{"podcast":{"title":"Sunday Homilies with Fr. Mike Schmitz","slug":"sunday-homilies-with-fr-mike-schmitz-614176","podcast_index_feed_id":614176,"rss_url":"https://feeds.fireside.fm/fathermikehomilies/rss","website_url":"https://fathermikehomilies.fireside.fm","image_url":"https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-images-2024/podcasts/images/1/1b1273a3-3711-4e9f-b187-36a4f8791359/cover.jpg?v=2","author":"Ascension","episode_count":420,"summary":"Every week, Catholic priest Fr. Mike Schmitz delivers powerful homilies based on the Sunday Mass Scripture readings, inviting you to live more fully as the person God created you to be. Engaging and motivating, these 20-30 minute homilies will help ground your faith, fortify your heart, and transform your life. Fr. Mike Schmitz preaches from Duluth Minnesota, where he serves as the Newman chaplain for University Minnesota Duluth’s Bulldog Catholic campus ministry.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-26T16:18:17.339342+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/sunday-homilies-with-fr-mike-schmitz-614176"},"episode":{"title":"04/12/26 The Next...: The Next Confession","slug":"04-12-26-the-next-the-next-confession","published_at":"2026-04-11T16:45:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/sunday-homilies-with-fr-mike-schmitz-614176/04-12-26-the-next-the-next-confession","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/sunday-homilies-with-fr-mike-schmitz-614176","url":"https://fathermikehomilies.fireside.fm/20260412","audio_url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/1b1273a3-3711-4e9f-b187-36a4f8791359/79306c27-5fca-4fe0-8249-51d93d3cbdf9.mp3","summary":"Spiritual growth is not a one-time event but a continuous cycle of returning to Christ. The Christian life depends on the regular practice of confession to prevent spiritual apathy and rekindle devotion.","meta_description":"Father Mike Schmitz explains why the 'next confession' is the essential exercise for soul maintenance and overcoming spiritual discouragement.","key_points":["Main idea: Spiritual vitality is maintained through frequent reconciliation rather than relying on past milestones","Failure mode: The greatest danger is not sin itself, but the discouragement that prevents us from returning to God","Practical takeaway: Use regular confession as a way to take an honest inventory of your soul, much like tracking finances or screen time","Main idea: Faith is an active verb and a continuous decision to submit to Christ's lordship","Practical takeaway: Approach confession with your actual self, not the idealized version of who you wish you were"],"chapters":[{"start_ms":60000,"title":"The Power of Forgiveness","summary":"Reflecting on the Gospel of John, focusing on the authority given to the Apostles to forgive sins."},{"start_ms":180000,"title":"Celebrating New Faith","summary":"A look at the recent growth in the diocese and the joy of new baptisms and professions of faith."},{"start_ms":300000,"title":"The Danger of a Cold Heart","summary":"Discussing how spiritual excitement can fade into lukewarmness and the role of Divine Mercy in restoration."},{"start_ms":600000,"title":"The Necessity of the Next Confession","summary":"An invitation to regular confession as a vital exercise for the soul's health."},{"start_ms":840000,"title":"Taking Spiritual Inventory","summary":"Comparing the need for spiritual awareness to the way we track modern subscriptions and screen time."},{"start_ms":1080000,"title":"Bringing Your Actual Self to God","summary":"The importance of honesty in confession and recognizing Christ's dominion over our lives."},{"start_ms":1380000,"title":"Heaven Can Begin Now","summary":"A testimony of reconciliation and the transformative power of returning to God's mercy."}],"topics":["Confession","Divine Mercy","Spiritual Growth","Catholicism","Forgiveness","Repentance","Faith","Easter"],"duration_seconds":1563,"processing_state":"processed","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/sunday-homilies-with-fr-mike-schmitz-614176/episodes/04-12-26-the-next-the-next-confession/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/sunday-homilies-with-fr-mike-schmitz-614176/04-12-26-the-next-the-next-confession.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}