Accepting Who God Made You to Be (Fr. Mike Schmitz) | Ep. 549

54 snips

Nov 5, 2025

Fr. Mike Schmitz, a well-known Catholic priest and campus minister, shares insights on spiritual growth and acceptance of oneself. He discusses the generational differences between Gen Z and Millennials, emphasizing the rising interest in Catholicism among young adults. Topics like fatherhood, the challenges of ministry, and the importance of detachment are explored. Fr. Mike reflects on his own journey, from skepticism to embracing Church teachings, while offering practical advice for modern dating and building a sustainable prayer life.

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ANECDOTE

Back Surgery Changed His Perspective

Fr. Mike described severe back pain from a broken disc that required surgery and relieved him instantly after the operation.
He reflected on gratitude for modern medicine and how fragile the body is, shaping his approach to longevity in training.

INSIGHT

Gen Z Asks If God Is Good

Fr. Mike observed Gen Z wrestles less with 'Does God exist?' and more with 'Is God good?'.
He links rising anxiety to a sense that institutions and promises are impermanent and failing.

ADVICE

Reframe Anxiety As Anticipation

When anxiety spikes, recognize it's the anticipation of pain exceeding your perceived ability to handle it.
Address uncertainty by building capacity and reframing future events as manageable challenges.

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In this interview, Matt sits down with the one and only Fr. Mike Schmitz. The conversation focuses on accepting who God made you to be — as it relates to getting older, detachment (even from good things), anxiety, fatherhood, the spiritual life and more.

Also discussed is fitness, the rising interest in Catholicism among young people today, Gen Z vs. Millennials, why Fr. Mike loves being a priest, the impact of Bible in a Year, God's love, grief, Fr. Mike's podcast, and the beauty or religious orders.

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00:00:00 – Introduction and Matt's book 00:03:01 – The challenges and spiritual value of getting older 00:15:16 – Why are Gen Z and Gen Alpha different? 00:23:00 – Are young men becoming more interested in Catholicism? 00:32:52 – Wokeism 00:38:10 – Fr. Mike's early struggles with Catholicism 00:44:52 – How to talk to people the right way 00:50:32 – How Fr. Mike embraced the Church's sexual teachings 01:01:02 – Priestly celibacy and the challenges of being a priest 01:10:18 – Being introverted and dealing with fame 01:25:59 – Fr. Mike's most popular video and Bible in a Year 01:37:16 – Ministering to new Catholics and dealing with discouragement 01:51:05 – Fr. Mike's dating and marriage advice 02:01:28 – Matt loves 2025 02:05:53 – The danger of comparing yourself to others 02:09:13 – Confession and developing a stronger prayer life 02:21:40 – Spiritual reading recommendations 02:28:43 – Questions from viewers and closing remarks