Category Archives: Words

Jimmy Carter and Friends: Hope for Today’s Malaise

Posted on June 28, 2024 by Bill Schmitt

We tend to shower praise on people who “fit in,” but it’s more instructive to appreciate folks who are unique—which is everyone. Former President Jimmy Carter has blazed new trails, and The Washington Post on June 22 reminded us that … Continue reading →

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‘I Remind You, You’re Under Oath’

Posted on June 13, 2024 by Bill Schmitt

Amid the courtroom traumas of lawfare and divisive political chatter we might call “jawfare,” one upbeat element of America’s news diet still speaks well of us. Journalists chronicle this edifying subtext halfheartedly, more in its breach than in its observance. … Continue reading →

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‘There’s the Glass House. Here’s the Stone.’

Posted on May 27, 2024 by Bill Schmitt

Our society’s embrace of the all-purpose polarizer—the worldview labeled “oppressed vs. oppressor” or “victim vs. victimizer”—prompts us to weaponize everything, including guilt. We’ve got lots of glass houses and plenty of stones. Guilt is already a formidable material when it … Continue reading →

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Our Magical Mystery Tour–Now Departing from Reality

Posted on April 23, 2024 by Bill Schmitt

Also check out the Magis Center blog, which this week posted a previous, related commentary by Bill Schmitt: “We Seek Authenticity, But Be Careful Defining What’s Real.” The Magis Center is directed by Father Robert Spitzer, SJ. Breathe in the … Continue reading →

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After Easter, Shedding Lenten Lessons is a Crying Shame

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Bill Schmitt

It was timely to learn about so-called “cry spas” during Lent. That period of sadness and penitence ushered in Easter, when our tears are “turned into dancing,” as we’re told in song. The tricky part starts now, as our lives combine … Continue reading →

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Timing is the Key to Comity: No Joke!

Posted on March 18, 2024 by Bill Schmitt

This is a preview of the commentary to be published tomorrow in “Phronesis in Pieces” at billschmitt.substack.com. Be sure to check out some of the links below to view videos. Comedians have a key area of expertise: timing. We enjoy … Continue reading →

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It’s Time to Baptize the ‘Gig Economy’

Posted on March 2, 2024 by Bill Schmitt

The Gallup organization advised the corporate world last month to take steps to support employees—especially younger generations—who increasingly report “disengagement” from the workplace. That’s not news to leaders in America’s religious groups, who have bemoaned the rise of the “nones”—those … Continue reading →

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Homeland Security on an Island of Misfit Toys

Posted on February 20, 2024 by Bill Schmitt

This is a preview of a commentary soon to be published in “Phronesis in Pieces” at billschmitt.substack.com. Please also see the story below, which is an accompanying sidebar essay. Today’s headlines proclaim wars and rumors of wars—not only between countries, … Continue reading →

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Now We’ve Got God Right Where He Wants Us

Posted on February 20, 2024 by Bill Schmitt

This is the sidebar essay accompanying the story above, “Homeland Security on an Island of Misfit Toys.” Both commentaries will also be published in “Phronesis in Pieces” at billschmitt.substack.com. Please consider subscribing to that publication. Here is more “grist for … Continue reading →

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A Theology of the Disembodied: The Pope’s ‘AI’ Caveats Continue

Posted on January 25, 2024 by Bill Schmitt

Hear my interview with Father Philip Larrey, an advisor to the Vatican on artificial intelligence. Recorded in early February, this 47-minute audio provides Fr. Larrey’s insights on AI’s benefits and challenges, expanding upon the World Communications Day message described below. … Continue reading →

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