The Father Mike Schmitz tour is called the Parables Tour, an in-person Catholic speaking event featuring a 45-minute keynote on the parables of Jesus followed by a 45-minute live Q&A session. The Parables Tour is an evening of reflection, storytelling, and spiritual insight in which Father Mike Schmitz explores the timeless stories Jesus told to reveal God’s love and guide believers in daily life. All events are in-person only and will not be livestreamed.
What Is the Father Mike Schmitz Parables Tour?
The Parables Tour is a nationwide Catholic speaking and fundraising event organized by bulldogCatholic, Ascension, and Corporate Travel Service. The Parables Tour is coordinated in support of Father Mike’s fundraising efforts to build a new Newman Center and church building for his Bulldog Catholic campus ministry at the University of Minnesota Duluth, as assigned by his local bishop. Father Mike emphasizes that his digital ministry flows organically from his on-campus ministry with students and parishioners. “Virtually every video I’ve ever made, every homily I’ve ever posted – that all comes from a conversation I’ve had with students.” For context, see our previous guide on Cosmic Takeover Tour: 6 Key Facts About the Glow-in-the-Dark Baseball Experience.
Why Is Father Mike Schmitz on Tour?
Millions of people around the world know Father Mike Schmitz from his YouTube videos and podcasts. What most people don’t realize is that digital media is just one part of his ministry. As a diocesan priest in the Diocese of Duluth, MN, his primary ministry is serving as Chaplain for the Newman Center at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD). Since he began this ministry, it has operated out of the small split-level home he lives in. With more than 700 students and faculty attending Mass at the Newman Center each day, it has far outgrown the garage he converted into a chapel. All proceeds from each event are helping to fund the construction of a brand-new church and a dedicated space for students to meet, pray, study, and grow in their faith on the UMD campus.
What Are the 2026 Parables Tour Dates and Locations?
The 2026 Parables Tour has 5 confirmed dates across the United States and Ireland, all beginning at 7:00 PM.
Confirmed 2026 Parables Tour dates include New Orleans, LA on May 18, Clearwater, FL on May 19, Fort Lauderdale, FL on May 20, Jacksonville, FL on May 22, and Dublin, Ireland on July 20.
2026 Parables Tour Schedule
| Date | City | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| May 18, 2026 | New Orleans, LA | Saenger Theatre |
| May 19, 2026 | Clearwater, FL | TBA |
| May 20, 2026 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Au-Rene Theater, Broward Center |
| May 22, 2026 | Jacksonville, FL | Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts – Moran Theater |
| July 20, 2026 | Dublin, Ireland | National Stadium |
Additional U.S. dates are expected to be announced. Fans and attendees are advised to check back regularly for new tour dates around the U.S. and beyond.
Where to Buy Father Mike Schmitz Tour Tickets
Tickets for the Parables Tour are available exclusively through Ticketmaster and individual venue box offices.
Tickets are only available for purchase through Ticketmaster or the individual venues. For the Dublin, Ireland tour date on July 20, 2026, group ticket inquiries should be directed to Emma Quinn at Emma.Quinn@ticketmaster.ie, including the show name, date, and number of tickets required.
Group tickets are available for most shows but must be purchased directly through the venue. They are not available through Ascension or the standard ticket link. To request group tickets, search for the venue online, navigate to its contact page, and include the show name (Parables), date, and the number of tickets needed.
The 3 verified ways to purchase tickets are:
- Ticketmaster – ticketmaster.com (primary ticket platform for all dates)
- Individual venue box offices – for group tickets and ADA seating requests
- Ascension Press – ascensionpress.com (links to official Ticketmaster listings)
What Does the VIP Experience Include?
VIP tickets include a pre-event Meet and Greet with Father Mike Schmitz and a professional photo.
The VIP package includes 1 pre-event Meet and Greet with Father Mike Schmitz, with a photo included.
Each event has a limited number of VIP tickets available for purchase. VIP availability varies by venue. Any additional VIP information, including Meet and Greet details, will be communicated via email prior to the date of the show.
VIP tickets are not available at every venue. The 3 steps to secure VIP access are:
- Check the local venue page for VIP availability
- Purchase through Ticketmaster before VIP slots sell out
- Monitor the confirmation email for Meet and Greet timing and instructions
What Happens at the Father Mike Schmitz Parables Tour?
Each Parables Tour event runs approximately 90 minutes and includes 4 core elements.
Attendees can expect a 90-minute talk grounded in Scripture, engaging stories that connect faith to everyday life, encouragement, clarity, and renewed purpose, and a welcoming, uplifting atmosphere for all ages.
The 4 elements of each event are:
- 45-minute keynote – Father Mike unpacks the parables of Jesus with storytelling and Scripture
- 45-minute Q&A session – audience members submit questions live via QR code and upvote questions submitted by other attendees
- Meet and Greet – available to VIP ticket holders before the show begins
- Donation opportunity – proceeds directed to the Seeds of Faith campaign
What Parables Does Father Mike Schmitz Cover?
