The Catholic podcast The Bible in a Year, hosted by Fr Mike Schmitz, is approaching an unprecedented milestone, with downloads nearing the one-billion mark worldwide. As the programme enters its fifth year, it continues to shape how millions of listeners engage with Scripture on a daily basis.
Launched at the start of 2021, the podcast set out to address a common gap in Catholic life: familiarity with the Bible as a unified story rather than a collection of disconnected texts. Using a structured daily format, Fr Schmitz guides listeners through the entire Bible over the course of a year, combining Scripture readings with short explanations and reflections.
Central to the podcast’s approach is a chronological framework that helps listeners understand how individual books fit into the wider narrative of salvation history. This structure has proven especially accessible for Catholics who may never have read large portions of Scripture before, as well as for non-Catholic listeners drawn by the clarity and consistency of the format.
Over the past four years, The Bible in a Year has repeatedly ranked at the top of podcast charts, not only within religious categories but across podcast platforms more broadly. Its sustained popularity has been accompanied by a large international audience and tens of thousands of listener reviews, many describing the podcast as transformative for their prayer life and understanding of the faith.
To mark the beginning of its fifth year, Ascension plans to introduce additional material alongside the existing daily episodes, including expanded reflections and special conversations exploring Scripture, prayer, and Christian life. These additions are intended to complement the original format rather than replace it, allowing both new and returning listeners to engage at their own pace.
Fr Schmitz has consistently emphasised that the podcast’s success reflects a wider hunger for Scripture and spiritual depth, particularly in a digital culture often marked by fragmentation and distraction. The programme’s steady growth suggests that long-form, disciplined engagement with the Bible continues to resonate strongly with modern audiences.
As The Bible in a Year moves into its next phase, it remains one of the most influential Catholic media projects of recent decades, demonstrating how traditional Christian practices can find renewed life through contemporary platforms.
