The Bible in a Year
Podcast platforms
I confess I hadn’t heard of Fr Michael (“Mike”) Schmitz, from the diocese of Duluth, Minnesota, until he turned up in The Times the other day. Fr Mike, now in his mid forties, turns out to be a practised exponent of all the modern media platforms, has a berth on YouTube, and has now taken to the airwaves with The Bible in a Year, a 365-part spiritual jamboree, free to access, which just a week after its launch hit the top spot in the digital download chart.
The Ascension Press website, on which all this is advertised, is not without its amusing side. There is, for example, a stark warning about some of the content: “Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children.” On the other hand, the first podcast I tuned into took in Abraham’s dealings with Hagar. The Bible in question is the Catholic RSV and each session involves Fr Mike reading from Scripture and supplying comment and reflection along the way.