‘Without them, I wouldn’t be me’: Father Mike Schmitz pays tribute to Irish priests at packed Mass in Ireland
An Irish bishop said that amid the many young people journeying from across Ireland for the liturgy and event, “all of this points to something deeper than the popularity of any one speaker.”
More than 800 people filled Saint Kevin’s Church in Dublin for a special Mass July 20 that included Father Mike Schmitz, host of Ascension’s chart-topping “Bible in a Year” podcast, as the homilist, according to the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference’ publication The Way.
In the homily, Father Schmitz expressed gratitude for everyone who was in attendance and said he was moved to hear the Breastplate of St. Patrick Prayer during the procession into the church, indicating how surreal it was to be there. He shared about his own Irish heritage, noting that his grandmother is from Cork, Ireland. As he continued, reflecting on the impact that Irish priests have had in his life, his voice caught with emotion.
Growing up in Minnesota, “all of my priests were from here,” he said, looking out at the church around him. “All of them, every one — the ones who heard my Confession, the ones who offered Mass, taught me how to pray, they came from here.”
“They left everything and lived in relative obscurity so I could come back here,” he continued. “...And you guys all showed up to worship Jesus and for us to pray together, it is so humbling. And, thank you, because without them, I wouldn’t be me.”
In the homily, Father Schmitz preached on the importance of trust and obedience in living out the faith, pointing to the Blessed Virgin Mary as an example. When the archangel Gabriel tells her she will be the mother of the Messiah, she accepts God’s will without having full understanding.
The archangel “does not give her a plan,” Father Schmitz said. “He does not give her a roadmap. He simply gives her enough information to take the next step. That is the invitation for every one of us. God always gives us enough light and enough information to take the next step, and we can trust Him with that next step.”
>> EXCLUSIVE | Fr Mike Schmitz on lay participation in Mass, ‘The Bible in a Year’ milestone <<
The crowd’s gathering at the church preceded a special event: an evening of Father Schmitz’s Parables Tour, in which he explores the parables of Jesus and their enduring relevance. The tour began in 2025 and all of the events since have sold out, according to the website. The Ireland location is the only international one on the tour, with the rest taking place at cities across the U.S.
Pilgrims representing parish communities, university chaplaincies, youth ministries, and other Catholic organizations from across Ireland traveled to Dublin’s National Stadium for the event, according to The Way. The stadium was filled with 1,600 people, the majority of whom were young adults, according to the publication.
Bishop Fintan Gavin of Cork and Ross celebrated the Mass, which was organized by the Irish Bishops’ Conference’s Council for Evangelization. Ahead of Father Schmitz’ presentation, Bishop Gavin said in a welcome message “there is something remarkable about this gathering.”
Beyond the audience’s interest in hearing the well-known speaker, Bishop Gavin said the crowd in the church and the stadium indicated “a real hunger for faith, for meaning, for belonging and, above all, for an encounter with Jesus Christ.”
He also spoke a word of encouragement to the young people present and expressed hope for the future of the faith in Ireland. According to the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Gavin noted that “in a rapidly changing and increasingly secular culture in Ireland, faith can no longer simply be assumed.”
“We need to be more intentional, and more ready to speak about our faith with confidence, humility and joy,” he said. “Yet the desire for God has not disappeared. Faith runs deeply in the story of our people – it is, in a sense, in our bones. Many people, particularly our young people, can feel isolated in trying to live their faith. Tonight says very clearly: you are not alone. You belong here. You have a part to play in what is emerging. Perhaps what we are witnessing tonight is not simply the loss of what once was, but the birth of something new.”
>> EXCLUSIVE | Fr. Mike Schmitz on surge of Catholic converts: ‘We’re made for God’ <<
