Fr Mike Schmitz, Jeff Cavins honored as first Catholic recipients of Museum of the Bible’s Pillar Award

The Museum of the Bible, an educational institution in Washington, D.C., recently presented Jeff Cavins, Catholic author and speaker, and Father Mike Schmitz, host of “The Bible in a Year” podcast, with the Pillar Award for Narrative, an honor recognizing those whose cultural works of media bring biblical stories to life. They are the first Catholics to receive the award.

According to a Feb. 23 press release from Ascension Press, the award commends Cavins and Fr. Schmitz “for transforming how millions encounter Scripture.”

Presented Feb. 20 at the museum’s 2026 Pillar Award Gala in Washington, D.C., Cavins accepted the award on behalf of himself and Fr. Schmitz, and credited the Lord for their success.

“It isn’t our own skill or cleverness, but the Word of God that transforms the human soul,” Cavins said. “God has a wonderful plan for every one of our lives. Your story is in His story, and that [truth] changed my life.”

Cavins received the award in part for his creation of “The Bible Timeline,” a Catholic Bible study that presents Scripture as a “unified story of God’s saving plan.”

First presented in the 1990s, the timeline is now one of the most popular studies of its kind following its publication by Ascension in the early 2000s. 

Inspired by the framework of “The Bible Timeline,” Fr. Schmitz and Ascension partnered with Cavins to create “The Bible in a Year” podcast. Now celebrating its fifth anniversary, it remains the most successful religious podcast in the world, marking a historic first for a Catholic program. 

According to the museum’s website, the Pillar Awards recognize individuals whose work helps ensure the Bible remains accessible to future generations.

Dr. Carlos Campo, president and CEO of the Museum of the Bible, said the award honors “leaders, teachers, artists, and scholars who have carried the Bible into culture and changed lives with its truth.”