Fr. Mike Schmitz has become widely known for his accessible commentaries on popular Catholic spiritual texts, such as the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Starting on October 22, Fr. Mike will host a 30-day podcast on The Imitation of Christ, written by Thomas à Kempis, a German priest living in the Netherlands during the 15th century.
As in his other podcasts, Fr. Mike will read a selection of the book, as well as provide commentary on the text.
The Imitation of Christ has been a major influence in the lives of many saints, including St. Thomas More, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, and Dorothy Day to name a few.
It is also regarded as the second-most-read devotional book (outside of the Bible.)
Fr. Mike relates how impactful it was on his life in high school:
“ As a high schooler, I had my initial conversion to the Lord … One of the things that was such a burning desire on my heart was I wanted to have some kind of mentor — I wanted to have some kind of person who could show me how to live as a disciple of Jesus in the world right now, but I just didn't feel like I had one. Books were so critical for me, and [The Imitation of Christ] is one of those books.”
Ascension is also producing a new version of The Imitation of Christ that includes an exclusive English translation by Fr. Dylan Schrader, "which is faithful to the original translation, yet accessible for today’s reader."
The Catholic Classics podcast will begin on October 22 and can be found exclusively on the Ascension App.
This specific podcast is 100% free, and it is available for desktop and mobile users.
