A Dinner Disaster July 7, 2026By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Open Window I tasted it, and it wasn’t just too salty. It was terrible. Even though I had followed the recipe, the dish was inedible.
Backyard diamond July 7, 2026By George P. Matysek Jr. Catholic Review Filed Under: Amen, Amen Matysek Commentary, Commentary, Feature, Sports, The Narthex George Matysek’s backyard may never win landscaping awards, but the dirt where his sons play baseball has become a place where memories, family bonds and faith take root.
How thoughts affect us July 7, 2026By Effie Caldarola OSV News Filed Under: Commentary Every mom — and everyone who was ever a kid — remembers the occasional chaos of school mornings, grabbing breakfast, homework, lunch bags, negotiating who gets the bathroom next.
Question Corner: How do I know if I’m excommunicated due to my past support of the SSPX? July 6, 2026By Jenna Marie Cooper OSV News Filed Under: Commentary, Question Corner I used to be supportive of the SSPX and have regularly attended Mass at their chapels at different points in my life. How do I know if I’m excommunicated now?
Happy 250th to the USA, climbing the Empire State Building, a Cookie Monster geode & more (7 Quick Takes) July 4, 2026By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Open Window July is my favorite month of the year. It’s my birthday month, so that adds to the joy, but July is also the heart of the summer—and summertime is the best.
Keeping a republic: a 250th birthday meditation July 2, 2026By George Weigel Syndicated Columnist Filed Under: America's 250th anniversary, Commentary, The Catholic Difference As we mark the national semiquincentennial on July 4, we might well reflect on Benjamin Franklin’s answer to Elizabeth Willing Powel, when the elderly sage left the Constitutional Convention in 1787 and the Philadelphia matron demanded, “Well, Dr. Franklin, what have we got, a republic, or a monarchy?”
‘Alone’: Lessons from the wilderness July 1, 2026By Sister Hosea Rupprecht OSV News Filed Under: Commentary “Alone” sends 10 trained survivalists into the wilderness to live off the land. Armed with strict limits on their gear, the individual who lasts the longest wins a $500,000 prize. Unlike other reality shows, the participants do their own camera work.
A Fourth of July Memory June 30, 2026By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Open Window I was making coffee early on the Fourth of July when I heard the ping of a text message.
Question Corner: Would a vow renewal impact a future annulment? June 29, 2026By Jenna Marie Cooper OSV News Filed Under: Commentary, Question Corner Hypothetically, would a vow renewal like this have any impact if a couple were to try for an annulment later?
Relishing a 7th Birthday with Mustard June 24, 2026By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Open Window Did she like mustard? We didn’t know. Did she want a stuffed mustard? Maybe not. But we had a feeling this was the right gift.
Question Corner: Should a priest do a Mass intention ‘for the people of the parish’ when there are more specific intentions waiting? June 24, 2026By Jenna Marie Cooper OSV News Filed Under: Commentary, Question Corner The short answer is that your priest isn’t offering Mass for the people of the parish because he personally wanted to or because he thought it was a good idea (although he probably is happy to do this and praying for the people of the parish is indeed a good idea)! Rather, he was offering this specific Mass intention because the Church’s canon law specifically requires him to do so.
Not to Burst Your Balloon June 22, 2026By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Open Window Getting someone’s attention at the balloon counter was tricky, but when I finally found an employee, I asked her to fill up six red balloons.
