Podcast launching January 1, 2023; new print edition of the Catechism of the Catholic Church available this fall.
The team behind the most popular Catholic podcast of all time, The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)™, has announced the 2023 launch of The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) podcast and a brand new print edition of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Beginning on January 1, 2023, over the course of 365 daily podcast episodes, Fr. Mike Schmitz will read the entire Catechism of the Catholic Church, taking listeners through the four parts of the Catechism and providing explanation, insight, and encouragement along the way.
Available this fall, Ascension will offer a brand new print edition of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. This edition will include the full text of the Catechism with a completely new guide that will help make the Catechism easy to learn and a joy to remember.
“What we did with the Bible, we’re going to do with the Catechism,” explains Fr. Mike. “For 365 days we are going to take a little section of the Catechism every single day. We’re going to read it, explain it, and expand upon it so that by the end of this year we’ll be able to say, ‘I know what the Church believes, I know what God’s plan is for my life, I know how to talk to God, I know how to listen to His voice, and I know how to worship Him.’ It’s going to be incredible.”
“Ever since the Bible in a Year podcast launched, our customers have been calling for us to create a Catechism in a Year podcast,” comments Ascension President and CEO Jonathan Strate. “We are excited for Fr. Mike Schmitz to present this offering to our audience, especially as the Catechism of the Catholic Church marks the 30th anniversary of its publication this October.”
The Catechism in a Year podcast will be available for free on all major podcast platforms as well as the Hallow app, making it a powerful catechetical tool for Catholic schools, parishes, and universities, including those with limited budgets.
Key Links
- Podcast URL: www.AscensionPress.com/CIY
- Fr. Mike’s Announcement Video: Ascension Presents YouTube Channel
- CIY Press Kit: Ascension Newsroom
- CIY Fact Sheet: Ascension Newsroom
About The Catechism of the Catholic Church
With over 8 million copies in print across the world and published in over 20 languages, the Catechism of the Catholic Church is a complete summary of what Catholics throughout the world believe and how they worship, live, and pray. Promulgated by then-Pope John Paul II in 1992, it is the first new universal catechism in more than 400 years, and remains the worldwide standard for teaching the Catholic Faith today.
About The Bible in a Year Podcast – 6.8B Total Minutes Listened
The Bible in a Year podcast is the most successful Catholic podcast of all time. After its January 1, 2021 launch, The Bible in a Year became the #1 podcast on the Apple Podcast charts in all categories for 17 days, achieved the same feat for 7 days in January 2022, and remains the #1 podcast on Apple’s Religion & Spirituality chart today.
The Bible in a Year has seen 63% growth in average daily episode plays since 2021.
- 6.8 Billion total listening minutes (Source: Fireside)
- 300 Million all-time downloads (Source: Fireside)
- 750,000 daily episode “plays” in 2022 (Source: Ascension; Data 1/1/22 – 6/1/22; combines data from podcast platforms, YouTube, Hallow app)
- Assuming 1 “play” per person, equivalent to 7x the stadium capacity of the University of Michigan, the largest stadium in the United States
About Fr. Mike Schmitz
Fr. Mike Schmitz is the best-known Catholic podcaster in the world. He was the host of the 2021 breakout podcast The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)™, and will be the central figure of the all-new 2023 daily podcast The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz), which will guide listeners through the entire Catechism of the Catholic Church, providing explanation, insight, and encouragement along the way.
In addition to his many video and podcast programs produced by Ascension, Fr. Mike is the director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Duluth as well as the chaplain for the Newman Center at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Fr. Mike attended St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, and was ordained for the Diocese of Duluth in 2003.
See Fr. Mike’s full bio in the Ascension Newsroom.
About Ascension
Ascension is a multimedia network and the leader in Catholic faith formation. Over the past 24 years, Ascension has helped to nurture the faith of over 10 million Catholics through award-winning books, the chart-topping The Bible in a Year podcast, more than 50 unique faith formation programs, and Ascension Presents, which hosts the largest Catholic YouTube channel in English.
The Catechism in a Year Press Conference – November 2022
Interviews are not currently available for the Catechism in a Year project. Instead, Ascension is hosting a virtual press conference featuring Fr. Mike Schmitz in November 2022. For details, please email Leslie Rowe: Leslie@PrevishMarketing.com.
Fr. Mike’s announcement video and audio ads for radio are available for media use in the Catechism in a Year press kit.