Following his star turn at the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis this summer, Father Mike Schmitz is set to headline the 19th annual Los Angeles Catholic Prayer Breakfast next Tuesday.
The popular podcaster priest will give the keynote talk at the sold-out event, traditionally held each September in the outdoor plaza of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.
Besides hosting the chart-topping “The Bible in a Year” podcast, Schmitz is also head of campus ministry at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and the Diocese of Duluth’s director of youth and young adult ministry.
The theme of Schmitz’s talk at the Sept. 17 event is “being a Catholic in today’s world.” He often draws on insights from his day job during speaking appearances.
“Some students have certain wounds, other students have other wounds,” Schmitz told Angelus. “And yet, each one of them needs to know that God actually loves them. And so does each one of us. I believe this is the great need of our time.”
While some of the students he works with come from “intact and holy families” or from parishes where they encountered God, others, Schmitz said, “have never heard the Gospel clearly proclaimed.”
“Just like our generations, this generation is made of individuals with individual questions, hurts, and desires,” said Schmitz when asked about the biggest issue students raise with him.
Some 2,000 people are expected at the breakfast, which is billed as “a tribute to the Catholic faith and to those who follow its teachings” for Southern California Catholics. Past keynote speakers in recent years have included former pro baseball manager Mike Scioscia, author and theologian Scott Hahn, and Bishop Robert Barron.
Schmitz said he prepares for big speaking events like this year’s prayer breakfast through prayer, asking himself, “What does God want this person/group to know or do?”
Asked about his own personal experience at the Eucharistic Congress, where he gave a widely praised talk at one of the “revival” sessions, Schmitz said he was especially struck by the adoration session led by Bishop Andrew Cozzens’ during the first night.
“Clearly, Bishop Cozzens knew exactly what we were all there for — or who we were all there for — and he redirected our attention to Jesus in the Eucharist. I was so incredibly moved by his heart and his words.”
The prayer event will begin with a 6:30 a.m. rosary inside the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, followed by a 7 a.m. Mass with Archbishop José H. Gomez. The breakfast will begin at 8 a.m. The event, including Schmitz's talk, will be livestreamed via the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.
