Fr. Mike Schmitz has taken his public ministry from the Newman Center at the University of Minnesota – Duluth all around the globe on his “Parables” tour with publisher Ascension Press. The tour focuses on bringing his message of faith that was made famous by his 2021 breakout podcast, “The Bible in a Year,” to all who cannot make the trip to Duluth to hear him in person.
Along with this primary goal of public ministry is the goal of expanding the Newman Center itself. Fr. Schmitz is using proceeds from the “Parables” tour to expand their space through the Seeds of Faith campaign.
Jesus’ parables in His ministry
The “Parables” tour focuses on teachings that Jesus shared through stories with simple, easy-to-follow narratives of moral examples. Fr. Schmitz told The Good Newsroom via Zoom that he sees these stories “like Aesop’s fables. These are Jesus’ fables. These are little stories that are like, ‘hey, think about this.’” Jesus’ parables were a large part of His public ministry in the Gospels, and Fr. Schmitz saw it as a direct way for God to speak to his followers and show examples of what to do and how to be. “God says, ‘No, this is what I need you to know, not just here’s a nice little story, but here’s what I need you to know.’ I was just so convicted by that. This is both urgent and important. That was the main driver [for the tour],” said Schmitz.
The call towards vocation and the goal of the saints
Fr. Schmitz also brought forward the need for vocations as a motivator for the tour. “We’re all called to be saints… God has made every person on this earth with this destiny, this destination in mind, the destination being Himself for eternity,” Schmitz said. He went on to explain how his ministry is a great way to get involved, but deep personal connection with the faith is the true path forward. “The gospel can be proclaimed from a stage, but lives are going to be changed through two main avenues, and those avenues of friendship and family. Anyone can hear the truth of God, see the beauty of God, and experience the goodness of God. It is so good. But to be able to walk with somebody, whether that be your family or your friends, is what’s necessary for so many of us,” Fr. Schmitz said.
Radio City Music Hall as a place of prayer
Fr. Schmitz shared his thoughts on bringing God’s message to Radio City. “I’ve never been inside Radio City Music Hall and I’m so excited to be able to be there, but when it comes down to it, it’s out there: the people in the twelfth row! There are people there to hear the word of God. You can see their faces, and there’s something about that to realize, okay, God wants them. He brought them here. To be entrusted with a bit of that. There’s an exciting part of it, but it’s also humbling,” he said. He mentioned that he asks every venue that the “Parables” tour visits to leave the house lights up higher than usual to ensure that connection between preacher and his congregation can be maintained through the night. He continued, “I need to see their faces. I want to see them because it makes a connection.”
Tickets are still available for the Nov. 16 “Parables” Event. Bulldog Catholic, at the University of Minnesota – Duluth is accepting donations via its Seeds of Faith campaign to further expand their program.