Catholic priest's Bible podcast that takes listeners through the scripture in 365 days tops Apple's charts just a week after launching
A Bible podcast has soared to the top of Apple's chart nearly a week after it launched on New Year's Day.
Before the launch of The Bible in a Year podcast, which is hosted by Catholic priest Father Mike Schmitz, the show was already at the top of Apple's religion and spirituality chart.
After its New Year's Day launch, it quickly beat podcasts in every other category to claim the No. 1 spot.
Before the launch of The Bible in a Year podcast, which is hosted by Catholic priest Father Mike Schmitz (pictured), the show was already at the top of Apple's religion and spirituality chart
After its New Year's Day launch, it quickly beat podcasts in every other category to claim the No. 1 spot (pictured)
Schmitz told Fox 5 that he believes the popularity of the podcast comes from people wanting 'to make a change' after nearly a year of dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.
'One of the things the pandemic has done is making it virtually impossible to deny the fact life is uncertain,' Schmitz said. 'We only live under the illusion of certainty.'
According to Ascension Press, the leader in Catholic faith formation, Schmitz will guide Catholics through the Bible in 365 daily episodes that started on January 1.
During each episode, Schmitz will read two to three scriptures, according to the Ascension Press website.
Listeners will also hear a reflection from Schmitz and he'll lead them through prayer.
Each episode lasts between 20-25 minutes, according to Ascension Press.
By the end of the year, Schmitz will have taken listeners through all of the books of the Bible.
'Not everything in the Bible is pretty. It's not meant to be a children's story,' he told Fox.
'It is a true story about a broken people us and how God has worked with a broken people and I think that is really powerful.'
Schmitz has encouraged people 'who don't have faith' to listen in because he believes the Bible is a 'true story about real life' that they 'would get a lot out of'.
Schmitz is the director of youth and young adult ministry for the Diocese of Duluth and the chaplain for the Newman Catholic Campus Ministry at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
He also shares YouTube videos on the Ascension Presents YouTube channel and streams Sunday Mass to a worldwide audience.
Those interested in listening to the show can visit Ascension’s website and sign up for the free reading plan to be sent to their email.
The Bible in a Year podcast is available for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
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