Ascension
At He Is Goodness, we are always looking for tools that complement vibrant Bible study communities and personal formation. One that stands out for its depth, clarity, beauty, and fidelity to Church teaching is Ascension Press (and its social media subsidiary Ascension Presents).
What We Like About It
Ascension offers:
Books-a-plenty! The company’s publishing arm provides many beautiful and quality resources to grow your faith. We recommend many as further reading resources to our free Bible studies.
A visually appealing and systematic Bible and Catechism (timeline oriented & color-coded = helpful!)
Free and truly life changing podcasts & videos that are easy to share with friends who are curious about the faith
A smooth, well-organized app full of resources including their signature color coded Bible and Catechism (great for Bible study on the go!) with embedded video and text answers to common questions when reading.
Trusted presenters who bring energy and depth
Sacramental Prep resources—If you, like us, help teach the Sacraments, keep in mind their resources are top notch and accessible online for teachers and students.
Great for Travel & Illness
One of the most useful things? If you cannot attend Mass due to illness, you can still hear Father Mike Schmitz’s moving homilies each week. This is a great feature since many churches stopped live-streaming Mass after COVID. This is also a useful tool if you are traveling abroad and go to Mass in a secondary language. You can stay connected to the Word by listening before or after Mass.
Bible + Catechism = Beautiful & Practical
Again, though they are an investment, Ascension’s physical and digital resources are some of the most useful we have seen. If you are a visual learner, the organization and graphics in the Ascension Bible ($40) and their Catechism edition ($40)—the only color-coded one on the market—are well worth it. We love having the digital versions on the app during study—it makes it easy to look things up so easy!
About the App
The free version gives you:
Fr. Mike Schmitz’s Bible in a Year
Short daily videos and select podcasts
A good on-the-go supplement to your formation
The paid version is a bit pricey, but gives:
Full access to the Bible + Catechism with built-in video commentary
Study plans and audio resources
Tools that are helpful whether you’re single, married with kids, or retired
We especially love the audio studies for solo time— during commutes, walks, laundry, etc. Personal reflection adds more depth to your sharing when you show up to Bible study groups later!
Our Favorite Presenters
Here are five of our favorite Ascension Presents hosts with great content:
Fr. Josh Johnson @frjoshjohnson
Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (like Fr. Mark-Mary and Fr. PT) @cfr_franciscans
Dr. Edward Sri @dr.edwardsri
Sisters of Life @sistersoflifefriends
Fr. Mike Schimtz @fathermikeschmitz
We highly recommend Ascension Press to all of our Bible study users—check them out today!
In Christ,
—The He Is Goodness Team
Disclaimer: Logos, images, and content mentioned in this post belong to their respective creators. We share them here as part of our effort to highlight trustworthy Catholic resources. No affiliation or endorsement is implied unless stated.