Author Archives: Bill Schmitt

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About Bill Schmitt

OnWord.net is the home for Bill Schmitt's blog and biographical information. This blog, initiated during Bill's nearly 14 years as a communications professional at Notre Dame, expresses Bill's opinions alone. Go to "About Bill Schmitt" and "I Link, Therefore I Am" to see samples of multimedia content I'm producing now and have produced during my journalism career and my marketing communications career. Like me at facebook.com/wgschmitt, follow me on Twitter @wschmitt, and meet "bill schmitt" on LinkedIn.

… And Let it Begin with Me (Debate This!)

Posted on October 12, 2016 by Bill Schmitt

Patrick Coffin, an insightful and witty broadcaster skilled in interviewing and conversation, is starting his own series of video commentaries about our culture and today’s challenges to faith and reason. I just viewed the first entry in his YouTube series, … Continue reading →

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Like “Hail Mary passes”? Happy Feast Day!

Posted on September 29, 2016 by Bill Schmitt

Today is  the  feast day  of  the archangels St.Michael, St. Gabriel, and  St. Raphael  in the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar. Thanks to an early morning program  on EWTN, I’ve just been reminded of the connection between St.  Gabriel and the … Continue reading →

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Phrases on Stun: Honoring Star Trek’s 50th with Words

Posted on September 4, 2016 by Bill Schmitt

Let’s boldly go into a brief blog post honoring this week’s 50th anniversary of the “Star Trek” universe. Calling it a brand or franchise is correct but inadequate. Like the actual universe, “Star Trek” seems to keep on growing, spawning … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Spirit of communication, Words, Writing | 1 Comment

Tonight, Stephen welcomes…the Philippians!

Posted on August 30, 2016 by Bill Schmitt

If you haven’t completed your daily Scripture reading yet, you’re in luck. I can provide four profound Bible quotes, all from Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, pre-packaged in an entertaining video format. We can thank three slightly surprising sources–a politician, … Continue reading →

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Sing God a Simple Song — Bernstein, Holy Cross, and More

Posted on July 9, 2016 by Bill Schmitt

Thank you, Holy Cross Associates, for the national conference you’re holding this weekend at Holy Cross College in Notre Dame, IN. A great friend of mine invited me as his guest to attend the opening sessions this morning, which featured … Continue reading →

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Mercies are better in the plural

Posted on June 15, 2016 by Bill Schmitt

Let’s not risk a mercy shortage. Especially in this Jubilee Year of Mercy, I vote that we multiply the word and amplify its meaning so as to immerse ourselves in it. As I pondered the word one day, I looked … Continue reading →

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A word of apology … sorry, that’s the word

Posted on June 1, 2016 by Bill Schmitt

Elton John has sung, “Sorry seems to be the hardest word.” But the word “apology” and its derivative, “apologist,” seem even harder. Believe it or not, today’s feast of St. Justin, Martyr, is what prompts these observations. The Catholic Encyclopedia … Continue reading →

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Love Thee, Notre Dame, and the Grace of “Yes”

Posted on November 16, 2014 by Bill Schmitt

Thanks to @LisaHendey, author of two great blogs A Good Measure and Catholic Mom.com, for her article that cited my two books with University of Notre Dame Press: Football Weekends at Notre Dame  and Words of Life: Celebrating 50 Years of the Hesburgh Library’s Message, … Continue reading →

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Joy to the Word — Not a misspelling, but an exhortation

Posted on September 7, 2014 by Bill Schmitt

Thanks to Notre Dame Magazine for inviting me to contribute to their “What I’m Reading” blog. You can see my response at http://magazine.nd.edu/news/50016-what-im-reading-the-joy-of-the-gospel-pope-francis/ Writing this blog post gave me a chance to meditate not only upon the joy that comes from getting to … Continue reading →

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Stephen Colbert, GK Chesterton, and Conversations of Hope

Posted on January 28, 2014 by Bill Schmitt

Here’s a shout-out to ACE’s own Patrick R. Manning for his cover story in the latest America magazine, noting that TV’s Stephen Colbert offers inspiration to catechists with his threefold approach: “delight, instruct, and persuade.” This connection between the ability … Continue reading →

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