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YOU MIGHT NOT have heard of him, but he’s a pretty big deal in the online Catholic world.
Father Mike Schmitz is mostly recognised for his podcast ‘The Bible in a Year’ – 365 episodes, lasting around 20 minutes, covering the entire Catholic Bible.
It launched in 2021 and surpassed one billion downloads in March.
Fr Mike, as he is known, also publishes videos on the ‘Ascension Presents’ YouTube channel, which has over 1.3 million subscribers.
The New York Times recently described him as a “gateway” into religion for many people.
His ‘Parables’ tour arrives in Ireland today. Tonight’s event is sold as an “evening of reflection, storytelling and spiritual insight” and his appearance at the National Stadium in Dublin is the only stop outside the US.
Speaking to The Journal, Schmitz said he has received numerous invites to visit Ireland from dioceses over the years but that the timing was never right.
However, while in Europe on a pilgrimage his team suggested it would be a good idea to make a stopover in Ireland and to bring his Parables tour here.
The Parables Tour with Fr. Mike Schmitz is coming to Ireland in less than a month! 🇮🇪
— Ascension (@AscensionPress) July 8, 2026
For those who can’t make it to the show, you are still invited to Mass with Fr. Mike and Bishop Fintan Gavin beforehand.
📍St. Kevin's Catholic Church on Harrington Street in Dublin Ireland
🕔… pic.twitter.com/AkxapzN43X
“Like most Americans, I’m a quarter Irish,” Schmitz says with a laugh.
“I claim that regularly, just like every other American who thinks they’re special because they have some ancestors who are from Ireland.”
Asked about the secularisation of Ireland and dwindling attendances in churches, Schmitz said he nevertheless “hopes there’s an audience” for his tour.
Among those who will be attending are 50 young adults who are travelling all the way from Co Cork.
The capacity of the National Stadium is 2,000 and tickets for the MCD promotion, priced between €44.20 and €54.85, have sold well.
“I hope the night is not only attended, but I hope it makes a difference in the lives of every person who’s there.”
He added that there is “always a reason to hope” for a revival in faith.
“I know that Ireland has been through so much,” said Schmitz, pointing to the many abuse scandals which have involved the Catholic Church.
“Of course, I only know stories, I haven’t lived through it, but I know a little bit.
“In America we’ve had scandal and abuse cases, but I just can’t imagine some of the stories I’ve heard from Ireland.
“But there is hope because I just think of the ancestors of all the people, who right now may not be practicing the faith, or might be so heartbroken and jaded, cynical or sceptical of the gospel, or of the church or church leaders, it makes sense.
“I really do hope that the people of Ireland can have their hearts healed.”
The New York Times has described Schmitz as a “gateway” into Christianity and he says he is “so overwhelmingly grateful for that, if that’s the case”.
He said he has encountered “many people who have been teachers of mine” that were “gateways” and “people who helped me take that next step”.
He pointed to people whose work he has read, such as C.S. Lewis, as well as his parents.
“If I can be that for other people, that is a great gift.”
When asked if this “gift” can also be a burden that weighs on him, he replied: “I recognise the seriousness of that, in wanting to honour that role that God has given me.
“People have told me that I’ve helped them, and I want to honour that.
“When I hear this from the New York Times, I’m like, ‘oh my goodness, Lord, all I want is to just help’.
“I want to help, but I don’t want to ever be an obstacle for anyone coming to know Jesus or coming to know the Church, and so that part weighs heavily on me.”
And while some describe Schmitz as conservative, he previously told The New York Times: “One of my impulses is not to say, ‘Well, here’s what the church teaches and here’s what this means’.”
In that same interview, Schmitz was asked about his gay brother and remarked: “I’ve become more convinced that he gets to tell his story as opposed to me telling his story for him.
“We trust each other, and we’ve been able to have good heart-to-heart conversations — even if at the end of the conversation we’re not on the same page.”
Meanwhile, Schmitz said there is “something really powerful happening” across all demographics of society.
“I have heard from so many people my age – I’m 51 – and people much older, who have rediscovered, or discovered for the first time, the Bible.”
For many people, his ‘Bible in a Year’ podcast is the first time they have read the Bible in its entirety.
He added that even people who have gone to Mass for most of their life can “realise they had only got a partial glimpse” of God “without the entirety of the Bible”.
“Sometimes when they encounter that, they turn away,” said Schmitz.
“They hear the entire Bible, and think, ‘wow, this is not the kids’ version I had been living with as an adult’.
“But sometimes they hear the whole story and realise, ‘this is not just the kids’ version, this is so much more, this is the God who really, truly enters into the brokenness of human history and doesn’t leave me alone, but chooses to love’.”
But while Schmitz is riding the crest of an online wave, he said the “new era of evangelism can’t be just online”.
“Having social media and the ability to hear from people around the world is a great gift,” said Schmitz.
“On the other hand, we recognise that the more connected we are virtually, the less connected we are personally.
“The gospel is going to be advanced not from a stage – and that’s what I’m doing in so many ways – it will be advanced by family and friendship.
“What we do online is hopefully a helpful resource, but ultimately it’s going to be about relationship, because it’s relationship with other people and with the church that brings us into relationship with God himself.”
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