Campus Ministry · Duluth, MN · Est. 1951
Bulldog Catholic
Fr. Mike Schmitz's ministry has reached a billion views — but without a permanent endowment, its future depends on annual fundraising. We're changing that.
Support bulldogCatholic
Why bulldogCatholic?
More than campus ministry in Duluth — an investment in the future of the Church.
Fr. Mike Schmitz is a dynamic and influential Catholic leader whose ministry has amassed nearly a billion views. By strengthening this thriving Newman Center, we are ensuring students at UMD have a place to encounter Christ while also drawing on Fr. Mike’s leadership to inform, refine, and inspire other Catholic Initiative efforts. His vision extends far beyond Duluth, helping us scale a model that can transform campuses and parishes nationwide.
About bulldogCatholic
One billion views and counting
- The Newman Center at UMD — for decades, bulldogCatholic has formed students in faith, community, and mission under Fr. Mike Schmitz’s leadership, locally and far beyond campus
- Nearly one billion views across social media — Bible in a Year (733M listeners), Catechism in a Year (95M), 94M YouTube views, drawing millions into deeper relationship with Christ
- A vibrant local ministry at the core — 500-600 at Sunday Mass, 60+ at daily Mass, 62 students committed to a daily Holy Hour, 2,000+ students in 60 Bible study groups since 2014
- Real vocations, real transformation — 400+ couples prepared for marriage, 78 students entered the Catholic Church since 2018, 8 women entered religious life, 16+ men entered seminary, 7 ordained as priests or religious brothers
Why This Project
Securing the mission in perpetuity
- A ministry this impactful shouldn’t depend on annual fundraising — bulldogCatholic’s reach is global, but its financial model is year-to-year. One bad fundraising cycle could disrupt everything
- CI is building a permanent endowment — so the ministry’s staff, programs, retreats, and operations are funded forever, not reinvented each year
- Freeing Fr. Mike to focus on ministry, not money — an endowment lets priests and religious leaders do what drew them to their vocations in the first place
- A proven model of Catholic renewal — bulldogCatholic is a model that can be replicated on campuses nationwide. Endowing it ensures it outlasts any one leader and inspires the next generation
The Endowment
Where your gift goes
The endowment funds four areas that together sustain the full ministry — ensuring bulldogCatholic's impact on students, staff, and the broader Church continues in perpetuity.
Student Formation
Evangelization events, retreats, pilgrimages, OCIA, Bible studies, mission trips, Thursday Mass & Meal, and vocations support — meeting students at the most decisive season of their lives
Staff Formation & Development
Sustaining priests, campus ministers, and FOCUS missionaries whose full-time focus is accompaniment and evangelization — plus retreats, spiritual direction, and professional development
Ongoing Operations
Vestments, altar candles, liturgical needs, building maintenance, and campus upkeep — the daily essentials that create a sacred space where faith takes root
Greatest Need
Flexibility for Fr. Mike to respond to unforeseen needs — sustaining worship, supporting students in crisis, and seizing new opportunities for evangelization and formation
The Opportunity
Most kids lose their faith in college
But it's also where they find it. bulldogCatholic is proof that investing in campus ministry transforms lives — and an endowment ensures that transformation continues for every future generation.
Make a Gift Today
“The Catholic Initiative allows priests and religious leaders to focus on what drew them to their vocations in the first place.
”
Fr. Mike Schmitz
bulldogCatholic Chaplain & Director of Youth Ministry
“bulldogCatholic has been transformative for me. As a graduating senior, I'm relieved that the ministry will endure for future generations of students through The Catholic Initiative.
”
Jeff Wachholz
Student, University of Minnesota Duluth
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