundaries into online spaces where many younger Catholics spend considerable portions of their lives. His sustained focus on youth and young adult ministry, both institutionally through the Diocese of Duluth and through his broader media presence, reflects a consistent pastoral priority that has shaped his public identity as a contributor to contemporary Catholic thought and practice.