The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast My Message For All Catholics (w/ Fr. Mike Schmitz)
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Apr 9, 2026 An Easter reflection on why people are coming into the Church and the paths that lead them there. A discussion of the Church’s simultaneous brokenness and beauty and how to hold both together. Thoughts on Tolkien’s view of the Eucharist and why receiving Communion matters even amid imperfection. A brief look at a new program to welcome and guide seekers into the faith.
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Three Ways People Come Into The Church
- The Catholic Church attracts people through intellect, love, and beauty simultaneously.
- Fr. Mike emphasizes these three routes (reading, being loved, being drawn by beauty) and that each is a valid path into the Church.
Embrace Both The Beauty And The Brokenness
- The real, ordinary Church includes both grandeur and brokenness, and both are instruments God uses.
- Fr. Mike warns newcomers that parish life often has rough edges—different cultures, imperfect clergy, and ordinary liturgies.
Tolkien's Faith Shaped By Family Suffering
- J.R.R. Tolkien exemplifies loving the ordinary Eucharist amid hardship, influenced by his mother's conversion and suffering.
- Fr. Mike recounts Tolkien's background to show how love of the sacrament grew from brokenness and poverty.
