As the Church enters Advent on Nov. 30, several resources are debuting to help the faithful prepare for Christ’s coming. Among them are Waiting Well with Father Mike Schmitz, Hallow’s Pray 25, and Bishop Conley’s leadership of Exodus 90’s Ad Orientem men’s challenge.
Fr. Mike Schmitz invites Catholics to embrace waiting this Advent
Father Mike Schmitz, host of the world’s most-downloaded Catholic podcast, Bible in a Year, is releasing a new daily series called Waiting Well: Advent with Fr. Mike Schmitz.
The series offers 26 short (5-minute) daily video reflections, available exclusively in the Ascension app from Nov. 30 through Christmas Day, accompanied by a printed journal.
In the series trailer, Fr. Schmitz says the new series is built around a simple but often-overlooked reality: most people spend large portions of their lives waiting, yet few approach those moments with spiritual awareness.
“The stats show that we spend up to several years of our lives waiting,” he said in the Waiting Well trailer. “Waiting in line, at red lights, waiting while friends and family get ready — we’re just constantly waiting. And instead of embracing those times of waiting, what do we do? We worry, we get anxious, and perhaps most of all, we check out and get lost scrolling on our phones.”
He frames Advent as a chance to rethink that habit.
“There is a spiritual importance to waiting that we often miss,” he said. “In fact, waiting is so important that God gives us entire seasons of waiting — Lent and Advent — as a way to help shape us and to help us realize where in our lives we are still waiting to let Jesus in. But in order to be truly open to God in this way, we have to learn to embrace times of waiting.”
The journal accompanying the video series offers daily Scripture passages, short reflections, prayer prompts, and space for personal notes. Individual copies are available at ascensionpress.com, with bulk pricing for parishes or small groups seeking a shared Advent focus.
Hallow App Launches 2025 Pray25 Advent Challenge
Hallow, the world’s leading Catholic prayer and meditation app, has launched its Pray25 Advent challenge for 2025, inviting users to slow down and “be still” as they prepare for Christmas. The free, 25-day series runs from Nov. 30 to Dec. 24 and offers daily 5 to 15-minute sessions combining Scripture, reflection, and prayer.
This year’s lineup includes Chris Pratt, Jonathan Roumie of The Chosen, Fr. Mike Schmitz, singer Lauren Daigle, Bear Grylls, Kevin James, Gwen Stefani, and other hosts. The theme is taken from Psalm 46: “Be still and know that I am God” and aims to help participants rediscover the quiet focus of Advent amid the busy season.
More than 810,000 people took part in last year’s Pray25 challenge. The program will be available through the Hallow app and hallow.com/pray25, and early registration is available.
Bishop Conley guides Exodus 90’s ‘Ad Orientem’ men’s challenge
Also launching ahead of Advent is Exodus 90’s 2025 “Ad Orientem Challenge,” a 44-day spiritual discipline for men guided this year by Bishop James D. Conley of Lincoln, Nebraska.
Beginning Nov. 11, the feast of Saint Martin of Tours, the challenge incorporates Bishop Conley’s daily reflections into Exodus 90’s established pattern of prayer, asceticism, and fraternity. The “ad orientem” focus emphasizes the Church’s ancient eastward orientation in worship, presented by Exodus 90 as a symbol of watching and waiting for Christ’s coming.
The challenge is delivered through the Exodus 90 app, and participants commit to practices intended to cultivate simplicity, accountability, and intentional prayer throughout the Advent period.
Information on the Exodus 90 Ad Orientem Challenge can be found at exodus90.com.
The post New Advent resources include Fr Mike Schmitz’s Waiting Well and Bishop Conley’s men’s guide appeared first on CatholicVote org.