The Bible in a Year, podcast that has been hosted by the Catholic US priest, fr Mike Schmitz, has almost approached one billion downloads globally.

As the programme enters its fifth year, it continues to shape how millions of listeners engage with Scripture daily.

The podcast, that was launched at the start of 2021, aims to help Catholics understand the Bible as a unified story rather than a collection of disconnected texts.

Fr Schmitz guides listeners through the entire Bible over the course of a year, combining daily Scripture readings with short explanations and reflections.

The podcast follows a chronological framework to show how individual books fit into the wider narrative of salvation history, making it accessible to Catholics who may never have read large portions of Scripture and to non-Catholic listeners drawn by its clarity.

The Bible in a Year show has consistently ranked at the top of podcast charts and continues to attract a large international audience.

Ascension Catholic Media plans to expand the content with additional reflections and special conversations alongside the daily episodes.