Father Mike Schmitz’s appearances unpack 4 of Jesus’ well-known parables. These include the lost sheep and lost coin (Luke 15:1-10), the sower and the seed (Matthew 13:1-23), and the dishonest steward (Luke 16:1-13). On the lost sheep and lost coin, Father Mike states: “You are relentlessly pursued and ridiculously celebrated by God.” On the sower and the seed, he states: “Jesus says worry and anxieties of daily life choke the Word. You cannot be both worried and joyful.”
Why Is the Tour Called the Parables Tour?
Father Mike explains: “In His parables, Jesus makes it clear what the stakes are – life and death, Heaven and Hell – in such a way that He gets past our normal defenses and reveals His own Heart and the Heart of the Father. I wanted to share Christ’s parables so that His message would be unpacked for this generation.”
What Is the Seeds of Faith Campaign?
The Seeds of Faith campaign is Father Mike Schmitz’s fundraising initiative to build a new Newman Center and church at the University of Minnesota Duluth.
Father Schmitz has also vowed to fund additional costs for the replacement worship space and Newman Center with a general operating endowment for the years ahead. Dedicated studio facilities will serve as a content-producing platform for the global reach of Father Schmitz’s evangelization through Ascension Press, including The Bible in a Year podcast and weekly YouTube videos.
Donations to the Seeds of Faith campaign are accepted for those who cannot attend the tour events in person. All ticket proceeds from each tour stop are directed to the Seeds of Faith initiative.
Who Is Father Mike Schmitz?
Father Mike Schmitz is the director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Duluth, Minnesota, and the chaplain of the Newman Center at the University of Minnesota Duluth.
Father Mike Schmitz is the number 1 religion podcaster in the world and one of the top Catholic evangelists in the United States. His Bible in a Year podcast produced by Ascension was the number 1 show on Apple for a total of 24 days and remains the number 1 religion podcast in the world. Father Mike is a highly sought-after Catholic speaker and evangelist who has addressed crowds as large as 50,000 people and has helped untold numbers of people grow to love and live the Catholic faith through his hundreds of YouTube videos, podcast episodes, and weekly homilies.
Now in his 20th year of Bulldog Catholic campus ministry, Father Schmitz has seen steady and encouraging growth, defying the prevailing narrative that 85% of Catholic college students will likely lose their faith before they graduate.
The 5 primary platforms where Father Mike Schmitz is active are:
- Bible in a Year podcast – number 1 religion podcast globally, produced by Ascension
- Catechism in a Year podcast – guides listeners through the full Catechism of the Catholic Church
- YouTube – Ascension Presents – weekly short video messages on faith and Catholic teaching
- Hallow app – weekly homilies and spiritual content
- bulldogCatholic.org – weekly homilies and tour information
What Do Attendees Say About the Parables Tour?
Attendees describe the Parables Tour as sold-out, spiritually transformative, and worth traveling across state lines to attend.
1 reviewer who traveled from Colorado to Indianapolis stated: “Father Mike delivered with incredible passion and authenticity. His ability to wear his heart on his sleeve and openly express his love for Jesus is both inspiring and uplifting. It was worth every mile to witness his genuine devotion and impactful message.”
A reviewer who drove from San Diego to Long Beach stated: “The event was unpretentious, insightful, inspirational, and the best event I have attended in a long time. He provided a new reflective viewpoint on four parables that has helped me recenter my focus on the most important thing in my life – loving God.”
Every 2025 tour stop was a packed house. Attendees left inspired and hopeful. The generosity of ticket purchases and donations at each stop is making a generational impact on the Catholic faith.
What Are 5 Key Facts About the Father Mike Schmitz Tour?
The Parables Tour is a 90-minute, in-person-only Catholic event supporting a fundraising campaign for a new Newman Center at UMD.
- Tour title – The Parables Tour – formally titled “Parables: A Time of Reflection with Fr. Mike Schmitz”
- Event length – 90 minutes total: 45-minute keynote followed by 45-minute Q&A
- No livestream – all events are in-person only and will not be livestreamed
- Proceeds – all ticket proceeds fund construction of a brand-new church and Newman Center on the UMD campus through the Seeds of Faith initiative
- VIP access – limited Meet and Greet passes with photo available at select venues through Ticketmaster
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Tour Name | The Parables Tour |
| Host | Father Mike Schmitz |
| Organized By | bulldogCatholic, Ascension, Corporate Travel Service |
| Event Length | 90 minutes |
| 2026 USA Dates | May 18 to May 22 |
| International Date | July 20, 2026 – Dublin, Ireland |
| Ticket Platform | Ticketmaster and venue box offices |
| Livestream | Not available |
| Fundraising Goal | Seeds of Faith – new UMD Newman Center |
| VIP Included | Meet and Greet with photo |
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