What happened? Did Fr. Mike change his mind on tattoos? Today Fr. Mike reveals his recent tattoo, why he got it, and why he’s not really happy about it.
Meet Fr. Mike Schmitz
Fr. Mike Schmitz serves as Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Duluth and as chaplain for the Newman Catholic Campus Ministry at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
He is a presenter in Ascension’s Chosen, Altaration, and The 99 programs, and has a channel on Ascension Presents. He is also the host of the Ascension podcasts The Bible in a Year and The Catechism in a Year.
I can’t help but feel a little sad that Father Mike got a tattoo. Tattoos are very cool, mainstream, and popular in today’s culture…and I always think of priests as the bastions of counterculture–ie being in the world but not of it. I know it’s a religious tattoo–but still…no.
Hi Fr. Mike
I have watched this video on YouTube and I was wondering if you can get very extravagant haircuts. Like Mullets, Scullets or even a mohawk.
I would appreciate if you made a video on this.
OK, I know it’s dumb but I’m really struggling with this. There are so many things like this where you could ask 20 different priests and get 20 different answers. I heard an exorcist say regarding tatoos that it is a sin to desecrate the body. Your body is not yours, it belongs to God. Therefore it is not God’s will for you to damage it or put it at risk of harm needlessly. (I.e. the toxins in the ink, the risk of infection etc.) I realize that I am a Catholic nobody, at that my opinion doesn’t matter, but I am exhausted at us as Catholics not being on the same page about this stuff. Something cannot be true and not true at the same time. A thing can not be a sin and not be a sin at the same time. Ugh! It’s just so frustrating.
Did you really need a tattoo to talk to strangers about Jesus? I talk to strangers about Jesus and don’t have a tattoo but I wear a beautiful Crucifix and my Miraculous medal which has beautiful gem stones around it. I feel disappointed that you got a tattoo after doing a video about why we shouldn’t get one and it spoke volumes but now I would bet feel comfortable showing that video to people. Sorry but it’s just how I feel.
Does Fr. Mike still have his tattoo? 02/12/2023
I’m surprised there are not more comments about this. I too have very mixed feelings about it but mostly negative. I am 63 years old and grateful I never gave into the previously counter cultural/ now cultural norm of getting a tattoo.
Love your tattoos, go Jesus!