rita buettner commentary AdventBlogCommentaryOpen Window Up on the Housetop Rita BuettnerDecember 18, 20244 min read I must have been about 5 or 6 that Christmas Eve. My grandmother was spending the night so she could wake up with all of us on Christmas morning. To make sure that Grandma had a bed, my oldest sister Maureen and I slept on the third floor of our Rodgers Forge townhouse. We were […] AdventBlogCommentaryOpen Window Spending Advent with St. Joseph Rita BuettnerDecember 14, 20243 min read As a woman and mother, I sometimes feel like I should feel close to Mary during Advent. And I do. But I often find myself looking more to St. Joseph. In so many ways, his story is similar to our stories. He’s thrust into a situation he couldn’t have anticipated. He considers backing out and […] BlogCommentaryOpen Window An Advent Invitation Rita BuettnerDecember 4, 20242 min read Sometimes we choose our journeys, and sometimes they choose us. Sometimes you know the destination but you’re not quite sure how you’ll get there. Sometimes you blink and suddenly discover you’re almost at your destination. Sometimes journeys are smooth, and sometimes they’re painful. But they all lead somewhere—and often to exactly where we ought to […] AdventChristmasCommentaryThe Domestic Church Picture Perfect Rita BuettnerDecember 4, 20244 min read As we walk toward Christmas, may we try to view this season as one of opportunity rather than obligation, being open to the journey and to the ways we can give and receive. AdventBlogCommentaryOpen Window Gift ideas: Shopping for a six-foot stuffed goose? Rita BuettnerNovember 29, 20243 min read Christmas is coming, and ads are everywhere. My social media feed is full of gift suggestions that make me wonder who they think I’m buying gifts for this year. CommentaryThe Domestic Church The cranberry sauce Rita BuettnerNovember 26, 20243 min read I like to think that God is waiting, trusting, walking with us, even when we feel we aren’t doing anything significant for the world. AdventBlogCommentaryOpen Window Preparing for Change Rita BuettnerNovember 22, 20243 min read As we look ahead to Advent, it almost feels as if nature is paving the way to that time, calling us to let the fading vibrancy of autumn go, and be open to the journey ahead. Change can be wonderful, but it can also be hard. BlogCommentaryOpen Window What little we have to give Rita BuettnerNovember 14, 20243 min read The other day I was in a meeting at work. We were introducing ourselves to a group of people visiting from outside our organization. When it was time for one of my coworkers to introduce himself, he mentioned he had just started working there recently. The person leading the meeting laughed. He dismissed my new […] BlogCommentaryOpen Window The loss of a pet and a visit with Padre Pio Rita BuettnerNovember 8, 20245 min read Padre Pio was such a holy man with a deep devotion to the Eucharist. He lived a life full of miracles. I really wanted to visit his relics while they were in Baltimore. BlogCommentaryOpen Window Everyday Memories of Those Who’ve Gone Before Rita BuettnerOctober 30, 20243 min read You never know what will make you remember the people you miss. Rainbows make me think of our late neighbors, John and Loretta. We shared such a beautiful rainbow with them one summer afternoon. Reaching up to close a window takes my mind to our friend Father Tom. He once told me how he felt […] Previous 1 … 1 2 3 … 93 Next