• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
        • CR Kids
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Shop
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
        • Subscribe
  • Advertising
  • Kids
  • News Tips
  • Radio/Podcasts
        • Catholic Review Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
        • In God’s Image
        • “In Charity and Truth” with Archbishop William E. Lori
  • Subscribe

Rita Buettner

Rita Buettner is a wife, working mother and author of the Catholic Review's Open Window blog. She and her husband adopted their two sons from China, and Rita often writes about topics concerning adoption, family and faith.

Rita also writes The Domestic Church, a featured column in the Catholic Review. Her writing has been honored by the Catholic Press Association, the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association and the Associated Church Press.

Thanksgiving leftovers and highlights, oyster shucking, a ride in a vintage car, and more (7 Quick Takes)

November 29, 2019
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window

Thanksgiving is about spending time with people we love, but it’s also about the food. And you can’t have Thanksgiving dinner without pie.

It’s not Thanksgiving dinner without sauerkraut

November 24, 2019
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window

Sauerkraut at Thanksgiving adds that extra something you didn’t even know you were missing.

When the Holy Spirit shows up for Sunday School and more (7 Quick Takes)

November 22, 2019
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window, Uncategorized

There are Sunday school teachers who prepare days ahead of time. Then you have me, who often spends Sunday morning flipping through the curriculum for the day while feeding people breakfast.

Choosing gratitude even when it’s not easy

November 20, 2019
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window

It’s easy to be grateful when the sun is shining and everything is humming along beautifully, but it may be more important to be grateful when we hit a bump in the road.

Field trip fun at the Maryland Historical Society, Grandma’s mashed potatoes, birthday Legos, and a moving art exhibit (7 Quick Takes)

November 16, 2019
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window

This week I tagged along on a fourth-grade trip to the Maryland Historical Society.

“Mom, don’t wave at me”

November 14, 2019
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window

Weekday mornings are a chaotic whirlwind of packing lunches and serving breakfast and making sure the right child has the right trumpet on the right day.

Seeking joy in the busyness of life

November 12, 2019
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window

This fall has been a season of abundance. I have too many things to balance, too many competing priorities, too many problems to solve, and too many reasons not to go to sleep on time.

National Adoption Month, the time change, a trip to First Fruits Farm, and more (7 Quick Takes)

November 7, 2019
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window

Even before we were married, John and I had talked about adoption. But talking about adoption is not the same as deciding to adopt. Coming to that decision can be difficult, and I feel so fortunate that John and I came to it together.

Tell me a story

November 7, 2019
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Commentary, The Domestic Church

Stories help us incorporate memories and traditions into our family. They help us know who we are.

The gift of a shooting star

November 5, 2019
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window

The other night our son was outside with his father, scanning the heavens, when a shooting star streaked across the sky.

Halloween costumes and emotions, November prayers, St. Verdiana, and more (7 Quick Takes)

November 1, 2019
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window

Even with all the worry about the weather, we got in a beautiful night of trick-or-treating, winding our way through our Halloween-happy neighborhood.

Voting to change the date of Halloween: Trick or treat?

October 29, 2019
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window

Rain is in the forecast for Halloween night, so our neighborhood created a poll. Suddenly, I found I was allowed to vote on which night Halloween would be.

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Page 1
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 55
  • Page 56
  • Page 57
  • Page 58
  • Page 59
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 88
  • Go to Next Page »

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Catholic school educators gather for the 2026 Convocation, celebrating faith, community, and year ahead
  • Prayer, social justice are inseparable, pope tells the Society of St. Vincent de Paul
  • New DOJ report alleges FBI ‘took minimal corrective action’ after ‘radical traditionalist’ memo
  • Pilgrims turn to ‘red dirt Catholic’ martyr as Blessed Stanley Rother story gets wide release
  • Faith, creativity and connection drive teacher of the year Catherine Kauffmann
  • Dolly Parton’s life of faith
  • New retreat center in Washington, D.C., ‘inspired’ by St. John Paul II
  • Faithful across Honolulu Diocese rally after devastating hurricane
  • Red Mass, Blue Mass: How ‘color’ Masses serve professionals

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2026 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED