Category Archives: Words

Mr. Trump, Launch Synodality? Holy Father, Launch DOGE?

Posted on May 7, 2025 by Bill Schmitt

President Trump has at least one thing in common with the new pope who soon will lead the world’s Catholics. Particular managerial challenges have been building up for years—in America and in the Church—and now confront both men with a … Continue reading →

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The Fault is Not in our Stars, but in our Supporting Cast

Posted on April 20, 2025 by Bill Schmitt

If reading the latest batch of books about the 2024 presidential election has already made you feel “burdened by what has been,” plan to pursue a more timeless perspective, from a very different author, on April 23. This is when … Continue reading →

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During Lent, One Word Tells Us What Not to Give Up

Posted on April 5, 2025 by Bill Schmitt

When our observance of Lent prompts us to drop bad habits or start good ones, those behavioral effects ideally go beyond rote and become “habits of the heart.” Giving up candies for a while helps us to appreciate treats all … Continue reading →

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New Media Can’t Afford to Think Talk is Cheap

Posted on March 7, 2025 by Bill Schmitt

Newsmakers and their media enablers may or may not have valid ideas to express to the American audience, but the more obvious problem is their occasional failure to express those ideas civilly. One of our crucial democratic norms—authentic, informed public … Continue reading →

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Words That Keep the Christmas Spirit Alive All Year

Posted on March 6, 2025 by Bill Schmitt

by Bill Schmitt Published Feb. 10, 2025, in the blog of the Magis Center, Garden Grove, CA. One way to keep Christmas joy alive into 2025 is to hold tight to and continue reflecting upon bits of the yuletide vocabulary that our … Continue reading →

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Pope’s 2025 Media Plea: Go Gentle into that Good Fight

Posted on January 24, 2025 by Bill Schmitt

Pope Francis says journalists face a tough assignment these days. In this polarized world, it’s never been more important for communicators to remind us of our responsibilities— and to help us carry them out. The media serve socieites which must … Continue reading →

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Did You Hear What I Heard? It’s Streaming in 2025.

Posted on January 5, 2025 by Bill Schmitt

One way to keep Christmas joy alive throughout the new year is to hold tight to, and continue reflecting upon, bits of the yuletide vocabulary to which our culture grants only a short shelf life. While some spiritual advisors urge … Continue reading →

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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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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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“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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