By Jay Sorgi • Posted May 7, 2025

Every person’s story can stand as a parable unveiling God’s love. That’s the message of one of America’s top podcasters who is coming to Philadelphia May 20 during a seven-city national book tour.

Father Mike Schmitz, director of youth and young adult ministry for the Diocese of Duluth and author of six books, is also host of “Bible in a Year” by Ascension Press, Spotify’s top-ranked religion and spirituality podcast.

He will stop at the Academy of Music, 240 South Broad Street in Center City Philadelphia beginning at 7 p.m. to discuss his newest book, “Parables.” For ticket information, visit the Ascension Press website: https://ascensionpress.com/pages/frmiketour.

Proceeds from the book tour will benefit construction of a new church and student center at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, where Father Schmitz serves as Newman Center chaplain. His goal for the book is to show the use of parables in our own lives and make them part of our personal testimony of faith.

“Jesus used them! When God took on flesh and wanted to teach us about the Kingdom of Heaven, he told stories—not lectures, not philosophical arguments, but stories,” said Father Schmitz.

He taps into how people are attracted to discovering truths through relatable human experience, and how truth-filled parables can impact us more profoundly than plain facts.

“These parables—they’re not just nice little tales. They’re disarming. They go around our defenses and speak directly to the heart. They reveal who God is and who we are,”  said Father Schmitz.

“They call us to a response. Jesus’ parables are some of the most powerful, challenging, and beautiful parts of the Gospel … and we need them now more than ever.”

It is often said that actions speak louder than words, and how we live represents what we believe better than what we say.

Father Schmitz shares how the story of Christ’s life, death and resurrection provides the greatest parable of God’s love, and how we’re called to follow in the Lord’s footsteps to become parables in action.

“Jesus didn’t just tell the truth. He lived it, and that’s what we’re called to do, too,” he said.

“Our lives are meant to be parables. You might be the only ‘Gospel’ someone ever reads. The way you love your neighbor, forgive someone who’s hurt you, serve without expecting anything in return—that tells a story, a story of grace, a story of hope, a story of Jesus.”

Father Schmitz also tells how, even for people who aren’t eloquent in their storytelling, living a parable of God’s love in us allows God to tell the story of his love through our example.

“We don’t have to have perfect words,” said Father Schmitz. “But if we’re faithful, God will make our lives into something that speaks louder than we ever could.”

The priest says he aims to help people coming to the book tour to see Jesus’ parables through a new prism.

“We’re going to open up some of Jesus’ most well-known parables,” he said, “but maybe look at them in a way people haven’t before.”

The visit to Philadelphia will be Father Schmitz’s fifth stop on a seven-location book tour across the United States. Those who attend an event can expect him to offer a 45-minute message explaining those parables and more.

He will also invite audience members to share questions through a QR code.

A limited number of VIP tickets are available for a chance to meet Father Schmitz and receive a professional photo with him before the event.

He anticipates his “Parables” book tour will create emotional moments and challenges for people to live their faith more deeply.

“I think people can expect to laugh a little, maybe cry a little, and definitely be invited into something deeper,” said Father Schmitz.

“I don’t want this to just be a talk. I want it to be an encounter. I want people to walk away knowing that Jesus is still speaking through His Word, and He’s still calling each of us to something incredible.”