Author Archives: Bill Schmitt

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About Bill Schmitt

Bill Schmitt is a Catholic journalist, author, educator, and marketing-communications specialist whose recent work can be seen on the Magis Center blog, in the diocesan newspaper of the Diocese of Albany, and in commentaries at “Phronesis in Pieces” on the Substack platform and at “OnWord.net”. As a secular reporter/editor, he worked at Gannett Westchester Newspapers, McGraw-Hill, Cahners Business Information, Kiplinger Washington Letter, and Chemical Week magazine. Bill has been an adjunct professor of English and media at several schools, including Fordham University and the U of Notre Dame. Full bio: Click "About" at billschmitt.substack.com

Priest’s Word to the Wise: Love to Study, Study to Love

Posted on January 18, 2023 by Bill Schmitt

This book review first appeared in The Tablet, newspaper of the Brooklyn Diocese, on Dec. 3, 2022. “Theology” can be an off-putting, academic word. But a priest of the Diocese of Brooklyn has emerged on a mission to enrich Catholics’ … Continue reading →

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Game of Kings, King of Games

Posted on January 18, 2023 by Bill Schmitt

First published in “Phronesis in Pieces” at billschmitt.substack.com on Dec. 19, 2022. The world of political reporting groans with a desperate need for graduates of the Shelby Lyman School of Journalism. This is a problem because there is no Shelby … Continue reading →

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Illuminated by Gaslighting: The Word of the Year

Posted on November 30, 2022 by Bill Schmitt

This commentary was published first in my Substack publication, “Phronesis in Pieces”–found at billschmitt.substack.com. If you would like to see more of that twice-monthly mix of news, commentaries, and resources for the pursuit of virtuous wisdom, contact me at billgerards@gmail.com … Continue reading →

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50 Ways to Love Your Leader

Posted on November 28, 2022 by Bill Schmitt

This is a special entry from the November post at billschmitt.substack.com. Please read it on Substack as part of “Phronesis in Pieces”–along with background on the project–or access the four-page “phronesis focus letter” here.

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The Abstract Arts, Framing Reality

Posted on October 29, 2022 by Bill Schmitt

Published 10/28/22 at billschmitt.substack.com, reprinted here with some modifications. Previously on Substack … We talked about the “Brights” as a movement of liberal atheists who introduced themselves in a New York Times commentary in 2003 and continued promoting their doctrines of illumination. Those ideas … Continue reading →

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Right Side of History? Wrong Side of Mystery?

Posted on October 25, 2022 by Bill Schmitt

Published in Substack on 10/15/22 at billschmitt.substack.com Religion is making a lot of news. Some pundits say its conventional forms are a remedy for the chaos in society today. Some say religiosity has morphed into a secular theology particularly common … Continue reading →

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The Foresight Saga

Posted on October 20, 2022 by Bill Schmitt

Published on 9/1/22 at billschmitt.substack.com. The prescient 1977 book Mediaworld, written by John M. Phelan, who taught my Broadcasting 101 course at Fordham, defined propaganda as “the control of behavior through the control of belief.” Phelan wrote, “The evil of propaganda is … Continue reading →

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Privilege Has its Memberships

Posted on September 25, 2022 by Bill Schmitt

This two-part blog post combines (and adapts) commentaries written for my regular contributions to “Substack” (found at billschmitt.substack.com). The pair of reflections, which carried dates of August 16 and September 15, respectively, appeared under my Substack title, “Phronesis in Pieces.” … Continue reading →

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Pronounced Flaws in Our Messages

Posted on August 10, 2022 by Bill Schmitt

(This was also published on August 6 as the first segment of my newsletter at billschmitt.substack.com) Words demand good stewardship. They are multi-dimensional containers of meaning. Never have they been more definition-fluid, and never have they shown more definition-intersectionality, thanks … Continue reading →

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Hang-Ups About Spiderman on Film

Posted on August 10, 2022 by Bill Schmitt

(Also published on August 5 as the first segment of my newsletter at billschmitt.substack.com) My “Spidey sense” was tingling as I finally watched the Spiderman: No Way Home film. I watched it on DVD, not the web. As an avid fan of … Continue reading →

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