‘The Bible in a Year’ podcast is back — this time for the whole family
Father Josh Johnson, priest of the Diocese of Baton Rouge, will host the new “Bible in a Year: Family Edition” podcast, launching Jan 1 2027. The podcast targets families with children aged 7‑12, offering daily 365‑episode audio/video sessions that include Scripture readings, age‑appropriate reflections, prayer time, and answers to kids’ Bible questions. Episodes will draw from Ascension’s upcoming “Great Adventure Catholic Bible for Beginners” and feature cartoon visuals on YouTube for younger listeners. Johnson says the series aims to engage parents and children, especially in his inner‑city Baton Rouge community, and hopes it will encourage families to attend sacraments and spread the word of God.
25 days ago
Ascension will launch “The Bible in a Year: Family Edition” on January 1, 2027, adapting its popular Bible podcast for families with children ages 7–12. Hosted by Father Josh Johnson, the 365-episode series will combine Scripture readings, child-focused reflections, prayer, Bible questions from children, and optional animated video. 1 2
The new series follows the format of Ascension’s original “The Bible in a Year” podcast, hosted by Father Mike Schmitz, which debuted in 2021 and reached millions of listeners worldwide. The family edition will guide listeners through the story of salvation over one year, using readings from Ascension’s forthcoming The Great Adventure Catholic Bible for Beginners. 1 2
Each daily episode is expected to include:
Families will be able to watch the episodes on YouTube, where cartoon images will illustrate the biblical stories, or listen through major podcast platforms. 1 2
Johnson is a priest of the Diocese of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and has worked with Ascension for more than 12 years. He recently stepped away from his Ascension work after his bishop asked him to establish the Blessed Stanley Rother House of Formation while also serving in his parish and parish school. 1 2
Johnson said he considered the project through prayer before accepting it and received approval from his bishop. He described the recording process as a deeply spiritual experience, alternating between recording episodes and spending time in Eucharistic adoration in a chapel beneath his studio. 1 2
To prepare the commentaries, Johnson said he reads Scripture throughout the day. He characterized the recurring pattern of proclaiming Scripture and then praying in adoration as “almost like a monk.” 1 2
The project was inspired in part by the original podcast’s listeners, many of whom have since become parents. Johnson said the new edition is intended to give parents and children a way to encounter Scripture and pray together rather than participating in separate retreats, conferences, or religious activities. 1 2
Johnson also connected the project to his ministry in an impoverished neighborhood in inner-city Baton Rouge. He said he hopes families who receive assistance from his parish community—including families who are not Catholic or Christian—might encounter the Bible through the podcast and become more open to the sacraments. 1 2
Johnson said the podcast aims to encourage families to make Scripture part of their shared routines, comparing the practice to families watching movies, television shows, or reading books together. He emphasized that children should be introduced to the Bible as a way of learning to recognize what he described as God’s voice amid competing influences and messages. 1 2
His stated hope is that families will develop a lasting love for God and Scripture, while learning to desire the Bible more than social media, cellphones, and other temporary pleasures. 1 2
“The Bible in a Year: Family Edition” is scheduled to begin January 1, 2027. It will be available through the Ascension YouTube channel and on major podcast platforms. 1 2
Family podcasts enhance Catholic catechesis for children
Family podcasts can enhance Catholic catechesis, especially when they become occasions for parents and children to listen, discuss, pray, and apply the faith together. The Church identifies the family as the primary setting for transmitting faith, with parents as children’s first catechists.
Podcasts are particularly useful because children learn well through stories, symbols, and engaging presentations. A Catholic podcast can explain Scripture, the lives of the saints, the sacraments, moral decisions, and liturgical seasons in an accessible way. It can also support families who lack time or confidence for formal instruction.
Their greatest value comes through conversation. Parents might ask, “What did you learn about Jesus?” or “How can our family live this Gospel teaching today?” Such dialogue helps transform passive listening into genuine catechesis. The family’s witness, prayer, and loving relationships remain more formative than media alone.
Podcasts should therefore support, not replace, family prayer, Sunday Mass, sacramental preparation, parish catechesis, and parents’ personal example. Family catechesis “precedes, accompanies and enriches” other forms of catechesis.
A practical pattern is: listen to a short episode, discuss one main idea, read the related Gospel passage, and end with a brief prayer. Used this way, family podcasts can help make the home a lively “domestic Church” and strengthen parents in their responsibility to pass on the faith.