About Fr. Mike Schmitz

Father Mike Schmitz is the chaplain for Newman Catholic Campus Ministries at the University of Minnesota Duluth. He also serves as the Director of the Office of Youth Ministry for the Diocese of Duluth.

Unconditional Love = Sin Now, Forgive Later?

You’ve spoken about God’s love before, and how it is important to know that God will never stop loving us.  But my issue is that I teach young people who seem to think that, since God loves them, it doesn’t matter how they live.

By |2025-01-09T19:27:47+00:00April 12, 2018|Ask Fr. Mike|Comments Off on Unconditional Love = Sin Now, Forgive Later?

Following God. Alone.

I try to follow God in the way that it seems like He is calling me to, but I find that I am often walking alone.  I am not surrounded by people who are pursuing God like I believe I am called to.  Am I doing something wrong?

By |2025-01-09T19:27:58+00:00April 5, 2018|Ask Fr. Mike|Comments Off on Following God. Alone.

Dealing with an Untimely Death

There is a teacher at my Catholic school who just died.  He was so young and all of us students loved him so much. We all miss him so much.  I am beginning to doubt my faith in all of this.  What can I do?

By |2025-01-09T19:28:17+00:00March 29, 2018|Ask Fr. Mike|Comments Off on Dealing with an Untimely Death

Teaching Love in a Hostile Culture

I keep trying to do all that I can to help our children know of God’s love for them.  I want them to be truly “Catholic”; not merely in name, but as their deepest identity.  In the face of a seemingly hostile culture, what can I do?

By |2025-01-09T19:37:51+00:00March 1, 2018|Ask Fr. Mike|Comments Off on Teaching Love in a Hostile Culture

“Not Worthy” at Mass. This doesn’t make sense.

I struggle each Mass when the congregation says, “I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof . . .” I understand its biblical significance, but maybe I’m just bothered by the phrase I am not worthy.  My parents taught me I am worthy because I’m a child of God Almighty. We are all worthy just by the fact we were created in God’s image.

By |2025-01-09T19:38:12+00:00February 15, 2018|Ask Fr. Mike|Comments Off on “Not Worthy” at Mass. This doesn’t make sense.

Lent like a Boss

Lent is obviously right around the corner, and I never seem to know what to “do” for this season.  I’ve tried giving things up, but it always seems a bit “hollow”. What should I do?

By |2025-01-09T19:38:24+00:00February 13, 2018|Ask Fr. Mike|Comments Off on Lent like a Boss