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.

Our Trains of Thought Need More than Search Engines

Posted on December 11, 2024 by Bill Schmitt

’Tis the season for language gurus to announce their “Words of the Year.” The 2024 selections from Merriam-Webster and Oxford are “polarization” and “brain rot,” respectively. Cultural critics may conclude these choices—alongside samples from previous years—suggest a certain pattern of … Continue reading →

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A Franciscan’s Mindfulness Yields an Advent Prayer

Posted on December 11, 2024 by Bill Schmitt

This commentary by Bill Schmitt was published on December 9 at the blog of the Magis Center, directed by Father Robert Spitzer, SJ. The liturgical season of Advent inspires many people to think more broadly about how Christ comes into our lives. … Continue reading →

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Realignment Time in Our Politics: Alert the Media!

Posted on November 19, 2024 by Bill Schmitt

This commentary was published earlier today on Phronesis in Pieces at billschmitt.substack.com. Bill Schmitt was interviewed about it this afternoon in hour one of Ave Maria in the Afternoon, a program nationally broadcast by Catholic radio stations. After a long … Continue reading →

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‘Man’ vs. ‘Machine’—Programming Election Day and Beyond

Posted on November 6, 2024 by Bill Schmitt

Published in “Phronesis in Pieces” at billschmitt.substack.com on Nov. 5, 2024 Members of the Baby Boom generation (1946-1964)—like Donald Trump (b. 1946), Kamala Harris (b. 1964), and me—grew up with easy access to science fiction movies and TV, as well … Continue reading →

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Play’s US Premiere Explores Sex Abuse Aftermath

Posted on October 28, 2024 by Bill Schmitt

Published in The Evangelist, the newspaper of the Diocese of Albany, NY, on Oct. 23, 2024. An award-winning, one-man play that made its U.S. public premiere in the Diocese of Albany on Oct. 20 was a breakthrough event, but not … Continue reading →

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“Unleashing Love” Conference on Women’s Catholic Identity

Posted on October 28, 2024 by Bill Schmitt

Published in The Evangelist, newspaper of the Diocese of Albany, NY, on 10/23/24. Today’s culture tends to define women by their roles — wife, mother, lawyer or doctor — but the starting point for spiritual strength is one’s identity, according … Continue reading →

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Save the Date: Our Secular World Needs a Homecoming

Posted on October 15, 2024 by Bill Schmitt

“Holy Days of Obligation” raise questions of congruency and truancy among Catholics. Some folks resist these Church mandates for Mass attendance as random intrusions on our workaday world. Many merely ask to be reminded whether, and why, a particular feast … Continue reading →

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It’s the Playoffs—Look for Angels in the Outfield

Posted on September 30, 2024 by Bill Schmitt

There is nothing like a universe to spark one’s imagination. Two Christian feast days arrive at this time of year to boost our souls’ awareness of big things to come. The feasts append our scorecard of saints. And they can … Continue reading →

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‘Try to Remember, And If You Remember, Then Follow.’

Posted on September 20, 2024 by Bill Schmitt

“Never forget!” It’s an urgent call that requires not only personal serenity sufficient to recollect truths, but also a strong social infrastructure able to reignite awareness. Although the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, seem far behind us, we who … Continue reading →

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Not Unburdened: Why You Gotta Be So Meme?

Posted on September 5, 2024 by Bill Schmitt

It’s like I just fell out of a coconut tree. I still don’t fully understand what Vice President Kamala Harris means by promoting “what can be, unburdened by what has been.” Please join me as I seek help through the … Continue reading →

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